The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-05-15

departure ~ The kalmiloa. the mission
30 Samoa had practically collapsed
Nevertheless. Gibson went ahead. nd
dressing through Carter thf Treaty
Powers on the subject bismarck did
not conceal that he regarded the Hn-
waiian action ~ one uf imperti.
nfncc. Lord Salisbury, who would
rladiy have been rid OF the whole
question. continued complainant 10 Ger
many. aud even "a, ugh this must lead
90 German annexation As for Bnyard.
hc could do nothing else than accept
Gcrmauy's benevolent assurances. and
profcsscdly at least to hope for the se-
Curity ~ samoan Independence through
the cooperation then undertaken by
the three powers. and therefore politely
TO discourage the mission OF Bush and
the kaimiloa."
lt is a strange fact OF Hawaiian his
] tory that the one great power with
I which Hawaii has ever been at peace
/ az home and by which she has never
I been there threatened or molestei, al
| though the commercial interests of
/ the citizens of that Power are scarce
/ iy second to any in the Islands, should
have made the Samoan mission almost
"casus belli" Stevenson aptly de-
scribed the German attitude: The Ger
mans looked on from the first with nat
ural irritation that Power of the pow
erlessness of Hawaii should thus profit
by its undeniable footing in the family
or nations, and send embassies and
make believe to have a navy and bark
and snap at the heels of the great Ger
man Empire"
1t is not too much to say that so Sc
riously did the Germans regard the
HQWaiinn
cion that in some way the United
States was really involved in the mis-
sion, prevented the German captain
from blowing the "Kaimiloa" out OF
the water. And it is probable that this
is what would have actually happened
at the time of the declaration of war
against Malietoa had the "Kaimiloa"
been still at Apia. For in Bismarck's
dispatch in which he instructs the
German Minister at Washington to no
tify Bayard of the intended action
against Malietoa, he makes the threat
distinctly. After ascribing to the "un-
called-for intermeddiing of the Ha-
waian Government the disturbed con-
dltion of affairs in Samoa, Bismarck
goes on to say: I'm case Hawaii, whose
King acts according to financial prin-
ciples which it is not desirable TO ex-
tend to Samoa, should try to interfere
in favor of Malietoa, the King of the
Sandwich Islands would thereby enter
into state of war with US"
German Hostility Apparent.
By the middle of April, German hos
tility was made painfully apparent On
April 10th Gibson writes Bush: Ger
many does recognize Tamasesa as
equal in authority to Malietoa," and
on the 7th of May to Carter: II have
just seen copy of dispatch address,
ed by the German Foreign Minister to
Lord Salisbury expressing the hope
that the Government of Her Majesty
will not consent that Hawaii take
part in the proposed conference at
Washington" and to Bush to the same
effect.
Still undaunted Gibson on this same
date attempts stout reply to the OBJ
jections put forward by Bayard. He
details the expenses attaching to the
trip of the Kaimiloa and then, appeal
ing to sentiment-in which appeals he
was an adept-adds "she starts out on
mission of mercy to look after the
crew Of the General Siegel Tan Ameri-
can ship wrecked on French Frigate
Shoals).
At about this time Bush was sup
planted by Henry f. Poor, the Secre-
tary of the Legation.
In this summary removal | have al |
ways believed that His Royal Master
made something of a scapegoat of
Bush. Certainly, Bush had carried out
instructions faithfully; he had secured |
the agreement for Confederation; he
had reported fully and accurately on |
tbn int WI fnI, ho
rected to inquire, and in whatever col |
ors his conduct, or that of the mission, |
has been painted, there was assuredly |
nothing in this which his Sovereign |
would have himself deemed reprehen- |
sibe had he been personally present. |
The chief factor in securing Bushs re-
call was n Letter written by a half |
caste, which was proved to be forgery |
Another foreigner whose presence in |
Samoa has been a standing cause of |
native dissension was also enlisted |
against Bush. That both these men |
were instrumental in bringing about
Bushs downfall should certainly count |
for much in the latters favor.
Kaimiloa" Disgrace.
Whatever may be said to the credit |
of Bush and his successor, whose re-
ports on Samoa are really most excel |
Lent, there is little to be said for the
career of the "Kaimiloa" herself
There was not lacking in this single
element of the opera bouffe. The mis-
sion was foredoomed to failure before
she started, and orders for her return
awaited at Apia her arrival. In Poors
final report he writes that at first she
produced a good impression, but that
things soon changed and she became
a disgrace to her flag. He praises the
conduct of the Reform School boys,
but with a few exceptions the marines
and white sailors behaved badly. The
ship was in a continued state of in
subordination, and Jackson, the cap
tain, was unfit to command, and Poor
was forced to appoint sailing master,
Her sailing orders were given her the
2Sd of July, but not until the Sth OF
August did she finally clear out OF
Apia. She was ordered to proceed di-
rectly to Honolulu, but went instead