the harbor of Apia, the capital of Samoa, and acknowledged Tamasese as King. The recognized King, Malietoa, appealed to the American Consul, Greenbaum, to act as a peacemaker. "As the kingdom of Samoa," wrote the distressed chief, "has appealed to the United States for assistance and protection," and as he feared that English and Americans might fire on the rebel forces under Tamasese, he requested Consul Greenbaum to issue a proclamation that might prevent so disastrous a result. The Consul did so, and, moreover, hoisted the United States flag over the Samoan flag on the same halyards, as a token that the islands were under the protection of America. This step, having been taken without reference by the Consul to the Federal Government at Washington, was repudiated by the Secretary of State, Mr. Bayard, and Consul Greenbaum was recalled.

In 1886 President Cleveland called the attention of Congress to the deplorable condition of the islands. He wrote: "Civil perturbations in the Samoan Islands have, during the last four years, been a source of extreme embarrassment to three Governments-Germany, Great Britain, and the United States, whose relations and extra territorial rights in that important seaport are guaranteed by treaty." He announced, too, that special agents of the three Governments had been deputed to examine the situation in the islands, and hoped "that this change and an harmonious understanding would secure the business prosperity of the autonomous administration and the neutrality of Samoa." As a result of the reports of their agents, a conference between the representatives of Great Britain, Germany, and the United States was held on board the American vessel Mohican, commanded by Captain Day, and a declaration was signed that these three powers did not recognize Tamasese as King.

But, meanwhile, the Germans were busy in the islands. In August the German vessel Adler arrived at Apia, and demanded from King Malietoa a heavy fine for damages alleged to have been caused by his acts to German interests, and also "an abject apology" for his conduct. The fine thus sought to be extorted was enormous in amount, and evidently quite beyond the resources of which Malietoa could dispose, while the letter conveying the demand was of a most insulting and arrogant character. Not satisfied with this, the German Consul prevailed on the captains of the German ships of war, the Adler, the Eber, and the Olga, to land a considerable body of troops, who searched the town in quest of Malietoa, without any regard to the nationality of the owners of the houses searched. The United States protested, but the only reply was a proclamation issued by the German Consul on August 25, that "War is proclaimed against Malietoa." On sight of this document, the representatives of the United States and Great

CHAP. XXXVI.

THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

1859

Britain published a counter proclamation, announcing that they had never recognized Tamasese, and would continue to recognize Malietoa. Still the Germans continued in their course of action, probably not without some sort of understanding with Great Britain, for it is likely enough that that kingdom would be willing to leave Germany free to act in the Pacific Ocean, in return for concessions to be made in Africa or New Guinea, where British. interests were larger. On September 8 came the announcement that Malietoa had been deposed by Germany, had been taken prisoner and sent to a German settlement in New Guinea, whence he was transferred to the Cameroons, and finally to Hamburg.

The conventions which the three powers had entered into in the years 1879 and 1883, were based on assurances of mutual guarantees for the independence of Samoa; but the events above related, as occurring in 1886 and 1887, evidently made it necessary for our Government to insist on a new treaty. A conference between delegates from the three powers interested was held in the summer, at Washington, at which the German Minister proposed that the government of the islands should be vested, for a term of five years, in a foreign adviser, who was to be nominated by the power having the largest material interests in Samoa. This was rejected by Mr. Bayard, who made a counter proposition, to place the supreme authority in the hands of the King, the Vice-King, and three foreigners, one from each of the great powers. This, in its turn, was not satisfactory, and the conference was, on July 26, suspended, but not abrogated. The events above described, however, and other proceedings of the German civil and naval officers, rendered a renewal of the negotiations indispensable. German marines had been landed, all foreign vessels were searched, and American goods not allowed to be landed. An American named Klein, who had taken an active share in the military operations of the party of Malietoa, had taken refuge on board the Nipsic, and his surrender was demanded. This demand called forth energetic communications from the Secretary of State; but as President Cleveland's term of office was expiring, the renewal of the conference did not take place till President Harrison had been inaugurated and appointed Mr. Blaine as his Secretary of State. On April 29, 1889, the suspended conference was resumed at Berlin, the representatives of Germany being Count Herbert Bismarck and Dr. Krauel; of Great Britain, Sir Edward Malet, the British ambassador to the German Empire, and Mr. Scott; and of the United States, Mr. Kasson, who had previously been our Minister to the Court of Vienna, and Mr. Bates, who had been one of our Commissioners to Samoa, and they were assisted by Mr. W. W. Phelps, Consul Sewall, and Lieutenants Buckingham and Parker. The first meeting was held in the palace of Prince Bis

marck, the Chancellor of the Empire, and the proceedings were opened in the French language by an address, to which Sir Edward Malet and Mr. Kasson responded. After this diplomatic formality had been gone through, it was agreed that the further proceedings should be carried on in English, and that strict secrecy should be observed by all members of the conference.

