Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-05
THE CASE OF JoHxsoS.s ISLAND.
Story Of its Annexation by Great Rrssaiu
RslA..a

SAN FEaScisco, CAT. Ang. 5-Aooording 20
The records o. the state Department the United
States has title 20 johnson Island through
Capt Il. rerrimAa. for many wears master Of a
ressol sailing on, Of this port. bat retired from
Ective service.
In an interview regarding the annexation OF
the island by the B1iish goy,ruiaent Cant.
PerrfmAn said; This : not the irsi time that
adverse Possession has been Lad ol the island
the Hawaiian government once claiming pos-
session Of IT, but after brief diplomatic cor
rcsrondence the claim WAS Withdrawn, ana
think the oatcome vail be the same in the
pres, nj instance
Regarding the claim Of Capt. Parker 90 the
island the facts Of the case are these. In 1907
the British frign.c Cora wallis. Capt johnson in
command. passed it. but none 81 the frlsase's
crew landed ana took possession The conmander
OF the trigate jotsed down on his chart the ap-
proximate position o: the island and called IL
after his vessel, but the name was afterwsrd
changed 10 ths, Of himself In 1852 Cant. VIM
II. Parker. at thst time commander OF the brig
Reindeer. sighted the Islands while on a Trading
expedition 20 the south Sea Islands. lie
jotted down IT, latitude and IongituSe
and some focr years afterward while
IN Ssn Francisco. he came To the CONCLUSION
that the islands would prove valuable
a. he had noticed IL was covered with guAno.
lie claimed he had taken possession aud in De-
cember. 1870. cold ivc-eighth interest in the
Island 10 parhcs sEo subsequently formed
the PacIhc Guano Com;any This com
pany ckartered the schooner Palestine
Of which 1 was master. aud dspaiched her
20 the Islands Co bring back cargo.
When 1 landed there wa no evidence thai
any white man had pat his foot there
before me. raised 'he American fRg
and erected two croS-ss. a.. which was paiuted
a notice tba; had taken possession of John-
son Island Cor the ONE - of the schooner
fhiesiine: In the nnue Of the United
States. James BuchAnan. President. aud
Lewis cass. Secretary - sia.e
Parker did not lard o. The island Mt all dur
ing that trip. though he Vas on board the ye.-
sci We brought back quantity Of guano nn that
tir and sold Il here. Since that time have
mado three other trips 20 Johnson Island. The
last ttlp was IN the Golden fleece aboat ten wears
ago. On that occasion brought back 200 tons
Of gaaao aud dispoSed OF the cargo ia this CITY.
After nv first visit on the Palestine Sam Allen.
now residing in Honolulu. visited the place and
knocking down :he crosses I had erected took
possession in the name If the Hawaiian gov
crninent After y brief diplomatic correzpond-
ence. however. the latter government relin-
Gnished ate claims. The island might be Of
Qte 20 the nited States a coaling station
Ihe harbor il not. in that il is n road-tead
which durinG two or three months in the wear
Is opea TO the winds from the southwest. One
OF the islands great drawbacks il the hack OF
water. Below the guauo il sand aud then a
rock foundation hard flint Coral grows
there with almost marvellous rapidity."
The seizure OF the island was the main tonic
OF conversation on change Yesterday Capt.
Martin Roberts, one Of the claimants 60 the
island, when asked what he intended do
ing in the matter, replied: what csn
do! The American possession Of johnson
Island is well known 10 the world and il the
case was taken before English courts of equity
we should be reimbursed for n least the amount
we have spent on the place. But In Spite of the
fact that news Of the intended seizure was pub
lished in all the papers in San Francisco the
government has taken no steps to inquire into
the matter"