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第10章

a footnote to history-第10章

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It was after dark; prayers had been said and the hymns sung through 

all the village; and Strong and the German sat together on the mats 

in the house of Tamasese; when the events began。  Strong speaks 

German freely; a fact which he had not disclosed; and he was scarce 

more amused than embarrassed to be able to follow all the evening 

the dissension and the changing counsels of his neighbours。  First 

the king himself was missing; and there was a false alarm that he 

had escaped and was already closeted with Poor。  Next came certain 

intelligence that some of the ministry had run the blockade; and 

were on their way to the house of the English settler。  Thereupon; 

in spite of some protests from Tamasese; who tried to defend the 

independence of his cabinet; Brandeis gathered a posse of warriors; 

marched out of the village; brought back the fugitives; and clapped 

them in the corrugated iron shanty which served as gaol。  Along 

with these he seems to have seized Billy Coe; interpreter to the 

Hawaiians; and Poor; seeing his conspiracy public; burst with his 

boat's…crew into the town; made his way to the house of the native 

prime minister; and demanded Coe's release。  Brandeis hastened to 

the spot; with Strong at his heels; and the two principals being 

both incensed; and Strong seriously alarmed for his friend's 

safety; there began among them a scene of great intemperance。  At 

one point; when Strong suddenly disclosed his acquaintance with 

German; it attained a high style of comedy; at another; when a 

pistol was most foolishly drawn; it bordered on drama; and it may 

be said to have ended in a mixed genus; when Poor was finally 

packed into the corrugated iron gaol along with the forfeited 

ministers。  Meanwhile the captain of his boat; Siteoni; of whom I 

shall have to tell again; had cleverly withdrawn the boat's…crew at 

an early stage of the quarrel。  Among the population beyond 

Tamasese's marches; he collected a body of armed men; returned 

before dawn to Leulumoenga; demolished the corrugated iron gaol; 

and liberated the Hawaiian secretary and the rump of the rebel 

cabinet。  No opposition was shown; and doubtless the rescue was 

connived at by Brandeis; who had gained his point。  Poor had the 

face to complain the next day to Becker; but to compete with Becker 

in effrontery was labour lost。  〃You have been repeatedly warned; 

Mr。 Poor; not to expose yourself among these savages;〃 said he。



Not long after; the presence of the KAIMILOA was made A CASUS BELLI 

by the Germans; and the rough…and…tumble embassy withdrew; on 

borrowed money; to find their own government in hot water to the 

neck。





THE EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY。  It is possible; and it is alleged; that 

the Germans entered into the conference with hope。  But it is 

certain they were resolved to remain prepared for either fate。  And 

I take the liberty of believing that Laupepa was not forgiven his 

duplicity; that; during this interval; he stood marked like a tree 

for felling; and that his conduct was daily scrutinised for further 

pretexts of offence。  On the evening of the Emperor's birthday; 

March 22nd; 1887; certain Germans were congregated in a public bar。  

The season and the place considered; it is scarce cynical to assume 

they had been drinking; nor; so much being granted; can it be 

thought exorbitant to suppose them possibly in fault for the 

squabble that took place。  A squabble; I say; but I am willing to 

call it a riot。  And this was the new fault of Laupepa; this it is 

that was described by a German commodore as 〃the trampling upon by 

Malietoa of the German Emperor。〃  I pass the rhetoric by to examine 

the point of liability。  Four natives were brought to trial for 

this horrid fact:  not before a native judge; but before the German 

magistrate of the tripartite municipality of Apia。  One was 

acquitted; one condemned for theft; and two for assault。  On 

appeal; not to Malietoa; but to the three consuls; the case was by 

a majority of two to one returned to the magistrate and (as far as 

I can learn) was then allowed to drop。  Consul Becker himself laid 

the chief blame on one of the policemen of the municipality; a 

half…white of the name of Scanlon。  Him he sought to have 

discharged; but was again baffled by his brother consuls。  Where; 

in all this; are we to find a corner of responsibility for the king 

of Samoa?  Scanlon; the alleged author of the outrage; was a half…

white; as Becker was to learn to his cost; he claimed to be an 

American subject; and he was not even in the king's employment。  

Apia; the scene of the outrage; was outside the king's jurisdiction 

by treaty; by the choice of Germany; he was not so much as allowed 

to fly his flag there。  And the denial of justice (if justice were 

denied) rested with the consuls of Britain and the States。



But when a dog is to be beaten; any stick will serve。  In the 

meanwhile; on the proposition of Mr。 Bayard; the Washington 

conference on Samoan affairs was adjourned till autumn; so that 

〃the ministers of Germany and Great Britain might submit the 

protocols to their respective Governments。〃  〃You propose that the 

conference is to adjourn and not to be broken up?〃 asked Sir Lionel 

West。  〃To adjourn for the reasons stated;〃 replied Bayard。  This 

was on July 26th; and; twenty…nine days later; by Wednesday the 

24th of August; Germany had practically seized Samoa。  For this 

flagrant breach of faith one excuse is openly alleged; another 

whispered。  It is openly alleged that Bayard had shown himself 

impracticable; it is whispered that the Hawaiian embassy was an 

expression of American intrigue; and that the Germans only did as 

they were done by。  The sufficiency of these excuses may be left to 

the discretion of the reader。  But; however excused; the breach of 

faith was public and express; it must have been deliberately 

predetermined and it was resented in the States as a deliberate 

insult。



By the middle of August 1887 there were five sail of German war…

ships in Apia bay:  the BISMARCK; of 3000 tons displacement; the 

CAROLA; the SOPHIE; and the OLGA; all considerable ships; and the 

beautiful ADLER; which lies there to this day; kanted on her beam; 

dismantled; scarlet with rust; the day showing through her ribs。  

They waited inactive; as a burglar waits till the patrol goes by。  

And on the 23rd; when the mail had left for Sydney; when the eyes 

of the world were withdrawn; and Samoa plunged again for a period 

of weeks into her original island…obscurity; Becker opened his 

guns。  The policy was too cunning to seem dignified; it gave to 

conduct which would otherwise have seemed bold and even brutally 

straightforward; the appearance of a timid ambuscade; and helped to 

shake men's reliance on the word of Germany。  On the day named; an 

ultimatum reached Malietoa at Afenga; whither he had retired months 

before to avoid friction。  A fine of one thousand dollars and an 

IFO; or public humiliation; were demanded for the affair of the 

Emperor's birthday。  Twelve thousand dollars were to be 〃paid 

quickly〃 for thefts from German plantations in the course of the 

last four years。  〃It is my opinion that there is nothing just or 

correct in Samoa while you are at the head of the government;〃 

concluded Becker。  〃I shall be at Afenga in the morning of to…

morrow; Wednesday; at 11 A。M。〃  The blow fell on Laupepa (in his 

own expression) 〃out of the bush〃; the dilatory fellow had seen 

things hang over so long; he had perhaps begun to suppose they 

might hang over for ever; and here was ruin at the door。  He rode 

at once to Apia; and summoned his chiefs。  The council lasted all 

night long。  Many voices were for defiance。  But Laupepa had grown 

inured to a policy of procrastination; and the answer ultimately 

drawn only begged for delay till Saturday; the 27th。  So soon as it 

was signed; the king too

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