Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-08-08
DIPLOMACY At MARCUS
STATE DEPARTMENT IS
FAVORABLE TO R0SEHILL
JAPANESE WARsHiP WILL GET
THERE FIRST WITH LETTER
TO RosERiLL FROM MIN.
User BUCK.

Washington, July 25.-Diplonacy,
not bloodshed. will settle the owner.
ship of Marcus Island in the Pacific II
the Department of State can have its
way. Official Washington is watching
with increasing interest the race for
the island between a japanese warship
and Captain A. A. Rosebill in an Amer
lean schooner. As the American nayi-
gator and his title to possession may
prove very important factors in set
Ting the nationality of the little strip
Of land. officials here are inclined ~
sustain him. The Japanese memoran-
dun now on file in the State Depart
ment says that country has laid claim
to the island for twenty-five years;
that it Is within the jurisdiction Of Ja-
pan and that for score OF years II has
been on all Of the japanese maps
So far as known here, however, the
only information that any flag was
ever planted on the island is contained
in the report of Captain Rosehill TO the
State Department that in 1859 he nail.
| ed the Stars and Stripes to cocoanui
tree and left in a bottle under the flaG
written claim to the land, which
stated that he had taken possession as
provided for by the statutes Of The
United States.
All these questions will come up fol
| discussion in the international nego.
tiations and II was said today the ques.
ton will undoubtedly be satisfactorily
settled by Arbitration.
Pacific Ocean weather will probably
enable the Japanese warship 10 react
the island before Captain Rosehilll
schooner. In that case the Americans
will be met by letter from Minister
| Buck, carried by the japanese com
mander. containing instructions from
the State Department to Captain Rose
hill to commit no overt act that might
involve this country in ihteTnationa
complications and to suspend all oper'
ations until the question OF possession
Is settled in regular diplomatic chan
nels. No American warship has beer
ordered to the island and it was sait
today none will be necessary.
The first report OF Marcus Island wa!
received from Captain Gelett OF tn,
ship Morning Star. who reported IL
1864 having passed the island. His
report contains no statement OF having
landed. The island was passed in 1877.
by the United States ship Tuscarora
then in command Of Rear Admiral Bel
KNAPP. which was making deep Sc;
soundings of the. Pacific ocean in tn
first American search for q cable rout,
from America to the Far East. Rea
Admiral Belknap only reported pass
ing an unknown island He rsporter
abundant vegetation. but did not q
near enough to observe any signs 0
human life. He did, however see grea
clouds OF birds.
The French ship Eclaireur repcrte'
passing Marcus Island in 1855. The las
report received at the Hydrographi
Office was made by Captain c. J. Bru
guire of the army transport Grant, VIII
passed the island in 1901, but made N
effort to land. This report says a Ill
!age was seen on the southern end q
| the lsldHu anu NATIVES NtIt 'uHtl 80
in other parts as the vessel passed,
Marcus Island. or Weeks Island, lie
In latitude "a degrees IA minutes mort
and longitude 1913 degrees minute
east. 1t is almost in a direct line be
tween Yokohama and the center Of tn
Marshall group, 1000 miles southeas
from the former and 1900 miles north
west from the center OF the Marshall'
II is only mile and half long, run
ming north and south and two-third
OF a mile broad. At its highest poin
n is sixty feet above the level Of tn
sea. and is covered with vegetation, in
Guiding some tall trees. The water a
about Is very deep, except that rec
extends about a half mile eastward
while at the western end there is
short sand shoal. Little Is known {
Captain Rosehill in Washington, exceT
that he has been a navigator OF tn
Pacific for many years. The record
OF the State Department show that b
filed his bond Of $500, as required b
law, less than three months ago, Q
thirteen years after his claim TO diS
covery was announced. In the mean
time the japanese had gone 10 the Isl