ðɪs hˈæzbiːn ɐtɹˈɪbjuːɾᵻd tə dʒˈɪŋɡoʊˌɪzəm ɔːɹ nˈæʃənəl pɹˈaɪd; nˈʌn ʌvðə mˈɛn ɪnðə hˈɑːɹbɚ wʌz wˈɪlɪŋ tʊ ɐdmˈɪt ɪn fɹˈʌnt ʌvðɪ ˈʌðɚ nˈeɪʃənz nˈeɪviz ðæt ðeɪ wɜːɹ ɐfɹˈeɪd ʌvðɪ ˈɛlɪmənts, ænd sˌoʊ ɹᵻfjˈuːzd tə tˈeɪk pɹɪkˈɔːʃənz, ænd ɹᵻfjˈuːzd tʊ ɐlˈaʊ ðə mˈɜːtʃənt ʃˈɪps wˌɪtʃ ɐkˈʌmpənid ðˌɛm tə mˈuːv ˈiːðɚ, lˈiːvɪŋ θˈɜːtiːn ʃˈɪps, sˌʌm lˈɑːɹdʒɚ vˈɛsəlz, æɾ ˈæŋkɚ klˈoʊs tə wˈʌn ɐnˈʌðɚɹ ɪn ˈeɪpiə hˈɑːɹbɚ.
This has been attributed to jingoism or national pride; none of the men in the harbour was willing to admit in front of the other nations' navies that they were afraid of the elements, and so refused to take precautions, and refused to allow the merchant ships which accompanied them to move either, leaving thirteen ships, some larger vessels, at anchor close to one another in Apia harbour.