The morning call., 1893-09-01
SKERRETT READY.
He Would Have Landed
His Officers and Men
HAD THERE BEEN TROUBLE
At Honolulu, and if Americans Had
Been in Danger-AnneXation
Matters.
HONOLULU. August %. 1898.

There was a midnight alarm on the Bos-
ton and Adams last Thursday, caused by
an order from Admiral Skerrett to hold
battalion in instant readiness to come
ashore at a moments notice. EVERYTHING
was quickly made ready, officers and men
on shore recalled by telephone, gatling
guns made ready for shore duty, ammuni-
tion served out and every eparation to
land. The command of the battalion was
given to Lieutenant Lucien Young. The
men on both ships were kept up all night,
all shore leave was refused on Friday and
up to yesterday, when few OF the men
got off The cause of the alarm was the
discovery of another royalist dynamite
plot. the nature of which was Immediately
communicated TO Admiral Skerrett who
thought there was enough in it to take
prompt measures, and sent his aid on
board at midnight with orders for the
United States forces to prepare for shore
duty. The Government officials have been
very reticent ON the affair and very little
can be learned about it. The first story
was that the royalists had been arranging
10 assemble at Diamond Head and receive
arms aud ammunition. which had been
shipped in a schooner from the coast and
that the Government hearing of it had
taken action to p ut down such a movement
and had notified the admiral that a vessel
which had broken the neutrality laws,
was off the shore and would be fair prey
for the Boston or Adams. Your CORE
spondent investigated this rumor and
found that no alarm had been given at
either of the Government buildings, and
that none of the men had been called out
of bed. beyond the usual number of senti-
nels. A few Of the natives still have
faith some friend will send one of his yes
sells here with arms ana ammunition to
restore the eX-Queen, but their hslf-wnite
leaders are careful not 10 explain that such
an act would be a violation of the neutral
ity laws. ana as such would be stopped by
the United States The second story TO
the effect that q dynamite plot has been
discovered IS The true one, and that much
was admitted by the Acknowledgement TO
your correspondent yesterday, but further
than that he would not say. Enough,
however, has leaked out to show that sew
eTal OF the old royalIst gang were in it, and
it was their purpose to blow up one or two
OF the public buildings and take advant tage
OF the panic to rush in and capture the
two Government buildings. The evidence
the Government had of this plot was so
perfect that it was enabled to take instant
prec2utOn, and had a single explosion oc-
CURED all the troops together with 600
well-armed citizens reserves would have
been on duty within ample time to prevent
an uprising. As dynamite could not be
exploded anywhere in town without DAM
aging or destroying the lives and property
OF American citizens it would consequently
have been the duty of AdmiralSkerrett 10
interfere. Between the Provisional Gov
eminent troops, the citizens reserve and
the artillery Of the Boston and Adams the
dynamiters would have had hard time
of II, and it is probably lucky for them that
their plans were diVulged.
Admiral skerrett Ready.
Your correspondent had an interview
with Admiral Skerrett on Monday last in
which he admitted that he had sent his
aid to the Boston on the Thursday pre-
vlouS with orders to the men OF that yes
sci and the Adams TO hold themselves in
instant readiness for shore duty, but re-
fused to state his reasons for so doing,
except that he believed them 10 be good
and sufficient and that he acted entirely
On his own responsibility, adding. "Y ou
know the men and vessels of the United
States navy are expected to be always in
readiness for anything. and / intend to
keep mine So" Admiral Skerrett denied
that there was any truth in the report
that his action had been taken at the in
stance of the Provisional Government or
that IL had made any request or demand
for assistance from him at any time, and
said further that he should not have
granted it if il had. Concluding the inter-
view the Admiral said: THE American
ships are here for the purpose of protecting
American citizens and their property in
case OF trouble and not to take sides in
Hawaiian affairs. | consider the Pro-
Visional Government is abundantly well
able to take care of itself without calling
on me for assistance"
Your correspondent saw Lieutenant
Young yesterday and learned from him
that everything On board the Boston and
Adams Is still on war footing aud that
simple telephone message from the ad-
mlral would start 250 men on shore on the
instant.
Tired of Plots.
Honolulu people are getting tired of
these plots and alarms which can lead to
nothing but useless loss of life and destruc-
tlon of property, and begin 10 hope that the
Royalsts will let off little dynamite in
order 10 give the Provisional Government
chance to wipe them out of existence. So
far the Government has been very lenient
TO the Royalists, from the ex-Queen down,
but there is limit to endurance, which,
when reached. might cause it to be propor-
tionally severe. The deportation of Ma
taafa and his followers from Samoa, which
your readers will learn of by this mail, af-
fords an excellent example which many of
our citizens and especially business firms
would like to see followed here.
Three weeks ago 1t was known that
Japan was again pressing the Provisional
Government in a sharp and coercive man.
ner for the concession of the franchise, and
the idea was disseminated that Minister
Blount had intervened on behalf OF Hawaii
The Government has refused to allow the
local papers to publish any of the facts
connected with the new Japanese de-
mands, although it permitted the corre-
spondent of the Associated Press to send
it TO San Francisco. This has led to some
friction between the local papers and the
Government and to the determination of
one paper at least to print everything In
the shape of news it can get hold of
regardless of the wishes of the Govern
ment. Its editor argues and tells the Gov
ernment that if it does not want the news
TO be printed its officials must show no
favortism in giving it ont and must keep
their mouths shut instead of 5labbiDg the
matter on the street after binding him to
secrecy That the local papers have been
thus handicapped since the 18th of Janu-
ary every one knows. The Govern
ment has been trying to be as
dumb as the proverbial oyster or
Minister Blount, but without his ability
TO Keep close mouth. 1t appears
that when the fresh Japanese demands
aREN 49,