THE UNITED STATES AND SAMOA 275 



side, the Germans taking no part. The war was carried on 

 in all the islands. The Philadelphia, and the English vessels, 

 Porpoise and Royalist, began a systematic bombardment of 

 the coast villages which were known to be in sympathy with 

 Mataafa. This method of warfare upon the defenceless 

 natives, the women and children of the villages along the 

 coast, had been roundly denounced by Captain Leary when 

 the Germans had adopted the same tactics against Laupepa 

 and Mataafa in 1888 ; and it is difficult to find justification 

 for it at any time, whatever may be the provocation. To 

 fire upon non-combatants is not only opposed to all rules of 

 civilized warfare, but in these particular cases it would seem 

 to be the refinement of inhumanity. The worst offence of 

 the natives was the desire to elect a king according to their 

 own custom, a privilege accorded them in the treaty, and 

 for some mysterious reason denied them. In one encounter 

 (April 1), a squad of American and English sailors, led by 

 several officers from the Philadelphia, were surprised by 

 Mataafans, and a number killed and decapitated, including 

 two American officers. 



Mataafa was, however, soon obliged to retire from Mulinuu, 

 and Tanu was thereupon crowned king (March 23) in the 

 presence of some natives and the American and English 

 officials. Mataafa continued in open rebellion, with head- 

 quarters in the bush, and a number of engagements of more 

 or less importance ensued. During the latter part of April 

 news reached Apia of the appointment by the three signatory 

 powers of an investigating commission. Only then was a 

 truce declared. Both parties rested upon their arms, and 

 in a sullenly expectant mood the opposing foreign factions 

 in Apia consented to await the coming of the commission. 



As soon as it was possible, the diplomacy of the three 

 interested nations was brought to bear upon the situation. 

 Fortunately all three powers assumed an unexpectedly com- 

 plaisant attitude, and in that quarter where calmness and 

 forbearance were least expected they were most readily forth- 

 coming. In a speech before the Reichstag, on the 14th of 

 April, Herr von Bulow declared that it "would be simply 



