The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-18

cases excepted her march has been ever
onward till she now rules about One-fourth
of tho earth's surface and one-fifth of tho
human race The Roman empire MT it's
greatest had not half SO many people rs
British India, and compared with Britain's
domain oil the ancient empires of Asia
sink into insigniflcance.
Her latest acquisition, the Gilbert Is
lands. or Kingswill group, lie just north of
the equator and In longitude 172 east-that
Is, due north of New Zealand and about
$500 miles by sea from the thickly settled
part of Australia. They were discovered
by the British Admiral Byron in 1T05, and
then seemed to consist mostly of coral
reefs, each island circular rock, so to
speak, inclosing an inner sea bortiered by
sand hills But later explorations showed
several of the islands to be inhabited, and
the total population Is now about Is, 900.
The cocoanut tree is the life Of the people;
its fruit makes large part of their food,
and from It's wood and bark ere construct
ed their boats, clothing, utensils and habi.
tations.
The people are simple, civil and unwar-
like, and governed by hereditary kings
Apamama ia the principal island, and King
Paul is a boy OF ten years. Tunbin Oko
had been king for many years, when he
died in 1871, and was succeeded By his
brother Simmon, who soon killed himself
by drinking. Both these monarchs were
of immense size. weighing over 800 pounds
each. King Paul succeeded rs the son o:
Simmon, and there was relaxation of the
rule which gave occasion for interference
On the 9Th of May, 1892, Captain Edward
III. NJ. Davis. of the British ship Roynlist,
planted the British flag on Apamama and
read this proclamation:
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and
empress of Indin, having this day assumed a
protcctorntc over the Gilbert islands | re-
mind all residents In tho group, other than
natives, that 1t is contrary to law to supply
firearms, ammunition, explosive substances
or Intoxicating liquors to any natives of the
Gilbert Islands. This Is hereby made known
for general information.
The flag was then run up and salut ed by
the marines, and tho Royalist fired q salute
OF twenty-one guns King Paul stood by.
apparently pleased with the spectacle, hold
ing his shoes in his hand and digging up
the sand with his toes. The few Americans
in the island were furious and protested
vchemently, but of course without avail
The captain visited all the inhabited islands
and hoisted and proclaimed in each.
The Islanders are nominally Christian
and there are English and American mis-
sons. The missionaries and few traders
make quite little society of whites
Many refinements have been introduced
and the palace" Of King Paul is we'll
furnished in the European style Most OF
the dwellings are quite substantial struc
lures, raised on stone foundations and
matched with cocoanut leaves The people
speak the same language throughout the
group, and tho missionaries have printed
testnmcnts and hymn books in the native
tongue. The principal trade is In cocoa
nuts and other simple tropical products.
1t is not likely that the annexation will
be seriously contested by any other power,
and the natives seem we'll pleased with it,
as it guarantees them against kidnapping
and other outrages to which they have