The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-05-18
REWARD OF MERIT.
Presentation on Behalf OF the Presi-
dent of the United States

Joseph Aka and George Mahiai-
manned boat and, at the peril OF their
lives, rescued the Captain, officers and
crew OF the American bark Hesperian,
which was wrecked on the reef at kahu-
lui, Maui. The weather was exceedingly
stormy and the sea very high, and It
was only after hard struggle that they
accomplished their heroic purpose. This
brave conduct was @Ognized by the
President OF the United States, who
ordered a s. -er medal and :. 40 gold
piece to be presented to each man.
The presentation took place yesterday
at noon in the office OF the Minister OF
Finance, by His Excellency Walter NJ.
Gibson, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
There was also present on this occasion,
the first of it's kind in the history of
these islands, His ExcelIency Governor
Dominis, Hon A s. Cleghorn, their Elk
cellencies Chas T. Gulick, John NJ. Ka-
pena and Paul Neumann, His Excel
lency Hon. George w. Merrill, United
States Minister Resident; the President,
Mobiles and Representatives OF the Legis-
lative Assembly, Colonel Claus Spreck-
els and a number OF citizens.
His Excellency w. NJ Gibson, Minis
ter Of Foreign Affairs, addressed the five
men as follows: My friends and fellow
citizens: l am happy TO have the honor
of presenting to you a distinguished and
honorable gift, coming from no less a
parsonage than the President of the
United States of America. This gift or
mark of honor has been sent to you on
account of brave and noble conduct on
your part, in the rescuing OF number OF
American citizens from imminent dan
ger of death by shipwreck. am proud
that Hawaiians are the recipients of this
distinguished honor. In your conduct
in going to the rescue OF imperilled men
and saving their lives, you did not re-
gard their nationality or any circum-
stance about them-only that they were
fellow-men in distress and needed help.
How brightly this conduct of yours con-
trasts with the older period of darkness
and ignorance, when an unfortunate
stranger, cast upon the shores OF these
Islands, might have been liable to NAL
treatment. But you, animated by prin-
ciples of Christianity and high civiliza-
ton, risked your lives for the sake of
helping your fellow-men in distress. In
doing honor to yourselves, you honor
Hawaii; and your country has reason to
be proud OF this generous recognition OF
your action on the part OF the great State
whose representative is here. America
has stood by Hawaii and aided her in
her struggles, and helped to advance her
interests in many important ways, and
now she comes forward to strengthen
our affection towards her by a generous
and honorable recognition of brave deeds
done by Hawaiians on behalf OF Ameri-
can citizens. Regard this medal sent to
you by the President of the United
States as an honorable and precious
heirloom, to be preserved by you and to
be transmitted to your children and your
childrens children.
His Excellency then called for the
captain of the boat, Charles Makai, and
presented him with a medal and 500
gold piece, and then similarly to the
other four men.
The medals, which are OF silver and
the size of dollar, are inscribed on one
side with the name of the recipient and
the words ''For humane services in res
cuing the crew of the bark Hesperian,
December Is, 1885" On the other side
reads: Presented by the President of
the United States" They are enclosed
in a small leather case.
His Excellency Mr.. Gibson then called
upon His Excellency Hon. George w.
Merrill, United States Minister Resident,
who addressing the brave men, said:
I can call you friends with a double
meaning. 1 feel that We are fully COM
mented by national good will, for the
reason that you risked your own lives in
rescuing my countrymen who were in
peril. You saw them in danger and
their lives in peril. They were about to
lose their lives on the reef which sur
round the island You did not wait to
find out whether they were Americans
or not, but as soon as you saw their
lives were in danger you rushed to the
rescue. 1t is an act to be commended,
not by Americans alone, but by the
world. On my learning the facts they
were sent to the President of the United
States. He recognized that some mark
of recognition should be shown to your
acts of humanity and bravery on that
occasion towards our countrymen. The
President directed that these medals
should be forwarded in recognition OF
your bravery, and 1 am happy to have
been the medium through which the
medals were handed to His Excellency
Mr.. Gibson to be presented to you. 1t is
not for their intrinsic value alone they
have been given, but to remind you
that the President appreciates any and
all such acts of bravery and humanity,
not only on your part, but on the part OF
your countrymen who may rescue mari
ners stranded on your coast.
Charles Maikai, the Captain of the
| crew, said they had no idea they were tC
receive any pay or reward. They saw
the men in trouble and went to theil
| 1r-o-a ,-or,- ~.