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  shall　have　to　tell　again；　had　cleverly　withdrawn　the　boat's…crew　at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　took　horse　and　fled　in　the　early　morning　to
  Afenga；　the　council　hastily　dispersed；　and　only　three　chiefs；　Selu；
  Seumanu；　and　Le　Mamea；　remained　by　the　government　building；
  tremulously　expectant　of　the　result。
  By　seven　the　letter　was　received。　　By　7。30　Becker　arrived　in
  person；　inquired　for　Laupepa；　was　evasively　answered；　and　declared
  war　on　the　spot。　　Before　eight；　the　Germans　（seven　hundred　men　and
  six　guns）　came　ashore　and　seized　and　hoisted　German　colours　on　the
  government　building。　　The　three　chiefs　had　made　good　haste　to
  escape；　but　a　considerable　booty　was　made　of　government　papers；
  fire…arms；　and　some　seventeen　thousand　cartridges。　　Then　followed　a
  scene　which　long　rankled　in　the　minds　of　the　white　inhabitants；
  when　the　German　marines　raided　the　town　in　search　of　Malietoa；
  burst　into　private　houses；　and　were　accused　（I　am　willing　to
  believe　on　slender　grounds）　of　violence　to　private　persons。
  On　the　morrow；　the　25th；　one　of　the　German　war…s