SAMOA TAKEN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 1 September 1914, Page 4

SAMOA TAKEN.

On August 11th last, when the advance expeditionary force was being got together in New Zealand, and when the Premier said that the force would be in the fighting line in a few weeks' t£me, we wrote:—"The lighting line may be anywhere in the Pacific. It may be, for aught We know, at Samoa. The British forces have seized a German possession on the Gold Coast of Africa. They might do worse than take possession of the German base in the Pacific, which is at Samoa. This would probably be accomplished without fighting. The German occupation of Samoa is a distinct menace to trade in the Pacific, and the Commonwealth squadron, with tho assistance of Dominion troops, might rid u> effectually of this menace." The news that came to hand yesterday that Samoa had been taken by our expeditionary force without resistance, confirms our anticipation to the letter. Upolu Island, of which Apia is" the chief port, has a population og 18,400, and Suvaii Island a population of 13,200, chiefly natives. We shall expect, in a few days' time to record the fact that the Australian Expeditionary force has landed at Gorman New Guinea.