The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-17
THE MAN BEFORE DEWEY.
STORY or THE FIRST ,ANNExATJON
IN THE PACIFIC

N'HEs0 NN
During the warof IsIe-How He Annexed
an Island Of the MhrquesnA Group-His
Army, HIS Navy, His WHra, ana His
CItiEens-The Fate of Mhdisonville'
Within the space Of a single week the people
Of the United States and the world at large
have seen American ominio extended over
two archipelagoes in the Pacific Ocean. over
the Ladrones by a small conquest and over tho
Hawaiian islands by Congressional action.
This annexation business In the Pacific IL
really no new thing. novel as It may seem. Few
are aware that eighty five years ago a startwas
Faa6e la annexinR the islands OF the Pacific.
Gazetteers make no reference now to Madison
Island In the South Pacific; to Its seat OF Gov
eminent, Madisonville; to Fort Madison
(pierced for sixteen gunsl which defended 1t;
to Massachusetts Bay. at the head OF which the
capital was situated. Yet all these places were
once Incorporated with the territory OF the
United States. The tattooed savages who lived
there were admitted into tho great American
family, whose pure republican policy approaches
20 near their own" and as annexation was
proclaimed by a Captain Of the navy OF the
United States. the fort beloved out a salute OF
seventeen guns. Massachusetts, Bay was
crowded with ships which had summarily been
converted into an auxiliary navy Of high EN-
cheney, OF which. however. neither Congress
nor the Secretary OF the Navy had any informa-
tlOu. pIOUl tuIh vi bhtbo "oo boAS"SN
back the salute TO the flag and to the new terri
tory over which it was raised. Tit military
Governor OF Madison Island OF tho United
Btates OF America had q small force OF reEulars,
sailors, and marines, and several thousand cid-
zen soldiers OF jacksonville. throwers Of stones
with singular precision and fighters for fair.
With his combined forces he waged campaigns
OF conquest. the memory Of which has all but
passed away. He and his savage republicans
A---NA N,A n o.nnN u,,,nan mn. and hn M laaa
glorious Happah war; but Times envious tooth
has gnawed these victories from the blazon Of
honor. With an army. with a navy. with town
and fort, with proclamation and sound OF guns.
enough has been presented In this brief sum to
make It clear that Madison Island was Just as
solemnly annexed to the United States as 1t
was possible for q public officer to perform the
high act OF sovereignty.
For a nation which makes no pretension to
being one of the great military powers. the
United States seem to have got into trouble
with somebody at pretty regular intervals, so
timed that there has always been q chance to
talk about 1.-THE late war" The events con-
nected with the annexation OF Madison Island
were a somewhat disconnected but highly In.
teresting chapter in the history Of "our late
war with England" the war Of 1912.
In the record roll Of the naval victories Of that
war. no vessel is better entitled to be bracketed
with the constitution tnan the Essex, SZ-Run
frigate. Her commander, capt David Porter.
even II he were unknown Tor his W high
deeds, could not be forgotten for having givento
the navy of the United States Its two Admirals.
ID. q. Farragut. his waro, ana u. Porter. mis-
son. But in the years when he commanded the
Essex frigate. the nation had not the foresight
TO enter mis- steeraRe ana TO DICK out young
Midshipman farraeut' lately lolneo' as q spe-
cial cause OF thankfulness. Nations rarely do
appreciate the potential glories OF their mid
shipmen and such like. The hrst duty to which
the ESSEX was put was to act with tho SQUAD
ron OF commodore cambridge IN an attack on
English ommerc IN the equatorial Atlantic.
missing MS commanding omcer, apparently
after q very careful search to avoid him. Porter
out himself loose from his base OF supplies and
with only enough provisions Tor han rations
until ne could get into the racine and no pro-
visions at all Tor getting back, he boldly put his
frtgate around the Horn and began q career
anon the English whaling neet which ended
-oply Nnen the ships were sunk or taken, every
one. AZ that enormous distance from q port In
when the prizes might be condemned. Porter
enlisted them into the navy oil the United states
ana bruised up and doWn the eastern waters OF
tho south Pacific with a Meet 30 large that at
one time every of1cer OF the Essex was In COM
mand OF q vessel OF his own with the solitary
01ceptlon OF the surgeons mate as the young
doctor" OF the day was rated. 1t is probable
that chis Ii the nrst and only time In naval his
eory when chaplains and oficersof marines had
M III aitn p e tesseiS. As cue mSrlne
oSot;t "in 10 eeen Una ~ h@u al '0oh01
Otnno L ohhcer u the navy:
"nen aotyer ptouEhG IL Esse1 arounu inOo
SheLe was . q Dtitsn nGv1i VessS'
~ o'ean.D 9'' eshipsol Ihe EnHIsh Whai-
= neeI oafiieu - ahu MoIe pIoVlueu WIFE
AObeSAo Vi "oAduO Al VI bhoV bh0 mibhL az
SaoA eho AIneFcan wnalers' me arrival OF the
ISN"A II pan. ohe wnaihR prlVa-
OoerS . NIeaC priIaan. eespioe their neavy az
n1HenN were capIureu . + sunh, LnnlctlnE q
LOsS " ~Ael, o"heIs u %o'vUo,oVo' ana tne
1ntnaenl wnIierS were enapieu 70 .eaye tne
HfoCeToion VI tne heutrai pore VI INC ooucn
nrNN ooast III mhlch Eney Weie iatu up IN
ere nope y pe'Ie, 1inles; rorter ioho"eo the
MhHles as Heaiousiy as d NahIueEe1 ooaC sVeerer
AoI mhere Ihe WHITES were there were tne
pfLtSn wlaiors On mhoh NO was preyihg' rms
ACDL hlUu kbueTdllY III IU6 n6lKnDOIOOOu oil IN