by　them　and　pardoned　by　others；　but　it　so　chanced　that　the　bullets
  flew　about　the　ears　of　Captain　Hand；　and　that　commander　is　said　to
  have　been　insatiable　of　apologies。　　The　affair；　besides；　had　a
  deplorable　effect　on　the　inhabitants。　　A　black　band　（they　saw）
  might　protect　them　from　the　Mataafas；　not　from　undiscriminating
  shots。　　Panic　ensued。　　The　war…ships　were　open　to　receive　the
  fugitives；　and　the　gentlemen　who　had　made　merry　over　Fangalii　were
  seen　to　thrust　each　other　from　the　wharves　in　their　eagerness　to
  flee　Apia。　　I　willingly　drop　the　curtain　on　the　shameful　picture。
  Meanwhile；　on　the　German　side　of　the　bay；　a　more　manly　spirit　was
  exhibited　in　circumstances　of　alarming　weakness。　　The　plantation
  managers　and　overseers　had　all　retreated　to　Matafele；　only　one　（I
  understand）　remaining　at　his　post。　　The　whole　German　colony　was
  thus　collected　in　one　spot；　and　could　count　and　wonder　at　its
  scanty　numbers。　　Knappe　declares　（to　my　surprise）　that　the　warships
  could　not　spare　him　more　than　fifty　men　a　day。　　The　great　extension
  of　the　German　quarter；　he　goes　on；　did　not　〃allow　a　full　occupation
  of　the　outer　line〃；　hence　they　had　shrunk　into　the　western　end　by
  the　firm　buildings；　and　the　inhabitants　were　warned　to　fall　back　on
  this　position；　in　the　case　of　an　alert。　　So　that　he　who　had　set
  forth；　a　day　or　so　before；　to　disarm　the　Mataafas　in　the　open
  field；　now　found　his　resources　scarce　adequate　to　garrison　the
  buildings　of　the　firm。　　But　Knappe　seemed　unteachable　by　fate。　　It
  is　probable　he　thought　he　had
  〃Already　waded　in　so　deep；
  Returning　were　as　tedious　as　go　o'er〃；
  it　is　certain　that　he　continued；　on　the　scene　of　his　defeat　and　in
  the　midst　of　his　weakness；　to　bluster　and　menace　like　a　conqueror。
  Active　war；　which　he　lacked　the　means　of　attempting；　was
  continually　threatened。　　On　the　22nd　he　sought　the　aid　of　his
  brother　consuls　to　maintain　the　neutral　territory　against　Mataafa；
  and　at　the　same　time；　as　though　meditating　instant　deeds　of
  prowess；　refused　to　be　bound　by　it　himself。　　This　singular
  proposition　was　of　course　refused：　　Blacklock　remarking　that　he　had
  no　fear　of　the　natives；　if　these　were　let　alone；　de　Coetlogon
  refusing　in　the　circumstances　to　recognise　any　neutral　territory　at
  all。　　In　vain　Knappe　amended　and　baited　his　proposal　with　the　offer
  of　forty…eight　or　ninety…six　hours'　notice；　according　as　his
  objective　should　be　near　or　within　the　boundary　of　the　ELEELE　SA。
  It　was　rejected；　and　he　learned　that　he　must　accept　war　with　all
  its　consequences　…　and　not　that　which　he　desired　…　war　with　the
  immunities　of　peace。
  This　monstrous　exigence　illustrates　the　man's　frame　of　mind。　　It
  has　been　still　further　illuminated　in　the　German　white…book　by
  printing　alongside　of　his　despatches　those　of　the　unimpassioned
  Fritze。　　On　January　8th　the　consulate　was　destroyed　by　fire。
  Knappe　says　it　was　the　work　of　incendiaries；　〃without　doubt〃；
  Fritze　admits　that　〃everything　seems　to　show〃　it　was　an　accident。
  〃Tamasese's　people　fit　to　bear　arms；〃　writes　Knappe；　〃are　certainly
  for　the　moment　equal　to　Mataafa's；〃　though　restrained　from　battle
  by　the　lack　of　ammunition。　　〃As　for　Tamasese；〃　says　Fritze　of　the
  same　date；　〃he　is　now　but　a　phantom　…　DIENT　ER　NUR　ALS　GESPENST。
  His　party；　for　practical　purposes；　is　no　longer　large。　　They
  pretend　ammunition　to　be　lacking；　but　what　they　lack　most　is　good…
  will。　　Captain　Brandeis；　whose　influence　is　now　small；　declares
  they　can　no　longer　sustain　a　serious　engagement；　and　is　himself　in
  the　intention　of　leaving　Samoa　by　the　LUBECK　of　the　5th　February。〃
  And　Knappe；　in　the　same　despatch；　confutes　himself　and　confirms　the
  testimony　of　his　naval　colleague；　by　the　admission　that　〃the　re…
  establishment　of　Tamasese's　government　is；　under　present
  circumstances；　not　to　be　thought　of。〃　　Plainly；　then；　he　was　not　so
  much　seeking　to　deceive　others；　as　he　was　himself　possessed；　and　we
  must　regard　the　whole　series　of　his　acts　and　despatches　as　the
  agitations　of　a　fever。
  The　British　steamer　RICHMOND　returned　to　Apia；　January　15th。　　On
  the　last　voyage　she　had　brought　the　ammunition　already　so
  frequently　referred　to；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　she　was　again　bringing
  contraband　of　war。　　It　is　necessary　to　be　explicit　upon　this；　which
  served　as　spark　to　so　great　a　flame　of　scandal。　　Knappe　was
  justified　in　interfering；　he　would　have　been　worthy　of　all
