News from Samoa.

Southland Times, Issue 14332, 28 April 1899, Page 2

News from Samoa.

THE FIGHTING CONTINUES.

FHE FRATRICIDAL WARFARE. [By Telegraph.] Auckland, April 27. The New Zealand Herald’s correspondent, writing under date April 18th, says that daring the last three weeks there has been a considerable amount of hard fighting, most of it has been done by friendlies, acting as landing parties from H.M.S Porpoise, or by| friendlies making expeditions inland from Apia. , After the severe loss on Ist April it was deemed unwise to send the bluejackets along the bush roads in the enemy’s country, so they have been used to defend the town of Apia and to act as supports or reserves for the friendly natives. The friendlies brought from Tutuila, Savaii, Apolima and Manons, and from various districts in Upolo, are quartered at Mulinuii and number 1500 fighting men. Until recently oaly a small proportion of these were armed with good rifles; now, however, they are supplied with Lee-Metford rifle?. Lieut. Gaunt selected 100 Malietoa men and has drilled them until they have learned to woik admirably. These form the landing party when the Porpoise goes out to attack the villages, and make expeditions when they are ashore. The rebels are in much the same position as before, save that they have gathered in stronger force near Apia and were recently joined by 500 from Savaii. The recent fighting shows that the Anglo. American, or the Malietoa aide is not able to successfully compete with bhe rebels, and that we should require many more men in order to crush the rebellion. On 3rd April the warships Philadelphia, Tauranga, Royalist and Porpoise shelled the environs of Apia. On Bth April 400 friendlies, under Tamasise, met the rebels near Vailima, and killed and wounded 11. The friendlies lost one man, the rebels taking his head. , , ,_. On April 17th the Porpoise landed Lieut. Gaunt’s friendlies at Valifa, where they were met by a strong party of friendlies, and drove off the rebels, killing several.

On April 13 .h Tamasese, with a strong following, moved out to Fagalii (near the sceue of the encounter on April 7th). They were attacked suddenly by the enemy, and ran a risk of being annihilated, but Lieut. Gauut and his red caps rushed to the front and the rebels were driven off, 11 of them being killed, including two high chiefs, the friendlies losing one man. Oa April 14 news was brought to Apia that Von Bulow, a German army officer, had left Savaii with 500 rebels, intending to join Mataa f a. Von Bulow, however, was intercepted by the German warship Falke, but the 500 rebel* joined the main body of the enemy. On April 15 the Porpoise landed Lieut. Gaunt’s party, supported by blue jackets under Lieut. Parker, at Magia, 70 miles west of Apia. They were attacked by ab least 2000 rebels, and had to retreat, but they did so in good order, having three of their number slightly wounded. On Monday, the 17th, the greatest battle of the war was fought ab Vailima. The rebels had over 2000 men and the friendlies’l2oo. No Europeans were engaged except Lieut. Gaunt, who led 130 red caps. The rebels were strongly entrenched behind stone walls and our people were unable to drive them out. The friendlies had four men killed and 18 wounded and had to retire. The Porpoise then shelled the enemy’s position; one shell struck R L. Stevenson’s house.

Tuesday, 18th. The authorities are at work reorganising the friendly forces and dittribating SQQ rifles received from Sydney,