The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-09
MARCUS ISLAND DISPUTE
AMERICANS LEFT HONOLULU DE-
TERMINED TO TAKE THE PLACE.
Members of the Expedition Were
Armed-Instructed to Land and
Plant the Stars and Stripes.

HONOLULU, Aug 2. via San Francisco,
Aug. S.-AccOrding to the Honolulu men
who are interested in the Marcus island
Guano expedition, against which Japan has
sent a war vessel as reported by the last
advices received from the States. the vessel
which left here for the island carried
complement of Mauser rifles, and her cap
tain had instructions from the company to
plant the American flag on the island and
keep it floating until compelled to haul it
down. Capt. A. A. RosehilI the discoverer
Of the island who left his claim to it on
a cocoanut tree on Marcus island in 1889,
is in command of the expedition. The COM
panys claim is based on this title, which
is on record at the State Department at
Washington.
No ntimation that the vessel left here
with any arms on board was given out un-
til the news was received that the Japanese
government had laid claim to the island
and had dispatched a war vessel there
Col. Thomas Fitch then made public the
instructions given to Captain Rosehill
which, while designed to prevent any con-
flct, were intended to compel the Japanese
to allow the Americans to land to use
force to drive them away. Captain Rose
hills instructions from the company are to
inform the Japanese on Marcus island that
his expedition is a peaceful one for the pur-
pose of making a scientific investigation of
the value of the GuanO deposit of the island
and attempt to make a peaceful landing.
In the event that the japanese still refuse
to allow him to land Rosehill is to sail
away out of sight of the island and return
under cover of darkness land an armed
| force and raise the American flag and keep
| il up until ii is torn down by a superior
force. At the same time the captain was
| told TO avoid a conflict in every way pos
| sible
| In the event of his encountering Japan
| csc war vessel the commander of the eX-
! petition was to present his credentials as
! the discoverer of the island and the agent
| of the Marcus-island GuanO Company and
! to state that the object of his expedition
/ was to make a scientific examination of the
island for the company. If the island was
! found 10 be of value the matter of owner
| ship was to be referred to the United States
| and Japanese governments If the officers
| of the war vessel still refused TO allow a
/ landing Captain Rosehill was instructed to
| start ashore with unarmed force. in a
| boat flying the American flag. and make a
| landing and carry out the purposes of the
| expedition unless physically restrained.
| 1t is thought the schooner commanded
! by ROsehill, the Julia e. Whalen, has ar
| rived there by this time, and that the Jap
anese war vessel was there first. The Wha-
len has on board a crew of nine and a
cook. with TaXidermist w. A. Bryman, of
| the Bishop Museum, Honolulu, and T. +.
! Sedgewick, of the United States agrcul-
! tural station, who went TO make an eX-
| animation of the guapo deposits. Accord
| ing to Fitch there are Mausers and ammu-
milton for all on board the schooner.