Show Admiral Porter Talks Special to TIE HERALD Examiner Dispatch WASHINGTON March nA mir Porter was not disposed to say much in the absence ab-sence of details regarding the storm and the movements of the vessels I make it a rule he said never to talk about what I dont know anything about I have examined ex-amined the chart of the harbor at Apia but I do not know anything about hurricanes The harbor opens toward the north and is not so good a harbor as we have at our coaling station at Pago Pago about thirty miles away The harbor at Pago Pago opens towards the south but I could not say from the information I have whether our vessels would have be en any safer there or not It is impossible to tell what will happen in a hurricane Whether there w s happn any chance for our vessels to put out to staj or whether they could have put out if tiny had had steam up I could not venture an opinion I think the three vessels we had there were staunch enough to justify the statement that their being wrecked was not due to their age or weakness I suppose they could not hold and were carried on the beach but I do not know anything i about it nor whether an ironclad vessel could resist i pounding to pieces on a coral reef Tho political situation in Samoa may bo greatly simplified by the tragedy of the geaty The annihilation of the German fleet leaves the control of the situation in our hands if wo should choose to assert ourselves The latest mail advices from Samoa indicate that Mataafa is gaining the upper hand He was reported to be near Apia The usurper Tamasese has only g about seven hundred men under i command com-mand but backed by the powerful influence influ-ence of Germany he has been enabled to remain in possession Admiral Kimberley with his men are now masters of the situation |