It was understood that Count Herbert Bismarck's remarks were to the effect that arrangements ought to be made for non-interference by any of the powers represented in the conference, and that the natives should be allowed to select their King. Within three days of the meeting of the conference, King Malietoa was released from the confinement in which he had been kept, a decided testimony to the desire of the German authorities to bring the negotiations to a peaceful and speedy conclusion. By the welldefined instructions of Mr. Blaine, the American Commissioners were directed to insist upon the autonomy of the native Government; to resist all attempts to hold Americans responsible for the disturbances in the islands; to endeavor to lighten, as much as possible, any burden in the way of indemnity the Germans might seek to place upon the impoverished Samoans; to demand an equal representation with the other treaty powers in the local government of the islands, in the event that any foreign influence should be permitted a share in it, and to insist most strenuously upon the restoration of the status quo ante.

The result seems to be, in every way, satisfactory to our statesmen, and to insure due respect to American rights and interests.

But before the conference met, while the ships of war of Great Britain, Germany, and the United States were lying in the harbor of Apia, there took place one of those extraordinary outbreaks of the forces of nature which paralyze all human efforts, and teach how weak a thing man is. On the 14th of March the barometer began to fall with alarming rapidity, and at three o'clock on the 15th the storm burst in all its fury, veering from the northwest to the nor'-nor'east. On the morning of the 16th the German ships Eber and Adler were blown on to the reef, and at nine o clock the British ship Calliope seemed doomed to the same fate. She was a new ship and had good engines, and her commander resolved on the desperate task of running out to sea in face of the storm. She got into collision with the Olga, and passed close to the Trenton, on board of which the fires were extinguished, and which, like her consorts, the Vandalia and the Nipsic, was being irresistibly forced on the deadly reefs. Yet at that moment of despair the crew of the Trenton greeted the efforts of the Calliope with three ringing cheers. "Those cheers," said the British captain, "saved my ship, for it gave new heart to my men." "Consider the scene," said an English

CHAP. XXXVI.

THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

1861

writer," and the matchless heroism and generosity of this Yankee crew. Almost sure of instant death themselves, they could see the Queen's ship fighting the hurricane and appreciate the gallantry of the effort with the

generous pleasure of true mariners. We do not know, in all naval records, any sound which makes a finer music upon the ear than the cheer of the Trenton's men. It was distressed manhood greeting triumphant manhood, the doomed saluting the saved. It was pluckier and more human than any cry raised upon the deck of a victorious line-of-battle ship. It never can be

forgotten, never must be forgotten by Englishmen speaking of Americans. The dauntless cheers to the Calliope was the expression of an immortal courage.' The heroism of the American sailors was beyond parallel in recent years. Their labors were incessant, their sufferings great, no help possible, nothing but death before them; yet, in the very crisis of the hurricane, the band of the Trenton struck up the "Star-Spangled Banner" as the ship swept onward to the reef.

The Trenton and Vandalia became total wrecks, like the German ships, Adler and Eber, but the Nipsic and the German ship Olga were got off the beach with little damage when the storm had abated. In his letters reporting this disaster, Admiral Kimberly bore generous testimony to the assistance the wrecked crews received from the natives, who, regardless of all danger, hurried to rescue the survivors that were swimming to the shore, and to recover the bodies of those who had perished either in the wreck or on the reef. The great storm at Apia will be remembered when the affairs of Samoa are forgotten.

In September, 1887, the Centenary celebration of the completion of the Constitution was kept in Philadelphia. The festivities lasted three days. On the first was a Grand Industrial Parade of 12,000 members of the various trade societies; on the second, a military parade of 30,000 men, and a public reception by the President; and on the last day a public meeting was held in Independence Square, at which a hymn by Francis Marion Crawford was sung and orations made by Mr. J. A. Kasson and Mr. S. F. Miller, Judge of the Supreme Court.

President Cleveland and his Cabinet attended, and many other prominent persons were present, including the Justices of the Supreme Court, Senators, Representatives in Congress, the foreign diplomatic body, and the Governors of the several States. Dense crowds of people filled the square and the adjacent streets. President Cleveland presided at one of the stands and made a brief address. Referring to the difficulties overcome by the framers of the Constitution, he said: "Continuing, in face of all discouragements, the fathers of the Republic labored on for four long, weary months, in alternate hope and fear, but always with rugged resolve, with their endeavors sanctified, with a perfect sense of the value to posterity of their success, and with unflinching faith in the principles which make the foundation of government by the people. At last their task was done. It was related that on the back of the chair occupied by Washington as President of the Convention, a sun was painted. As the delegates were signing the complete Constitution, one of them said: 'I have often and often, in the course of this session, in the solicitude of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at