The San Francisco call., 1897-07-30
WILL MAKE
NO PROTEST.
Hawaii Has No Use for
the Little Palmyra
Island.
So 1t Is Used as a Station for
the New Cable to
Australia.
Not Having Heard of Japan's Ac-
oeptance OF Arbitration, Corre-
spondence Is Published.

HONOLULU, HAWAII, July oh. B.
NJ. S. Penguin arrived in port yesterday
morning, and is anchored in naval row
alongside the U. S. s. Marion. The
Penguin is specially fitted up and classed
as a survey ship. She has spent the last
three months in surveying tue proposed
route of the Australia British Colum bia
cable, and will remain here about three
weeks to take in coal and supplies.
The story of British possession of Pal
myra Island, recently related by Captain
Rosehill of the schooner orma. is con-
frmed by the officers of the Penguin.
They admit that the island was first
claimed by the Hawaiian Government in
1862, but say that it was sold to private
individual here, who went into bankruptcy
ard let it 60. Afterward some San Fran
cisco parties got hold of the island, but
they, too, tired of the possession and gave
it up.
In 1889 the British cruiser Cormorant
made a survey Of the island and claimed
it as q British possession. a flag was set
up and proclamation, written on
board, left on the island. The Penguin
on her recent visit renewed the flag and
the proclamation. 1t was probably evil
dence of the recent visit of the Penguin
that Captain Rosehill found.
1t is doubtful whether the Hawaiian
Government will take any steps to claim
Palmyra Island, as it is valuless except
for cable purposes. Minister King in
formed THE CALL correspondent that this
Government has had undsputed right to
the island for fifty years PAST and tn at it
haan ncid hal
to Hawaii
Ex-United States Consul General Ellis
Mills and wife leave on the Alameda, but
there are strong probabilities that Mr..
Mills may return in the fall to take up
The practice of law. Mr.. Mills reached
Honolulu in March of 1898 in company
with Special Commissioner Blount. In
October of the same year he was appointed
United States Consul General, which posi-
tion he held until the first of last month,
when he surrendered it to President Nc
kinley's appointee, William Hay wood.
During his recent visit to San Francisco
President c. L. Wight OF the Wilder
Steamship Company placed an order with
the Union Iron Works for a new steamer
10 take the place of the Likelike, recently
wrecked. The vessel will be built on the
same line. as the Helene, brought down
here not long since by Captain George G.
Beckley.
The commission of Henry E. Cooper as
Minister of Finance, ad interim, having
pired, by constitutional limitation.
sixty days after his appointment, the
President has appointed Theodore F.
Lansing Minister of Finance Upon the
of no H.,
probably resign the position and Mr.. Da-
mon resume his official duties. MIR. Lam
sing is a mem ber of the olesale dry
goods and clothing house of NJ. Phillips &
Co.. and is practical, conservative, busi-
ness man who is very popular here. Min
lister Damon is not expected back before
the end of August.
The news that the battle-ship Oregon
has been ordered to Honolulu was re-
ceived with general satisfaction by all
classes. There is plenty of room in the
harbor for the Oregon, according to Cap
tain King and other authorities. The
basin that was dredged out for the Olym-
pia still remains, and the water is deeper
alongside the Philadelphia than any
where in the harbor.
Yesterday afternoon Minister Cooper
called the mem bers of ths local press
together, and for the first time gave out to
the public a complete synopsis of the cor
respondence between Count Okuma and
Minister Resident Shimamura and him
self over the Japanese controversy as far
as i t has gone. Minister Cooper was i'm
PEELED to this for two reasons: Popular
demand for more information on the SUBJ
ject here and the knowledge that the
Hawaiian side of the affair is freely given
out by the Japanese Government. The
fact that Hawaii had offered to arbitrate
the matter was unknown here except to a
few, but was given out both at Toxic and
Washington.
Important dispatches were received
both by United States Minister Sewall and
Admiral Beardslee by the Australia.
They we're evidently expected, for both
officials came into town for their mail,
and after glancing over it at the consulate
went off to the flagship, where they held
a conference lasting over two hours.
Afterward Minister Sewall, who locke as
though he had received joyful news, called
on the President and Minister Cooper in
formally.
The Government received no late dis
patches. its last letters from Minister
Hatch being dated July z. Since then
nothing had been received.
At the Japanese legation it was given
out that nothing had been received from
Minister Hoshi at Washington, but that
important dispatches were ex pected from
Count Okuma on the Belgic, due here on
July q.
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