The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-07-29
Should the Island Belong to Hawaii,
Matters viii Be Mixed.
INVESTIGATION TO 49, MADE
naNsil's Claims Viii BE Hsronniled BY the
tnited states Bfitaip Probably
kants CoalinB Station

New YORK. July @aA special 10 The
Herald from Washington says;
Omcinl Information Of the action Of
the British government IN taking pos
ferrion OF the island Of Palmyra IN the
raclnc ocean, has been received nt the
state department II VIA gmbndio'i Ia
dibpatch which reached tho department
from San fruuclaco. II having bc"n
wltrd from that point BY the dlspateb
agent of the department th'rc, who had
received It from Minister srwnll az TO.
.noum' E,ii,Etly Mr Hrwnll regarded
the matter Aa uf great importance. for
Il 10 said Il WAS the only subject 70.
o,lycd by wirc from the steamer wiIeh
arrived Al Han Francisco last wcch.
Tho message received from Mr sewril
mcr,iy contained The bare facts OF the
seizure of the island The action OF
Great Britain In taking posucsalon Of thc
island az ,hin time. following as II dose
the tuhiulasion Of an annexation treaty
by the president. is considered very tir.
uiNoAnt by th. autbontirs here. Wh,tn.
rr Il b. intended 20 ,umpiicatr matters
80 Ns to slave on annexation. Ut whrthrf
Great Britain purposes 60 ratahlieh
naval station upon the island ln qusn.
Ion her action 10 regarded aA of the
highest Importance ana nnurc develop
mrnlr win b, .waltod with kcon interest
..fV.44 44N. N...s. 1 d. ID tt.U.
uon Of the state department officials 10
gather all the Information possible Ia r,.
gard 60 Palmyra lnlnnd Should their
arlrch strengthen iiawulia right to the
territory. then II lH proposed to ncnd tn
rtruetioua TO Minister S~wali directing
him "a uRrr the Dole authorities to pro-
tee, 70 Gral britain against her action
In taking possession
IN, United States viii. " course. mp.
hold such protect and tro officials
believe that It viii result In the removal
o, the urunh nas from the island.
should Il prove to bc territory r,ally br-
longing &, iho Hawaiian group
50 far as tho officials have b,cn able
tp lcam up 10 the present Time. Palmyra
island Wns occupied good many years
ago by number OF Hawaiian citizens,
IL no ruls,d the Hawaiian HAS over the
{ rrilory The island WAS nrat discovered
hy the ramnun british navigator Cap
tain cook. who afterwards lost hiu l!fc
in tho Hawaiian islands. An American |
corporation known aA ~, rhwulS Guauo |
Go located ON The island some years !
ago and built sheds and a wharf and |
thorcCrpm all the guano de-
potits when these dcpo.ita had been |
xhnuul,d tho company abandoned N, |
inland, leaving the rh~'is and wharf |
standing.
According To IN, Hawaiian govern |
mont. Palmyra island has never been
surveyed No iis cxtcnt cannot be- accu-
ratrly estimated II woa known some
time ~ Amcrirus island.
Naval olllcvrp uay Palmyrl, island could |
easily h. converted into a coalng sta-
lion by Crest Britain. The British gov
,rnmcpt. they declare, has bccn anxious
Ia obtain poa~,,sslon OF coaling station
Ia tho vicinity OF Hawaii ana would haVo
been glad some years ngo to have OBJ
.alncd possession OF Pearl hnrbor had
not the American government stood In
he way.
Thla and other facts which have come
10 the attention OF tho state depart
Il cnt and naval oficors convince them
hat Great Hritnin ls dcsirous Of obtain
ug some point in the Pacific which
,oud uscfuily be employed both ~ a
.onlng station and "A cable telegraph
station Nothing definite can bee deter
nntcd. however unul the authorities
,rc In possession OF more Information
han they now have, 1t Is expected
hat Minister Scwnlrs mail ndyiccs,
which will arrive In Washington this
week, will contain additional facts and
Is receipt IL looked forward to with
treat interest
An official OF the Japanese legation
II discussing the seizure OF Palmyra,
aid;
"Thc Japanese government IN In total
of this act OF the British II
+ rather an amusing thing to us on
he whole In one Of our protests against
he Hawaiian annexation treaty 1t was
,rcdictcd that the greed OF territory ac-
ulsitlon would revive In the progress
4 tho debate Of the question our
,rcdctlon has thus far come true In an
ntlrcly unexpected way OF course,
apan has no interest In the proceeding,
mt my derive some amusement Mt the
onsequont cntnnglng of Great Britain
With the sponsor and protector of Iia- {
vail, the United States" I
Y