The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-08-12
DISPUTE
Flag to be- Planted on
!, Marcus lslands +
JAPANESE WARSH|P
Is at the Scene and Clash Is
Likely to Havs oecurrsd.-
Embryc War In
Pacific.

Honolulu, Aug. 2.---(Via Sans Fran
cisco, Aug. 9.)-According to the Homo
lula men VINO are interested IN the
Marcus, : Islam d guano expedition.
against which Japan has sent q war
vessel. as reported by the last adyices
received from the States, the vessel
which left here for the island Carried
complement of : Mauser rifles and
her captain had instructions from the
company to plant the American. flag
on the island and keep II floating un-
til compelled to haul 1t down.
Captain A.. A. Rosehill, the discov-
erer of the island, who left his claim
to 1t on a cocoanut tree on Marcus Is
land in 1889, Is in command Of the
expedition. The, company's claim is
based on this title, which IN on record
at the State department In Wash
ingtOn.
FORCE MAY BE USED
| No intimation that the vessel left
here with any arms on board was
given out until the news was received
that Japan had laid claim to the is
land. and had dispatched a war yes
sci there Colonel Fitch then made
public the instructions given to- Cap
tain Rosehill, which, while designed
to prevent any conflict were. intended
to compel the Japanese to allow the
! Americans to land, or use force tc
drive them away.
Captain Rosehill's instructions from
the company are to inform the Jap
anese On Marcus Island that his ex'
pedition ise a peaceful one for the pur'
pose OF making a scientific investiga-
tion of the value of the guano de,
posit of'sthe island. ano attempt 4tc
make peaceful landing,u .1t;-
/ In the event that the Japanese still
re1nse to allow him to land, Rosehil
| Is to sail away out Of sight Of the
island and return under cover OF
darkness, land an armed force ant
raise the American flag, and keep II
up until it is torn down by superior
force. At the same time the captain
was told to avoid conflict in every
way possible.
j TRY TO MAKE A LANDING. '''
In the event Of his encountering,
Japanese war vessel the commands
OF the Expedition was to present, lhi
! credentials as the discoverer Of th'
island sahd the agent of the Marcus
Island tuano company and to stat
that the object Of his expedition wa
to make a scientific examination fo
the company. If the island was fodnC
to be OF value the matter of owner
ship was to be referred to the United
States and Japanese governments.
the officers of the war vessel still re
fused to allow a landing, Captain
Rosehill was instructed to start ashore
with an armed force in boat fyinl
the American flag and attempt |
landing and carry out the purpose o
: the expedition unless physically re
strained. ,
It is thought the schooner com
manded by Rosehill. the Julia =
Whalen, has arrived there by thi
time and that the Japanese war vesse
was there first. The Whalen has .ol
board a crew OF nine, and a cook
with Taxidermist w. A. Bryan, of tn
Bishop Museum, Hon<Llu, and T. +
Sedgwick, of the United States Ag
ricultural station, who went to max
an examination of the guano deposits
: According to Fitch there are Mauser
and ammunition for all on board th
, schooner. rr