The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-08-21
TRIP OF CRUISER
ADAMS LAUGHED AT.
Idea Of japanese Selling Midway ISL
and Ridiculed by People in Honolulu
who Know the situation.

The dispatch from Washington ID. c.,
that the government would send the
cruiser Adams to Midway and Wake ISL
ands to Investigate the reported seizures
of those places by the Japanese las
caused much surprise here. Especially
that portion Of the news which implies
that the Japanese have seized Midway
Island. According to the dispatch re-
ceiVed yesterday the master Of the Nero
discovered the japanese on Midway ISL
and in 1899 while he was making a cable
survey for the government
The presence of the Japanese on Mid
way Island is not regarded in Honolulu
as very startling for it has been known
for years that the Japanese frequented
that island. So far as their claiming
sovereignty over Midway island, is con-
cerned, absolutely no stock is placed in
the story. The claim of the United
States to the island are too well es-
tablished to admit the probability Of
the Japanese trying to "butt-in" and
the Japanese who are there have mere
ly gone to the island for the purpose Of
| gathering feathers from the numerous
birds on the island, or else catching
! fish.
! Lieutenant Commander G. F. Pond
of the U. S. S. IrOquO.s was probably the
last person to visit Midway Island. He
was there in the spring of 1900, with
.
survey of the islands The trip was
ordered by the government to determine
the feasibility of Midway Islands as a
landing site for the cable. Commander
Pond passed a couple of months at the
island During his stay there he saw a
small party of Japanese on Eastern ISL
and, the smaller of the group. The
Japanese on that occasion. numbered
only half a dozen and they seemed TO
be dissatisfied with the place and it's
prospects. They made absolutely no
claim whatever to the island or to hav-
ing and exclusive interest there. Cap
tain Pond and his men went all over the
islands and thoroughly explored the
places.
He reported to the authorities at
Washington of the presence of these
Japanese but evidently he did not con-
slider their presence any menace to the
sovereignty of the United States over
the Midway group. Had there been any
suspicion of an intention on the part OF
the Japanese government to try to take
the island, Commander Pond would
have taken summary action on the oC-
casion of his visit.
So far as the ownership Of the Mid
way Islands is concerned, the claim of
the United States is so clear that Jap
anese would hardly try to risk an en-
brogliO with this government for such
worthless place. Captain Brooks OF
the American ship Gambia In 1859 dis
covered and took possession of them in
the name of the United States. The
| United States has since then, main
tanned sovereignty over the islands and
] in 1879 sent the Warship LaChawana
to make a survey of them. The Pacl-
fic Mail 5. s. Company also thought of
establishing a coaling station on one Of
the islands and did land a quantity OF
cCal on sand Island.
Special interest is centered in the
islands at present as Sand Island is 20
be used as a site for one of the Pacific
cable landings. 1t is thought that there
has been some mistake regarding the
mission of the vessel Indeed ii would
not be surprising If the statement re-
garding the Nero's visit to Midway ISL
ands We're also incorrect and that the
IroQuois were intended instead.
So far as Wake Island is concerned
the Japanese are thought to have been
ship wrecked on that island.