AN IMPROMPTU HOSPITAL FOR EUROPEANS.
CAPTAIN LEARY'S SAMOAN EXPERIENCE.
SOME STIRRING INCIDENTS IN RECENT AMERICAN NAVAL HISTORY.
BY FRANKLIN MATTHEWS.
On October 23, 1888, there occurred an incident in Apia Harbor, Samoa, which sorely tried the patience of Commander Leary, in charge of the United States war-vessel Adams, and which soon led directly to other incidents that nearly caused a war between this country and Germany. The representatives of the foreign governments had met a few days before, and had decided that a "neutral zone" should be established in and about Apia. A party of unarmed natives were crossing the harbor in one of their canoes, singing one of their stirring native songs. The Samoans have beautiful voices, and the lusty melody of their song was rolling across the water. They had just dug up an old and practically worthless cannon which the Tamasese party in the civil war had thrown overboard.
