The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-05-29
HAWAIIAN LAMENTATIONS.
HAWAII mas NAN1 oUTLYING
pOsstssIONs.
Professor Alexander TnIks-Necker, Bird,
Midway, Johnston. Palmyra aud
Others are Ours.

In discussing the ownership of John
ston, Necker and other small islands
west Of here, Professor Alexander has
kindly furnished the STAR the following
valuable information upon the subject:
The Hawaiian group geographically
if not politically, includes all that
string of islands and reefs extending
W.N.W. as far as Ocean or Cure ISL
and, a distance of 1900 miles from Hon
olulu. In the reign of Kamehameha
" the late Captain John Patty was sent
on an exploring cruise, partly on &C
count of the Hawaiian Government of
which an account was published in the
PolyneSidn of June 9Th, 1857, from
which the following extract is taken:
1.-The Hawaiian schooner Manuoka.
wal, Captain John Patty, arrived yester
day noon from her cruise among the
islands to the westward of this group in
search Of guano, having been absent
from Honolulu fifty days. She brings a
few bags as specimens of the deposit
ON the islands visited. The following
account of the cruise was furnished by
Captain Patty:
The schooner Manuokawai has visited
Kauai, Nihoa or Bird island, Necker
island, GARDENERS island, Laysan island,
Lisiansky island, and the Pearl and Her
mes reef or group.
Necker island is w. by N. l N. from
Honolulu 40s miles. This also is pre-
cipitous rock 800 feet high, one mile
long and half mile broad with small
patches of course grass on its surface.
could not see any landing place for
boats, as the surf was breaking high all
around it. A bank of sand and rock
makes off to the southwest should say
six or eight miles or more. | had
eighteen fathoms two miles off the
island, bearing northeast.
Gardner's island is west northwest
from Honolulu so; miles, This consists
of two almost inaccessible rocks 200
feet high, extending north and south
about one-sixth of mile. A bank
extends off to the southwest
bOult blbtth VI billIy
Next follow full descriptions of Laysap
and Lisiansky Island, which we omit.
Captain Patty arrived in Honolulu
June 9Th, 1857. On the 23d of the fol-
lowing August, public notification
was published, by authority, declaring
that on the 1st day of May, 1857, Cap
tain Patty had landed on and taken pos
session of the Island of Laysan in the
name of the Hawaiian Government,
with the usual formalities and that he
had done the same with the Island of
Lisiansky on the 10th of May.
Ocean or Cure Island was taken pos
session of September 81, 1886, by Colo
mel j. Ii. Boyd, who was sent for that
purpose on the steamer Waialeale,
which had been chartered by the Brit
ish Commissioner to rescue the ship
wrecked crew of the ship Dunnottar
Castle.
Midway island has been supposed to
belong to the United States, as it was
occupied for time by a party with the
view of making it "a coaling station for
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.
The U. S. S. Saginaw was wrecked upon
it in November, 1870.
Necker island was discovered by La
Perouse in 1856 and was surveyed by
Lieutenant Brooke in the U. S. schooner
Fenimore Cooper, in 1859.
Johnston alias CORVALLIS island was
taken possession of by the Hawaiian
Government in July, 1858.
Captain Rookie of II. B. MS Cham
pion went through the form of annex
ing it to Great Britain July 10, 1892, but
this act is now admitted to have been 6
mistake, as Captain Rookie was moi
aware of the prior claim of this Govern
ment.
Palmyra island was annexed to the
Hawaiian Kingdom in April 1862.