The sun., 1899-12-13
oALxPhsos ALMOST AMERICAN.
Proposed Annexation OF the Group by Com
modore David Porter In 1919.

mO1OrN
The Monroe Doctrine is brought into play IA
estop any European power from acquiring in
the Galapagos Islands n base which might prove
inconvenicntly near the Pacific mouth Of any
intcroccanic canal Although this little arch
ipclago. through which the equator passes, lies
directly south of New orleans aud at a distance
considerably less than the distance between New
Orleans and San Francisco, the sum Of common
information on tho subject Ia that the islands
are volcanic; that until recently the Government
of Ecuador maintained on the largest island n
penal settlement and that tortoiscs of enormous
size and the most advanced age have been used
TO supply both food and water 80 distressed mar
inerS
II was at these remote islands that the first
ideas Of American expansion were carried into
effect and that at u time when the United States
lay east Of the Mississippi In law and east OF the
Allcghanics in fact In the war Of 1872 Com
mpdOrc David Porter, the second Of three fight
ing sailors, made this inhosptabc group the
scene of his stirring exploits. For n time he
debated the feasibility Of annexing the group
and laying tho foundation ol American empire
in the Pacific. IL was only alter becoming con
WINGED of the superior advantages OF the Mar.
quesas that he decided against the Galapagos
After rather uncycntiul cruise in the South
Atlantic, in which, however. hc was parted IRON
The other vessels nj the squadron, Porter rounded
Cape Horn in the old Eascx and stood north
along the west coast flying the flag Of Sailors
Rights" The boldn,Ss " his dash gave him
the whole ocean TO sweep with not vessel Of war
tn oppose him until word could be sent back IN
the ltritiah Admiral nt Rio ~ that time tho
mid. d.pdcinc was 'rowdcd with Dundee whnlcrs,
for that ocean was already a famous hunting
ground for the right whelc TO the north and the
south and for the fierce sperm whale among the
equatorial islands az far north hs Hawaii and Hs
lar south AZ Tonga. Each u' thcsr British
whnlcra was armed and commissioned with let
ters of mnrque and rcprsal, Before the war he.
gan openly they he'd used their power 10 search
wlQlgTg
at will, and when hostitics began they had either
sunk, captured or driven from those seas every
whalcr from Nantucket the Vineyard and New
Bedford
Dashinr up tho coas, ahead Of rny warming
whalrrs about the Galapagos There wns then
barrel post on Chatham island To which the
whaling Sklppera Entrusted their letters tor other
captainS Rummaging this barrel Porter oh
tnincd information ~ the movements of the fleet
Pursuing in detail Misunderstanding fleet o whalcr
prirGtecrs 1t was not long bcinr" Porter had cap.
tured or destroyed the last one and inflicted n
loss in ships and oil ut at least $4,000. 900 The
ESscN was soon surrounded by a fleet oi prizes
and Porter, more in accordance with the fact that
existed than orders which there was no way of
getting. broke out the prnnaut ot a Commodore
Later this became one ot the many charges against
him when tho ring in the Department court
mariiallcd him for being n genius and hero and
broke his heart ~ ;hcsc prizes the most famous
that renamed tho EsScx Junior. There
were IN many of them in commission at once
that on board the ESscN herself the only officers
left were the Commodore himself and the sur.
y "
mhnd Of his own. even including the chaplain
and the marine officer Among these jury cap
tains was Mr. Midshipman Farraeut 0t the i'm.
posing axe of II years. but quite capable, as he
proved. Ot defeating with ncrc. mirn and large
pistol the uprising 81 the captivcs to retnke the
prlHr from the juvenile pri7r master
Commodore Porter quite seriously canvassed
the feasibility oi CnncNing the GalOragos, As
Was shown al NukahivA which he did annex
this fiery commander had no doubt at all az
~ his right and duty 10 annex n new empire 20
the United States II was not doubt which sent
his choice tn the other island but the character
of these islands in particular They are right
in tho fun drit ot the great cqun tDrisI current
which makes landing difficult at any part oi their
shores and which in most parts prcciudcs anchor.
age or hcaving tn. Rain Is seldom and scanty.
tn" only natural product oi any value nr that could
br uScd al ali was coarse grass which was found
beneficial for those who had the scurvy. There
was also n hcachcumbcr, who seems tO have been
most mornsc sort ui person lie was thief
AMI probably murderer and certainly not
at all n god nrghbpr 10 is an interesting fact
that eighty five years later, when the United
States - once more taking an interest in this
group, III" population Is again reduced 10 sin.
gle rcclusc, nnturalized American named CotbuS