New-York tribune., 1896-06-21
ISLAND DESPOTS.
"a. WHO HAVE TRIED TO EXERCISE
.o,rprrGN AUTHORITY-M. MENIER's
DISPUTE WITH THE CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT - THE FUNNY
pRTNCE OF TRINIDAD


,-.o, with the reported session Of the Channel
- France mention OF which was made In
H.aov's Tribune the putting up for auction
FT.naon Of two islands belonging to the Danish
,ha italian Government respectively. and the
." a,, which has arisen between the Canadian
..or,ties and the French chocolate manufact-
~ Nenier. in connection with the latters big
na NJ Anticosti, at the mouth Of the River st.
a.rsnce islands seem TO be occupying con-
',...hle amount OF public attention just at the
..art moment. There is a great charm about
T.,,g an island. and since the days when Rob
.., crusoe found consolation for his exile in the
,bat he was monarch Of ali he surveyed.
~ ,he most democratic men have been found
,v snd eager 10 become the postsessor Of an
.a for the purpose OF securing an outlet for
"'.. continents of autocracy and despotism. that
., tor "bossing'' ones fellow creatures. which
- - he instied In every member Of the hu-
-ocs II there are few women who have ever
.,a the owners of islands. II must be attr1b-
~. -, 20 the fact that they are less anxious TO
,.sr than men. but merely because they have
any opportunities for having their own way
=. sYercis1ng sovereign sway in civilized COM
n,,,lss that there is no need for them 20 exile
.s.usslyes % islands in order TO obtain the full
SOW, of their longings In this respect.
rAa growth OF this craze for owning islands
-, received a powerful impetus by the publ
,o, NJ Alexander Dumass celebrated novel.
,,,r, Cristo" is likely 10 lead TO all sorts OF in
,o,,o,al complications a striking instance
,ao. haing aft rded by the dispute now In
rrose between the Canadian Government and
:, Nsnjer When the latter effected the pur-
.,.se ., Anticosit he evidently imagined that he
.,,,red thereby sovereign rights over the island.
:, soas not seem 10 have occurred to him that In
.y,s of MS becoming the owner OF Canadian
.aa,d the latter continued TO form part OF the
nom,nion and subject to its laws. In permitting
.s .sacouisition u Antcosti by purchase the Cana
N, Government never for one moment contem-
,,ted surreniering its sovereign rights thereto
NV more than it would dream of abandoning it's
,srogativers Of this character over any tract or
.-,orv that It might sell present in the West
~ provinces TO some immigrant farmer. NJ
yuer merely stands In the position OF Cana
Ian landowner toward the Government OF the
r,r,n,on and as such is subject 10 its laws and
,sgulations in the same way as II his possessions
we're on the mainland Moreover. the people who
I've on his island stand toward him in the posi-
tim not # subjects but of mere tenants. owing
IN ordinary landlord and owner OF the soil
IN the same way the Observation-Disclosures,
Baron Harden Hickey. who claims the possession
Q. the Island Of Trinidad. on the coast of Brazil
and who has made somewhat ridiculous at
tempt TO establish there full-ledged sovereignty.
for which he vanly sought official recognition
from the Powers is subject on this island TO the
laws Of Brazil. 10 which nation 1t belongs While
,|S Of q iyr1p
the Baron. in spite OF his styl!Ag himself "Sover-
eign Prince Of Trinidad" and OF his having ap-
pointed full-Aedged Secretary of State for his
island and created order similar 70 that or the
Legion Of Honor in Frace is subject to the laws of
the United States all the more SO as, notwith-
standing the popular impression about the mat
ter he Is one OF its citizens. HIS father was an
rsh-American who made a large fortune in the
ry days OF San Francisco. and on his death his
riow end her two children established them
eyes at Pa ris the son Patrick being entered at
lie Military College Of St. Cyr-the French West
hlnt-not as a Frenchman. but as a foreigner.
I'D subject to the rules governing the admission
galens His title Of Baron comes 10 him by
rrchase from the Vatican. and has nothing
whatsoever TO do with the French nobility. More
over. II was no, as a Frenchman but as an alien
sy the authorities from France for lampooning
?esident Grevy in Monarcnist newspaper
vhch he had entitled the "Triboulet.'
Il was owing to the troubles similar TO those
Which have arisen between NJ. Menier and the
Canadian authorities that the Austrian cavalry
sncer. Baron de Rodt. finally abandoned posses
don Of the island Of Juan Fernandez, which
DANIEL Defoe made the scene OF his Robinson
cVsoe"
Baroc, de Rodt was 30 severely wounded IN
Charge al the battle OF Sadow'a in 1866. that he
vas obliged TO retire from active service. This
seemed TO prey upon his mind. and after spending
pne years in Paris he suddenly disappeared
saying no clew TO what had become OF him.
Eyery effort was made TO discover traces OF him
sa withou; success. and the conclusion was
Ealy adopted that he was dead. 1t was not until
| sveral years af,erward that by a mere chance
| rss enabled 10 assure myself that these fears
| sN been unfounded. He had leased or pur-
tased from the Chilian Government Robinson
cusoes island. and had established himself
here. permitting only such people TO take up their
redence there as agreed TO submit to his au-
thority In ali things This went on all very we'll
it time, and the little colony grew and pros
pered exporting quantities OF lobsters and a8r1-
cultural produce 10 Valparaiso. But the time ar
''Ved When the colony grew too large to submit
any longer 10 his benevolent despotism, and the
n''aoitants, having quarreled with him. claimed
'ne'r Tight 10 abide by the laws OF Chill rather
'"dn oy those which he had devised for their
De"en1' Inasmuch as the Chian Government. as
i" outy bound sustained them in this argument.
s"d declined to recognize the right OF the Baron
pace bis own rule above that OF its own In
1'''ory that is distinctly Chilian. he threw up
we whole affair In disgust. and made UP his mind
~fe'urn to civilization. dying. however. on board
~ yacht on his way back to Montevideo.
/ Al English sailor of the name Of Charles Irons,
.er being marooned one OF the islands Of the
04onne group years ago. has now become the
~e and ruler OF the savage tribe by which It is
Saeited. He ie 10 all intents and purposes q
ssge himself. has seven dusky wives and ex-
II YES q SWAY that is undisputed so far as the