The Helena independent., 1893-07-01
PACIFIC A MODERN OCEAN.

Al All Events 1t IL Very New 70 Men o.
Caucasian AntccedentA
IA seems rather curious TO recall the fact
that verv little more than one hundred
vcars ago the Pacific Was regarded ns u
spanish lake. That nation claimed u on
ahe strength OF Balboa's discovery in 1913,
and insisted that IL should DO regarded as
! mare clausum. This will bear compari-
son With tho claim recently made TO a like
rffcot by tho United States In regard to the
northern part Of the same ocean, called
Rerino aea, When Sir Francis Drake or
onmnNvicated tho globe, his sailing across
thesc waters was aeriously rosenseo pN
spain, which demanded restitnOon 70 her
al the plupder which he took. bnt Queen
elizabeth made naughty reply. Not Ions
befote tile close of the last century the
spapish crown again began 10 make russ
because its monopoly of tho Pacifc Was m
erinRed on. II ordeisd tho commandanH
IF San Francisco to seize the Columbia. the
irst vessel TINT carried sne AmetAchn Has
around Cape Horn. In l7S9 two spanish
mem of-war seized several English iur
traders on the northwest coast. ana war
was very nearly the result. :.
II is odd that the Spaniards, though d's-
eoyers of new lands and waters, were
among the poorest naviRators OF theiH 'l.hs.
After coming upon the Solomon islands
thev could not find them again. and they
vera lost for $50 years. The water supply
az their calleons was not kept in casks,
but In big earthen jars. AZ 1t WAS impos-
,ible 10 provides sufficient suprly for six
months voyags on board OF a snip carrying
400 or 800 people. they always took to sea
o1est numbers OF mats. Whenever II
Famed the mats we're spread to catch lhe
drons. which were drained Oft into jars
through split bamboos. The mortality
from scurvy on long trips was frigh.ful.
Cortez, after the conquest OF Mexico,
fitted out three small ships 10 sail to the
Molnocas and reinforce the Spaniards
there. They were scattered By sempes'
and two Of them were lost. One of thes.
vessels is imagined to have been the strangt
vessel which was wrecked on the FoeKs oi
Hawaii at about the same time, as nearly q
can bc reckoned. According to tradition
onlv the captain and his sister were
saved. The natives received them kindly
.nd gave them food. They intermasrieu
with the Hawaiians and became tie ! ro-
Cepitors of certain well-known families O.
chiefs.
In early times the control Of land on the
Hawaiian islands was held Dy me fuhnf nm
chiefs, who reserved what portion tne
pleased for their owS use and divided th'
rest among the leading men subject t.
them, The position Of the latter ""
analogous to that Of the barons of Euro
pean feudalism. They furnished suppiayt
TO their sovereign. and In case or war were
expected to take the held with what fight
ine men thei. estates could furnish. Thess
harons held almost despotio away over
their domains apportioning the torritorl
which they controlled among their follow
era. according to the whim Of the momen,
or the demands OF policy. Every time I
new chief came into power there was :
fresh distribution OF lands. Thus th'
country was always full of people who wert
dispossessed and homeless. hamehameh
III overturned this system by granting to
shis people bill of rights which made theii
tenure Of the soil permanent. Washing
inpton Star.