a footnote to history-第30节

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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