Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-07-02
Though Marked on Charts for
SeVtnly.6ye Years.
Morrell and Dyer Of The Wnaler Tartar
Sent Their Names Down u His.
toIy-NOw Wlp,d on The
American Charts.

a report made to the photographic
Office at Washington by Captain Blu
ford. of the transport Grant, an army
vessel plying between San Francisco,
Honolulu and Manila. As result Of |
the reports received by the hydro
graphic office. 1t has been decided that
Morrell and Dyer islands, named after
Captain Morrell and his mate, who |
discovered" them In the whaling |
schooner Tartar. never had any exist |
tence, but were Simply reported by the
achieving the distinction OF having
their names on the charts and maps Of
the Pacific ocean. Since 1925 the two
islands have been charted, and naviga-
tors and students of geography all the
world over have accepted Captain Nor
rell's report that they were where he
stated that he had found them.
Capt. Morrell reported the islands to
be in north latitude go degrees and 80
minutes, east longitude la degrees, 81
minutes. He gave detailed descrip
tons of the islands, which were duly
put on record, and government charts
were corrected accordingly. The whaler
stated in his report that he had taken
possession In the name Of the United
States, and It was at his request that
they were named Morrell and Dyer, In
honor of the captain and mate. II now
appears that the report was all joke.
The captain and mate went through
life without ever giving II away, II It
was while vessel after vessel In cross
ing the Pacific kept careful lookout for
the two little islands that had no exist
ence.
Captain Morrell and Mate Dyer car
ried with them to the grave the know
ledge that the government had charted
islands that were only a dream. Since
| 1925 these islands have never been
sighted-if they were sigsted then.
Many steamers have passed near the
locality, but none Of them were able
to see the land, which, Captain Morrell
reported, was very low, scarcely rising
out of the water.
Three or four years ago Captain
Green OF Honolulu, in the inter-island
steamer Waialeale made a trip to the
vicinity of the supposed Morrell island,
and returned with report that the ISL
ands had disappeared. He made known
the results of his observations at
Washington, where a similar report
from the gunboat Peacock had already
been received. The Peacock, in 1910,
had been unable to find the islands.
Morrell and Dyer islands were still
kept on the charts, however, and mari
ners still looked out for them. Those
interested wondered II the islands
could have been OF volcanic origin, and
, II the land had suddenly disappeared
: The ocean In the vicinity Of the report
ed islands has many coral islands, how.
ever, and 1t was thought that Morrell
, and Dyer must be of the same kind
Charts remained unaltered and Cap
tain Morrell's great hoax lasted on.
The war with Spain and the annexa'
ton of Hawaii brought the end of the
Pacific from San Francisco to Homo
lulu and Manila was suddenly doubled
, and trebled, and quite number OF tn,
. steamers that took the direct route tC
Manila. without stopping at Honolulu
, passed near where Morrell island ough
, to have been, but there Is no log "
existence. barring that Of the whaling
: schooner Tartar, In which call a
! Morrell island Is mentioned.
e Last February Capt. Buford Of thu
3 army transport Grant, decided to set
. tie the matter on his return trip from
Manila to San Francisco. He heade'
e straight for Morrell island. On Feb
" ruary 90 he reached the locality wher
= II was-on the chart. There was N
Q land In sight. Captain Buford steere,
e his ship directly on toward the spo
g where his charts showed Morrell Isl
= and to be.
s 1t was a clear day, and the lookou
n could have detected land anywher
. within a radius of twenty-five miles
y No land was seen. The big transpor
n steamed right over Captain Morreli'
bit OF territory and the water did nc
/. grow even shallow. This settled tn
question finally.
t At the beginning Of the year des
patch was received from Washingto
a stating that the United States tug Ire
quois, which is permanently statione
at Honolulu, was to he sent from tkeI
to look over Morrell island, max
soundings and ascertain whether theI
was any island. The report from II
transport Grant seems to have Statistic
the authorities that further search WI
unnecessary, however. The Iroquo
IA has made no search and has been give
90 other work to do and both Morrcll ar