The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-24
SOUTH SEA ISLAND
OWNER IN PlLIKlA

a palmy little isle that barely lifts its
head above the azure water of the
south seas may prove the subject of in
ternational complications if the appeal
for protection sent by ]. scnnelling, an
American missionary, 70 the state De-
partment at Washington can move the
Federal officials to action. 1t is the
German Government that the mission
airy complains of, for the Kaiser's men
have ordered him TO leave his home on
the coral island of Ruk in the Caroline
group He refuses to be dispossessed
of that which he claims is his own,
and he has sought the aid of this Gov
eminent.
Captain O. Anderson vf the mission
airy schooner Vine, which arrived here
Yesterday from the Caroline Islands,
was the bearer of a letter written by
SchnelIing to Secretary of State Hay,
in which the missionary states his case
and asks for the protection of the
American Government.
For many years Schnelling has been
virtually king in the cocoanut groves
of the little island. E-e has pursued his
missionary work among the natives
with such good results that ne now
owns the entire island, with its palms
and pearls and corals. His power and
rights have been undisputed up TO the
present time, and yearly he collected
the revenue from the yield of copra.
The natives worked for him and were
satisfied with their master.
And now the Germans want the is
land along with the rest of the Caro-
line group, and Schnelling has been or
dered to go. Schnelling. states that he
will only leave when compelled to and
threatens to resist with armed force
any efforts TO remove him. Captain
Anderson of the Vine yesterday told of
the attempts of the German govern
ment to remove Schnelling from Ruk.
He said:
"Schnelling is a missionary who has
lived on Ruk for more than ten years.
He boarded my vessel when we called
at the island, and gave me the letter
that 1 now have, and which shall send
on TO Washington. According to
Something's story he Owls the island,
having purchased it from the natives.
The German traders have been trying
to force him to leave, and finally the
German Government ordered him to go.
He remained on the island, however,
and states that he will remain there
until he gets word from Washington.
The schooner Vine is sixty-seven
days from Ponape, and since leaving
here many months ago has visited the
islands OF the Caroline, Marshall and
Gilbert groups. Twice during the voy-
age the vessel was ashore on the coral
reefs, but both times she escaped with
little damage. The Vine was chartered
by the American Board of Foreign
Missions, and on board were three mis-
sionaries who have been in the South
Sea islands for the past seven years.
They We're the Rev. Mr.. Mahihila and
wife, who are Hawaiians, and Miss
Jennie OIin.
Charles Banker, the second mate of
the schooner, died on the voyage and
was buried in the Gilbert Islands. The
Vine brings the news of a strike among
the native copra pickers of the Mar
shall Islands. One hundred natives re-
fused to work unless paid four marks
a day, and at the time of the departure
OF the schooner the German traders
were trying to starve them into SUBJ
mission.-Call.