Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/694

662 Affairs in Samoa. [1886-& at Apia, as an act of reprisal, attached the sovereign rights of the Samoan King in the municipality of Apia, while an armed force from a German man-of-war hauled down the Samoan flag from the Government House. Prior to this, the government of the United States had taken no decided stand with regard to the fate of the islands. In January, 1886, however, Bayard, as Secretary of State, instructed the American minister at Berlin to express the expectation that nothing would be done to impair the rights of the United States under the existing treaty. The German government made a friendly response ; and it was afterwards agreed that the British and German ministers at Washington should confer with the Secretary of State with a view to the re-establishment of order, existing arrangements in the islands to be meanwhile preserved. The conference was opened in June, 1887; but in the following month, which happened to be excessively hot, it was adjourned till the autumn, in the hope that a basis would be found for reconciling certain differences of view which the discussions had disclosed. Immediately after the adjournment, the German government, without previous notice to the other Powers, instructed its representatives in Samoa to demand from the Samoan King, Malietoa, reparation for certain alleged wrongs, all of which were prior to the assembling of the con- ference ; and, if he should be unwilling or unable to afford satisfaction, to declare war against him " personally." War was declared; Malietoa was dethroned and deported ; and Tamasese, who had lately been in arms against the government, was installed as King, with a German named Brandeis, who had long been connected with German commercial interests in Samoa, as adviser. In September, 1888, many of the natives revolted against Tamasese, and chose Mataafa as King. Hostilities ensued ; and a party of German marines, who had been sent ashore to protect German property, were ambushed by Mataafa's forces and many of them killed and wounded. A state of war with Samoa was then announced by Prince Bismarck ; and the German minister at Washington complained that the force by which the German marines were attacked was com- manded by an American named Klein. This allegation has often been repeated by writers, who have inferred from it that the attack was due to American inspiration. It was shown, however, by subsequent investi- gation that Klein, who was in no way connected with the public service, was a correspondent of the American press, who had visited Samoa merely in the pursuit of his profession. He swore that he advised the natives not to fire, and hailed the German boats to warn them of their danger ; that the German marines fired first, and that he did not advise the Samoans to return the fire. Three of the natives gave evidence to the same effect ; while two others, although they admitted that Klein hailed the German boats, stated that he took command of the Samoans in the ensuing fight. On neither supposition was the government or the people of the United States in any degree responsible for the unfortunate incident.