The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-09-17
II H e
THE RELIEF EXPEDITION.


Pressure upon our space prevented US
referring earlier to the relief expedition,
despatched on Tuesday last to Ocean
Island, to rescue the Captain and twenty
one of the crew of the wrecked British
ship Dunnotter Castle. Our local report
was full and sufficiently accurate in it's
main features, but certain points of de-
tail were not made sufficiently explicit
The most agreeable feature of the Incl
dent, however, was the perfect accord
between Her Britannia Majesty's Com
missioner and the Hawaiian Govern
ment, as to the steps necessary to be
taken in the common cause of humanity.
The Cabinet met at the Palace at Z 80 a.
m. on Tuesday, when it was resolved to
charter a steamer and despatch her to the
scene of the wreck, with needed supplies
and medical aid, if that were necessary.
Major Wodehouse, however, acting with
that promptitude which the necessities
of the case demanded, had already char
tered the Waialeale, and all that was left
for His Majesty's Government to do was
to cooperate with the British Commits
sioner, with the view of rendering the
expedition successful in its prime object,
and fruitful of good to shipwrecked
mariners hereafter. Major Wodehouse
cordially assented to these proposals, and
it was owing to his courtesy that an OPP
portunity was afforded the Hawaiian
Government to send an agent to the
scene OF the disaster, there to establish a
depot of provisions, shelter and water
supply, which may at some future time
be the means, under Divine Providence,
of preserving the lives of human beings
cast ashore upon that lonely ocean
island.
We agree with our evening contempt
rary in the main in its remarks upon
this incident. Everything has been
done that could reasonably have been
expected, or that foresight could suggest
in so short time. Food, medical com
forts and attendance, materials for erect
ing permanent building and for col
lecting and storing water, number of
young cocoanut trees and seed OF the
fast-growing, shade-giving algeroba, We're
among the things sent, under proper
care, to Ocean Island. The young trees
and seeds VIII be planted, the house and
water tanks erected and painted, and pro-
visions stored under shelter, protected
against the weather, for the use Of any
one who may happen to make this speck
-
waves.
In few years the probability is
that Ocean Island viii be covered with
trees, and instead of the bare and barren
spot it now is, it will thus become a
noticeable landmark. 1t is fiat, almost
level with the water, and being sur
rounded by reefs is dangerous to nayiga-
ton. If, therefore, it could be made
conspicuous from a distance by a tall
growth of trees a considerable degree Of
danger to vessels navigating the adjacent
waters would be averted. This, it is
hoped, will be accomplished by the fore
sight of the Hawaiian Government, so
that the loss of the Dunnotter Castle
may not have been an unmixed evil in
the end.
1t may be necessary in time to come
to establish a light on this island, but
the track of commerce does not now
lie so close to it as TO render itof so
mach consequence. What is to be
hoped is that the efforts now put forth
may be crowned with complete success
in the relief of the shipwrecked crew
and the establishment OF a future supply
depot and it is to be hoped further that
navigators will recognize the value and
necessity of these humane provisions
for the preservation and comfort of I'M
fortunate members of their class, and if
they cannot add to their effectiveness
that they will at least refrain from inter
fering with them in any way that might
lessen their value and usefulness.
In conclusion, we deprecate the at
tempt made by contemporary yester-
day morning to create an impression !
that the Hawaiian Government desired /
in any way to detract from the merit OF
the prompt and humane action OF Her
Britannia Majesty's representative, or
that any such purpose was contemplated