  condemnation　if　he　had　neglected；　in　his　posture　of　semi…
  investment；　a　precaution　so　elementary；　and　the　manner　in　which　he
  set　about　attempting　it　was　conciliatory　and　almost　timid。　　He
  applied　to　Captain　Hand；　and　begged　him　to　accept　himself　the　duty
  of　〃controlling〃　the　discharge　of　the　RICHMOND'S　cargo。　　Hand　was
  unable　to　move　without　his　consul；　and　at　night　an　armed　boat　from
  the　Germans　boarded；　searched；　and　kept　possession　of；　the
  suspected　ship。　　The　next　day；　as　by　an　after…thought；　war　and
  martial　law　were　proclaimed　for　the　Samoan　Islands；　the
  introduction　of　contraband　of　war　forbidden；　and　ships　and　boats
  declared　liable　to　search。　　〃All　support　of　the　rebels　will　be
  punished　by　martial　law；〃　continued　the　proclamation；　〃no　matter　to
  what　nationality　the　person　＇THATER＇　may　belong。〃
  Hand；　it　has　been　seen；　declined　to　act　in　the　matter　of　the
  RICHMOND　without　the　concurrence　of　his　consul；　but　I　have　found　no
  evidence　that　either　Hand　or　Knappe　communicated　with　de　Coetlogon；
  with　whom　they　were　both　at　daggers　drawn。　　First　the　seizure　and
  next　the　proclamation　seem　to　have　burst　on　the　English　consul　from
  a　clear　sky；　and　he　wrote　on　the　same　day；　throwing　doubt　on
  Knappe's　authority　to　declare　war。　　Knappe　replied　on　the　20th　that
  the　Imperial　German　Government　had　been　at　war　as　a　matter　of　fact
  since　December　19th；　and　that　it　was　only　for　the　convenience　of
  the　subjects　of　other　states　that　he　had　been　empowered　to　make　a
  formal　declaration。　　〃From　that　moment；〃　he　added；　〃martial　law
  prevails　in　Samoa。〃　　De　Coetlogon　instantly　retorted；　declining
  martial　law　for　British　subjects；　and　announcing　a　proclamation　in
  that　sense。　　Instantly；　again；　came　that　astonishing　document；
  Knappe's　rejoinder；　without　pause；　without　reflection　…　the　pens
  screeching　on　the　paper；　the　messengers　（you　would　think）　running
  from　consulate　to　consulate：　〃I　have　had　the　honour　to　receive　your
  Excellency's　＇HOCHWOHLGEBOREN＇　agreeable　communication　of　to…day。
  Since；　on　the　ground　of　received　instructions；　martial　law　has　been
  declared　in　Samoa；　British　subjects　as　well　as　others　fall　under
  its　application。　　I　warn　you　therefore　to　abstain　from　such　a
  proclamation　as　you　announce　in　your　letter。　　It　will　be　such　a
  piece　of　business　as　shall　make　yourself　answerable　under　martial
  law。　　Besides；　your　proclamation　will　be　disregarded。〃　　De
  Coetlogon　of　course　issued　his　proclamation　at　once；　Knappe
  retorted　with　another；　and　night　closed　on　the　first　stage　of　this
  insane　collision。　　I　hear　the　German　consul　was　on　this　day
  prostrated　with　fever；　charity　at　least　must　suppose　him　hardly
  answerable　for　his　language。
  Early　on　the　21st；　Mr。　Mansfield　Gallien；　a　passing　traveller；　was
  seized　in　his　berth　on　board　the　RICHMOND；　and　carried；　half…
  dressed；　on　board　a　German　war…ship。　　His　offence　was；　in　the
  circumstances　and　after　the　proclamation；　substantial。　　He　had　gone
  the　day　before；　in　the　spirit　of　a　tourist　to　Mataafa's　camp；　had
  spoken　with　the　king；　and　had　even　recommended　him　an　appeal　to　Sir
  George　Grey。　　Fritze；　I　gather；　had　been　long　uneasy；　this　arrest
  on　board　a　British　ship　fitted　the　measure。　　Doubtless；　as　he　had
  written　long　before；　the　consul　alone　was　responsible　〃on　the　legal
  side〃；　but　the　captain　began　to　ask　himself；　〃What　next？〃　…
  telegraphed　direct　home　for　instructions；　〃Is　arrest　of　foreigners
  on　foreign　vessels　legal？〃　…　and　was　ready；　at　a　word　from　Captain
  Hand；　to　discharge　his　dangerous　prisoner。　　The　word　in　question
  （so　the　story　goes）　was　not　without　a　kind　of　wit。　　〃I　wish　you
  would　set　that　man　ashore；〃　Hand　is　reported　to　have　said；
  indicating　Gallien；　〃I　wish　you　would　set　that　man　ashore；　to　save
  me　the　trouble。〃　　The　same　day　de　Coetlogon　published　a
  proclamation　requesting　captains　to　submit　to　search　for　contraband
  of　war。
  On　the　22nd　the　SAMOA　TIMES　AND　SOUTH　SEA　ADVERTISER　was　suppressed
  by　order　of　Fritze。　　I　have　hitherto　refrained　from　mentioning　the
  single　paper　of　our　islands；　that　I　might　deal　with　it　once　for
  all。　　It　is　of　course　a　tiny　sheet；　but　I　have　often　had　occasion
  to　wonder　at　the　ability　of　its　articles；　and　almost　always　at　the
  decency　of　its　tone。　　Officials　may　at　times　be　a　little　roughly；
  and　at　times　a　little　captiously；　criticised；　private　persons　are
  habitually　respected；　and　there　are　many　papers　in　England；　and
  still　more　in　the　States