The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-21

ravine there are some cocoanut trees
| and on the plateau a large quantity OF
small trees and shrubs and some grass
Deponent says that there were millions
of sea birds In and about said island,
and the waters surrounding it abound
| in fish, and deponent was therefore led
| to believe that there were guano de-
! posits there and searched for the same.
| DeDonent says that he found in the
! ravine before described a surface de-
| pCsit of crown earth guano, showing
80 of phosphate of lime, which depon-
| ent excavated to a depth of several feet
without reaching the bottom thereof,
and deponent found that under the
soil of the piateaus there were in many
places deposits of phosphate guano,
varying in depth and counting 1898
parts in 100 of phosphate of lime. the
quantity of said deposits deponent was
| and is unable to estimate, but on the
basis of such measurements as he was
able to take by pacing the ground, he
AYERS are in excess of one hundred
| thousand tons.
Deponent says that he brought away
with him samples both of the crown
earth and the phosphate, rock which he
! afterwards caused to be analysed at
Honolulu by competent and expert
| enced chemist, Mr.. George Martin, and
deponent annexes hereto and makes a
part hereof the report of said chemist
| thereon, made Oct. 20, 1890.
Deponent further AYERS that after
| having satisfied himself of the existence
of guano deposits on said island and
| that said island was not claimed by
any person or citizen of any power or
= Ial Iof,x = r,1
same for the United States. as follows.
| - wit: He made a Flagstaff of a scant-
ling and fastened an American flag
of a cocoanut tree. and in a fork of
| said tree he fastened securely bottle
in which was notice stating in sub
stance that on this 2sth day of June.
1889, I. Andrew A. Rosehill, a citizen of
the United States, having discovered
guano deposits on this island, and the
same being unclaimed by any person
or power and uninhabited. hereby claim
this island for the United States as a
guano island. by virtue of the Acts of
the United States Congress.
Depenent says that said notice of
claim was signed by him and by his
crew as witnesses.
Deponent says that assisted by his
crew he built a small but substantial
native house on said island, placed
therein about a years supply for two
people Of provisions, planted garden
seed, left pigs and chickens and en-
ployed one of his crew to live there
with a native wife. said member of his
crew had brought from the Gilbert ISL
ands; said couple was to remain there
for a period of one year, when depon-
ent promised to return.
Deponent says that he was prevent
ed from returning at the time appoint
ed. but he learned that the couple re-
manned on the island eleven months.
when they were taken off by a pass
ing vessel.
Wherefore deponent AYERS that he, a
citizen of the United States, on the
2Sth day of June, 1889, did on that day
discover deposit of guano on Marcus
Island Situated in the North Pacific
Ocean, longitude 154 degrees east, lati-
tUde "a degrees II minutes north), and
that said island was not at the time of
discovery, and is not now, within the
lawful Jurisdiction of any other gov
eminent; and that he did on said 29thI
day of June, 1889, take peaceable pos
session thereof and claimed the same
for the United States and has since,
peaceably occupied the same; and here
with produces evidence thereof and of
other requisites and facts pre-
scribed by the Act of Congress in such
case made and provided.
Wherefore deponent prays that said
island of Marcus may be considered
and declared as appertaining to the
United States, and that he, the said
claimant. may have the rights and ad-
vantages allowed and secured to him as
such discoverer. which are by the Act
of Congress aforesaid provided.
Accompanying the other papers for
warded was the following:
I'VE, whose names are subscribed
hereto. hereby certify that we know
Captain Andrew a. Rosehill, who is AS
sistant Harbor Master of Honolulu,
Territory OF Hawaii. either personally
or by reputation; that he bears the rep
utation OF being an upright, truthful
man. and that we should not hesitate
TO accept as accurate and truthful any
statements he might make of facts and
circumstances alleged by him under
oath to be OF his own knowledge.
Honolulu, January 18th, 1902"
This was signed by many officials and
leading citizens OF Honolulu.
January 2Oth. 1902. the papers We're
forwarded to washington. Either
Uncle Sam was more kindly disposed !
toward the acquisition of Islands than
he had been at any previous time, or
somebody with a ''pulT strong enough
TO pull Captain RosehilTs application /
out of the red tape tangle in the Sec
retary's Office had hold Of the business.
for on Feb. p. 1902. the Department of
state granted the application and re-
CURED Captain Rosehiu to furnish
bond TO the limited States in the SIN,