Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1889 — A RUMOR OF WAR. [ARTICLE]

A RUMOR OF WAR.

A rumor was in circulation at Kiel, Monday, that a naval conflict had taken place in Samoan waters between a United State/war ship and tbs German corvette The Americans, the rumor says, wdfe the aggressors. The government officials at Berlin and Washington have" no, knowledge of the affair. Secretary Bayard, said Sunday night that he had* not heard anything es the reported conflct between a German and an American war vessel .in SamoaA waters. He regarded such a conflict >s highly improbable, as there was an understanding that belligerent action in Samoa should be suspended pending the conference to be held at /Berlin. He also pointed oat that it was hardly possible that information of such a state of affairs would be known at Kiel before the news was received at Berlin or Washington. A truce has been arranged between the German consul to Samoa and King Mataafa, to remain in force until after the Berlin conference. By the terms of the truce Mataafa agrees to prevent the destruction of German estates. In connection with the departure from Berlin to Samoa of Herr Stuebel, it is said at the German capital that the prepartions on the part of Germany ter the coming Samoan conference are complete. It is believed that the proceedings of the conference will be purely formal, but it w not thought that there will be any difficulty in arriving at a settlement of the differences satisfactory to all of the parties concerned.