Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-03-22
TAKING OF WAKE ISLAND.
American Flag RAISED y Ensign
Wcttcngci and saIutcd by the
Gun. OF Bennington.

Washington. March 2i.-The oondl.
lions under which Wake island. mid
way between Honolulu and the Philip
pines. was taken possession Of In the
name Of the United States by the
commander OF the Bennington ON
her voyage across the Pacific. are Civ
on IN a report to the navy department
from Commander TausalF. dated at
sea two months ago. The officer says
he approached the island with the nav
lEator nj the masthead. Htcaming slow
~ along the southern and eastern slides
20 discover signs OF habitntion and
looking In vain for an anchorage. lie
dii not circumnnNignto the island. hut
seeing that the outlet on the north was
barred. not only by "a wall Of coral.
but also by sand put he returned TO
the lee % the island.
a landing was made nt o'clock on
the i1th Of January and a fiag pole
was raised. iiesidcr some piles Of
wrcckare. no signs OF human occupn-
ton were visible. on the eastern side
of the island. imboddcd In the sand.
an anchor WIS seen and what APP
ponrcd to he the wreck OF lower mast
was higher on the beach.
when the iihHftnn wnn IN place the
sailors were formed IN two ranks fac
Va
witness that the Island was not In the
possession Of any other nation, Com
mnndcr TaurTig ordered the American
fiaE Co be raised by Ensign Wettenscl.
Upon reaching the truck the lag was
rnlutcd by twcnty-one guns from the
bennington. After the salute the
fing was nailed Ia the masthead with
bnti"nS, and a brass plate with the
following inscription was screwed 10
the base Of the Flagstaff;
United States Of America. William
Mckinley. President. John n. Long.
Secretary Of the Navy;-commandcr
Edward r. Tausaig. United States navy.
commanding the United States steam
ship bennington. this 18th day of Janu-
AIRY, 1859. took posacnHion of the ntoll
known NJ Wake island. for the unl,cd
States of America"
Commander rauHslg describes the
island thus; THE island IN more hcav-
iiy wooded than was shown Ia the
chart. Patches ~ grass were seen on
the lagoon and the Hhrubbery afforded
resting places for the many sea fowls.
Fishes were plentiful In the lagoon.
The lagoon On the south side was short
hut on the north side there was "a long
strip of deep, blue water, extending
nearly it, entire length. outside of
the lagoon many sharks were seen
crowding around our boats aud around
tho ships.
Had I been able TO have found an
anchorage I would remain IN this vi
entity for two or three days, 10 recon
noiter more thoroughly the Island and
take astronomical and magnetic OBJ
Hervntionn. hut having carried out the
orders ~ the department IN regard to
the island and dcemlnE II necessary To
| save M much now M possible I took
my departure at 5iab y, m. FOR Guam
| During the afternoon the navigator
Ensign Campbell. wna cndeayorlng to
ind "A possible anchorage ON some
light patches OF water Ia the west
ward of the outlet. He found thirty
fathoms coral bottom and one patch
about 200 yards from tho reef wall
but II looked too close to the break
cra to be used. The white bottom could
be seen In white pntchlngs. where
Hnundlnrs OF twenty fathoma were OBJ
tanned close Into the breakers"