The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-25
She SeiZes the Little Brazilian
Island of Trinidad.
BRAZIL VERY MUCH EXCITED.
The lslet Is Uninhabited. hut Lies in
the Pathway of Commerce.
Its Possessor Would Be in a Position
to Wage War on Brazil Baron Har-
den-Hickey's scheme to Colonize
and Rule the Tiny Bit of Rock.

London, July 2i-Referring to the state
ment cahled from New York that
Brazil has formally protested against
Great Britain's claim TO the island
of Trinidad. persons in anthorSy
questioned on the subject by tde
representative of the Associated Press say
that the British fGIe to that island da.es
from the year 100, when possession VAS
taken of IL without any objection on the
part of Portugal. II was added that
htiferto Brazil has not advanced any
claim 10 the island OF Trinidad. but the
British government Is ready 10 discuss in
friendly spirit any representa-. .ons which
Brazil may wish 10 make on the subject.
Rio Janeiro, July a4-There is growing
excitement in this city over the occuna-
ton OF the island of Trinidad by the En-
glish. The government has dispatched
two notes 10 the British legation of en-
phatic protest. quoting the British ad-
mirahy law Of 11s2, by virtue of which
Trinidad was evacuated by the English
and restored to Portugal.
The Brazilian island Of Trinidad should
not be confounded with the British Island
OF Trinidad, off the coast OF Venezuela.
whence The bitumen comes. The Bra
lillian Trinidad is situated in the South
Atlantic ocean in latitude ~ degrees 30
minutes south and longitude 20 degrees =
coast Of Brazil which is the point of lani
nearest TO II. 1t contains about Sky
square miles OF territory. II IS uninh3b-
tied, but Baron Harden Hickey. a French
journalist. who married Anna II. Flagler.
daughter of the Standard Oil millionaire,
John II. F.ae.er, has for years bean work
ing on a scheme 10 colonize f. In 1855
Baron Harden Hickey decided 70 take a
trip around the world in a sailing ves-
sell SO he took passage on the merchant
ship Astoria. Capt. Jackson, which sal.el
from Erg,and ooand westward around
Cape Horn. The Astoria was driven by
stress Of weather 10 the island of Tr,al-
dad, where IL remained for several days.
Baron Harden-Hickey went ashore and
explored the island. II was then hat he
conceived the idea of planting a colony
upon ii. He did not proceed cashly. how
ever. He allowed the idea 10 grow AMI
mellow in his mind. He kept On hs jour
ney around the worli. visited China. india
and other Asiatic countries, and l.nally
came back to the United States and mar
RED Miss Flagler. In an interview in s
New York paper the baron said:
II propose 10 take possession of the
island of Trinidad under a maxim OF in
ternational law which declares that any
body may seize and hold waste land that
is not claimed BY anybody else. The ISL
and is uninhabited, and has been so for
centuries ago the Portuguese attempted
to colonize il; probably by a penal col
ony. They soon gave UP the attempt,
however. The English also once made
a feeble effort to plant a colony upon H.
but the project was abandoned after
short settlement. The remains of these
early settlements may still he seen upon
the island No one, however. has lived
on II for more than a century. | explored
the island thoroughly II is about TWEEN
ty-three miles long. and two or three
miles wide It is on a rock foundation,
but has a plateau on which there is abun-
dant vegetation. river Of pure, fresh
water runs through IL. 1t has all the
essential qualifications for supporting
several hundred people. Great quantities
of wild fowl make II their breeding place,
and il is visited periodically by thousanc3
of turtles. which deposit their eggs there
There is no reason why a people should
not live there. and be happy and con-
tented"
HAS the island harbor?" was asked.
mo. Not good harbor The approach
10 Il from the sea is more In the nature
of a roaistead That is something 10 he
regretted but good harbor Is not neces-
sary"
How will other nations regard the
fact Of your possession? Does Portugal
or England or any other nation lay claim
10 the island?"
NO nation lays any claim TO IL. II has
been abandoned for over a century. I do
not expect any difficulty. ! have already
informed several governments or my pur-
pose and have received favorable replies
from some of them. | am assured that at
least one nation will formally recognize
my government as soon as get i estab-
Ished. I cannot tell you yet the names
of the governments 20 which | refer
'WiI you live on the island2"
For a time. al least. while the afTair
Is getting under way. Besides looking
out for he welfare of the coouists. I
propose TO build and maintain a light
house upon the island. There Are many
vessels wrecked upon il now every year
Ii is right in the path OF ships going
around Cape Horn. | may establish
coaling station there for the benefit OF
steamships on long voyages. There are
many other details which | have not yet
worked out am in correspondence
with agents in various parts Of the world.
and | expect that all my plans Tor taking
possession OF .he island next spring will
be soon completed"
IN taking Trinidad Great Britain makes
clearer her intention of acquiring con-
troll OF South America. She has coal
ing station already on Trinidad. off Nene-
zueIs. claims the Orinoco basin and has
a foo,hold on the mainland in British