1902] Distressing Episodes' ' /^ \ 



when on their own initiative (both captains having 

 lost their heads) a British and an American gunboat 

 lying in the harbor bombarded the town. This 

 attack was ostensibly for "the protection of their 

 nationals," although no one had even thought of 

 needing it. And W. J. Moors, the sole American Asur- 

 property-holder on the beach, to whom I shall soon f t risf ? 

 again refer, told me that he supposed the vessels 

 were only firing salutes until shells began to fall about 

 his hotel. 



Marines being soon afterward landed from the two 

 ships, they started inland with a machine gun, firing 

 freely at Samoans and fighting, as the report put it, 

 "shoulder to shoulder with a savage foe." Their 

 principal weapon then becoming disabled, some of 

 the contingent were killed by the natives in reprisal. 

 As a matter of fact, "a savage foe" would have 

 annihilated them, for Mata'afa, the wise and pious 

 chief, had them at his mercy, both sides of the trail 

 through the bush being lined with hidden men. 1 



The affair was duly brought up for arbitration at 

 the instance of the German government, whose terri- 

 tory had been invaded, with the King of Sweden as 

 chosen adjudicator. According to his verdict, the 

 United States and Great Britain were "responsible 

 for the loss occasioned by their military action." The Adjust- 

 arbitrator further asserted as a principle that "a 



. 9 * 



nation has no right to land troops in order to preserve 

 the property or the lives of her nationals." The 

 countries at fault then paid the damages assessed 

 (the United States, however, refusing to recognize 

 the principle on which the decision rested), and the 



1 This statement was made to me by one of the natives there present who 

 took me over the ground. 



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