The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-09-11

The Marcus Island incident has now
closed so far as a public event is con-
cerned and will soon be buried in Dip
lomatic channels. The expedition arr
rived safely yesterday afternoon from
Marcus Island with a story of quite
peaceable experience to the trip. Cap
tain Rosehill did not attempt to seize
Marcus Island, nor indeed, did he make
any effort to execute the carefully laid
plans of the famous Marcus Island
Board of Strategy.
1t was well for him that he did not
attempt any rash measures for the
party of Japanese marines left there by
the Japanese war vessel was waiting
to receive him on July 80 when he ar
rived. Rosehill was quick to appre-
ciate the situation. He saw there was
no use in his trying to secure the ISL
and from the Japanese, so he made the
best of bad bargain by securing what
samples of the guano and returning
home to Honolulu without getting in
to any trouble. He showed excellent
judgment and common sense.
After the little schooner arrived yes
terday afternoon, Rosehill met with W.
G. Peacock, the hacker of the eXpedi-
tion, and Thomas Fitch, the legal ad-
wiser of the company, and to them
made his report of the expedition. 1t
was then decided that the schooner Ju-
liza e. Whalen would be sold, that a
claim of indemnity would be made
against Japan, and the question of the
ownership of the island left to the
State Department for final settlement.
Rosehill, who is more a practical
navigator than lecturer, tells a
Straightforward and interesting story
of his trip.
1--WE left here" he said this morning,
I-I,
July 80, after a very fine passage. We
approached the island from the north
east. Evidently the japanese saw us
coming for they lost no time in send
ing an officer in a boat out from their
settlement around the southwestern
point to meet the schooner. They prob
ably thought that l would come to an
chor off the southern coast, as the set
tlement was on that side, but | landed
with four of the men from the schoon-
er on the western side of the island,
and then walked across to the south
ern side to the settlement.
Il had expected that there would be
Japanese on the island, but l did not
expect to find marines. What did 1
think when l saw them? Well what
could l think? l just had to make the
best of the bargain. We went up to
the house at the settlement where the
marines had made camp. The JapS
knew all about me. In fact the officer
who went out in the boat to the vessel,
went alongside and asked if Captain
Rosehill was aboard. The mate was
surprised when he heard the officer call
my name. You see the Japs had been
given all the information about us.
They knew when l left San Francisco
and when l left Honolulu, as their min
lister had informed them / guess NO.
the marines were not drawn up to re-
ceive US. | met the officer and told
him what 1 had come for, and handed
him my letters
He was very polite to me and gave
me a communication from the Com
missioner who had been sent on the
warship to meet us. The warship had
left on July 29, however, the day be-
fore we arrived. The officer said that
permission would be granted to us to
remain one week in order to repair the
vessel If it was needed. He said that
he would prevent us from taking the
island however. l saw there was no
use trying to do any such thing. L did