The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-31
4 QUEEN COMING.
The New Woman Ruler of Bismarck
Archipelago to Visit Washington.

The New Woman Ruler of Bismarck
Archipelago to Visit Washington
Washington is billed to receive visit
from the queen of the Bismarck Archi-
pelago, who sailed from Liverpool on
Wednesday last by the North German
Lloyd steamer, La Havre, and will arrive
in New York next week.
The queen is making u tour around the
world and Will visit all the principal
places i'll the United States. She will 90
to Massachusetts at once to visit her sis
ter, Mrs. J NJ Malcolm at Haverhill.
After staying a few days at that place the
queen, accompanied by Mrs Malcolm,
will start for Chatham, where they will
visit Capt Hiram Harding. Jr.
Many years ago says Capt. Harding.
'while on voyage in the bark Sterling to
the Sandwich Islands, | became acquaint-
ed with ii young woman who is now this
island queen. We had sailed from New
York and had arrived at the Samoan Is
lands to load for the United States Nv
wife was accompanying me on the voyage,
and as had been bothered by a poor crew
l decided TO remain at this port until
could procure good seamen.
Our stay was made pleasant and we
received many kindnesses from the Amer
lean consul, Jonas NJ. Coe He had two
daughters, and as the prospects seemed
brighter for them in the United States we
took the younger, Laura, along with us.
That was twenty-five years ago To-day
she has happy family of her own Her
sister became queen of the island
The life of the queen of these distant
islands is one of the wonders of the South
Seas. She is in reality the new woman
of the South Pacific---the one person of
her sex in that part of the world who has
proved herself the possessor of great bus
mess and executive ability. She is now
managing large property which consists.
besides the five groups of islands of five
trading stores, fleet of schooners. and
agencies in London, Sydney and Liver
pool
Jonas NJ. COe went to Samoa many
years ago. If he was not the pioneer
American consul there. he was one of the
nrst He married native Samoan wo-
man, lovely girl, with an admixture of
white blood. The result of the union was
the birth of the two girls above referred
to- The older married Capt. Farrell. who
mad early made investments in the Bis
marck archipelago. On her husbands
death she assumed the management of
the property and has had it ever since.
30 full of tact has been her rule that her
possessions constantly grew They are
stlll growing, as often she buys another
island. She afterwards became Mrs.
Forsyth, and a son was born. This son.
now the crown prince, is twentv-three
years old, and has just completed tour
around the world. lie is fine looking and
well educated.
After the death of Forsayth the oueen
again married, this time man Younger
than herself, an Englishmau, whose name
is Paul Colbe. The queen of the Bis
marck islands has always been in love
with America. She invested in trading
schooners and all of them displayed the
American flag until she married the Eng
lishman, and they are now under the Brit
ish colors.
There are five groups of islands in the
princpallty. While the most of tI EN- are
small the number of them is so great that
the aggregate amount of land owned by
the queen is 15l 900 acres she has been
offered half million dollars for her pos
sessions, and she has refused it.as it is be-
lieved that the productive archipelago is
now paying large income on 81, 600. 600. "
With our ironing department on the
second floor out of the way of the dust,
and with plenty of steam from our new
boiler we are now prepared TO do better
work than ever at the Radford Steam