The New York herald., 1874-04-09
TElEsaAm 70 TINE NEW YoW HERALD.
LONDON, April 8, 1874.
The sovereignty Of thetiFiji Islands has
been formally rendered to 0leat Britain.
sKE1CH OF TIE FIJIs.

~>eS
small purpose was overcome quickly as the
islands became populated by Europeans
by whom their immense wealth was developed.
The pstri0tc Australians could not bear the
thought that was continually pressing upon them
that the United States might procure dominion
over the islands, and 80 they joined with the Brit
ish settlers to work for their annexation to the
colonies OF the British Empire. They worked for
number OF years without encouragement from the
home government. Their success VIII point an
unconquerabie persistence as may be judged from
the following sketch OF the
HISTORY OF THE FIJI ISLANDS
These are probably the richest OF the Islands OF
Polynesia They are covered with dense vegeta-
tion, and fruits OF various kinds abound. Their
son and climate are fitted for almost any fruit or
vegetable, and the upgr0wth OF these alter plant
ing is wonderfully rapid The Fits consist OF 154
islands, varying from the rocky isiet to the immense
island Of VIII Lvu. whose area Is about 1000 square
miles. about the same as that of Jamaica, They
lie IN the South Pacific Ocean, between latitude 16
deg 80 min. and 10 deg 80 min. south, and longt-
tude lit deg. east and l78 deg. west. North
ern Australia is directly west of them, but sydney
with which they most readily communicate, IS to
The islands were originally discovered by Tasman
IN the year 16i3 News Of them and OF the 1erO-
time to tune, but they remained in efrect unknown
places until l840. In that year Commodore Wilkes,
Of our navy. while on his celebrated expedition,
stopped to survey the Islands as well as to chas-
tise the natives for numbering and eating the
shipwrecked men cast upon their shores. While
dered, ' and the the canniSals S deaed him nm when when
he demanded the rendition of the murderers. He
TOOK speedy vengeance, and one that makes him
remembered even now as the dreadful Turanga
Leva. HIS action brought the natives to sue for
peace, Which he gave, telling them that they
broke the main stipulation Tor the truce, which
was that they should rerain from the succulent
cure the tempting iood Without resorsns FOR L 70
the bodies OF unfortunate sailors He assured
them that an American war ship would call at the
island at the end OF every lopr years to inquire
into their conduct. During the our years follow
ing Commodore WilKes' departure the natives
OF Europeans immgrated to the island. When that
period was over and no American man-of-
o. war had arrived to keep them in awe the long
and the islands would have been rid OF all white
occasionally stopped and rebuked the islanders.
They learned. however, to discern that Americans,
not bV the naval Of their
country; and the Americans asserted that the Eng
lish Methodist missionaries, who had become
them with the hope Of driving them Iron rom their their
places. AT all events 1t ls certain that Ameri-
@ when, sa' IN 1867 the Ga'sea states snip Is
vandaia reached the Fits with the purpose Of re-
vent ns inc 70
well, however, innicted such punishment as had
never been visited upon the canniDals. He did not
merely barn their coast towns, but went inland
with his avengement ThakOmbau, who assumed
to be King OF the Fits. finally confessed ali his
The results OF this chastisement were treaty
whose conditions Thak0mbau never dlsregarded,
and the ultimate adoption OF Christianity by that
CHIEF. IhakOmbau was the strongest chief Of the
islands, and his claim to be Kiug OF the 1s. though
at that time contested, was afterwards allowed
His power had It's source in lorce OF civilization
was originally the chief Of the small island OF
Mban: In the cary part q the century an Ameri-
can brig was wrecked at Mbau, and only one OF It's
crew escaped immediate death and subsequent sub
lection 70 deglutltOn for many years. He mad saved
gunpowder, and. thus made powerful, he allied him.
sell TO tie chief OF the island The name Of this fe
Tor his alIy the largest dominiCn in the isands lie
was finally killed in battle, while raiding on one Of
the distant islands. and his body was eaten by his
enemies. The power he had gained Tor his ally
descended through Tanoa, wonderfully lustiul
fellow alter long pig" Thakomoau whose name
Tanoas authority while the latter was yet alive.
The desire to secure the FIJI Islands lor Great
Britain was first expressed In the attempt OF the
Methodist missionaries to drive the Americans from
the islands, and in more overt attempt In June,
1860. Then the missionaries were foiled by George
they had impressed him with the power OF Great
Britain by taking him to Sydney he posi-
lively refused TO cede his possession. ~ They then
turned their arts upon King ThakOmDau.
and when the British war vessel Herald arrived
at the Fits they sent Captain Denham word
Majesty. Cap tain Denham interrogated the King
through an interpreter, whose questions to Tha-
s9msaS were nd who i
the session OF the islands. One OF several Catho
lie priests that were present as witnesses noticed
bau. He asked him clearly II he wanted to cede his
Kingdom. and was told that British protection was
Se 1D1R
iandholders Of the vii Islands proposed
urged the convenience OF the islands
for station for the mail steamers running be-
i,y Of the soil Tor the cultivation Of IL cotton
Colonel Smythe was sent out TO examine the
islands and 80 report whether or not they ought
Of Great Britain from the same motives OF ordinary
expediency rs direct the general national policy"
Of the who were at
the American phantom tnat they could see ready
to grasp the Fuis 10 its giant hand. This rebuff
the British Empire They waited until 1859.
ana then, when their numbers had increased
S %es in tne Of sna
cided to once more memoriaIze the British gov
ernment That memorial has waited for its re-
suit until now. II was discussed often In both the
British and Australian Paraments and the latter
strongly urged that the rights petiti0ned TOR by
the FtlRn settlers should be granted.
In the interval between is5o and 1859 the Fijls
came nigh being made American territory. King
who was yet the sovereign, owed our
government $4,000, an Indemnity Tor outrages |
done by his subjects on American citizens,
and when the latest moment OF grace
that Secretary Seward would allow him
had come he could not pay. MIR. Seward
had threatened that uniess some certain and
speedy way OF clearing the debt Indicated, ne
would seize the three most productive and valu-
able islands, The threat was fearful not alone
to Thakombau but also to Britain's lovers In both
Fiji and Australia Thakombau's Premier, an
named Hare, had sent to Mr.. Seward
Q pttiful appeal for mercy, when he was ap-
preached by some Australian capitalists with the
project OF sJrmlng Fljtan banking and trading
which should pay the debt to the United
States, II certain privileges Tor trade were
granted to It, the idea was eagerly taken; the
United States government was informed
OF the. PROJECT, aud as 1t did not want
the Ffjian territory, II allowed time for the com.
pany to be instituted, and In October, 1888, was
paid the first instalment of the $4,000.
When King Thakombau died about 1871 the
present monarch, Cacabau, was elected by the
chiefs. His reign has been made turbulent by the
opposition OF the settlers to him. They COM
planned that the taxes were oppressive and that
government was unable to afford