The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, AND Saturday Morning. Tuesday, April 2, 1889. THE SAMOAN CALAMITY.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 281, 2 April 1889, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, AND Saturday Morning.

Tuesday, April 2, 1889. THE SAMOAN CALAMITY.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.

The terrible calamity in Samoa has naturally caused a world-wide sensation, and affords another illustration of man’s helplessness when the elements of Nature are against him. A few hours before all those fine vessels—those marvellous examples of man’s ingenuity—would have been lying calmly at anchor in the usually placid waters of Apia harbor; the seven vessels of war, representing England, Germany, and America, and doable the number of commercial traders. Then, when the fierce hurricane was raging, how changed must have been the scene. To see those proud vessels tossed mercilessly to and fro on the cruel waves, and then in spite of all human powers driven in most cases to complete destruction, only the British cruiser escaping. The loss of property will be enormous, but fortunately in proportion the loss of life has not been great: it has, however, been sufficient to cause a deep feeling of regret on the part of those who have not to mourn for lost relations. What an awful sacrifice this is to make on account of the trouble that has arisen in Samoa? The question that will occur to people’s minds is, would full freedom of action in regard to the islands be worth the loss that has been sustained ? In ordinary circumstances the probability is that not one man-of-war would have been in Apia harbor and there would not even have been a risk of such wholesale destruction. The blow will be a severe one to America, and Germany can ill afford such a loss in these uncertain times, but regrets are now of little avail. It is a matter for much thankfulness that the British cruiser escaped without serious damage, and we can best appreciate the feelings of the other nations when we picture to ourselves how every Britisher would have lamented if the Calliope had met with the same fate as the other vessels.