The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-07
Admiral wilkes.

Ihlrty-three wears ago Rear AdInira
WILKES was buried in the National Gem.
etery at Arlington Senator ROoT IA,
now introduced q bill empowering ths
Secretary Of the Navy TO expend 81 80
for q shaft to mark the grave.
WILKES Of the san Jacinto, who over.
hauled the Trent. took MASON and Sill.
DILL from the protection of the British
flag on the high <cas and landed them
in Fort Warren. brought VI to the edge
OF war with Great Britain when We could
little afford even tho rlImor OF such
contest. WILKES Ia not forgotten.
WH4KEs Of the Pacific II a more EN-
Raging figure He set sail in 1873 from
Norfolk. In command Of squadron II
FIVE vessels and a store-hip. flying his
flag on the VinO,nnes. he became a
Commodore in service while vet n Lieu
tenant in rank not for wears did he be-
come u Captain. and he was not raised
TO full flag rank until he had been LAID
for two wears on the shelf Of the re-
tired list
His squadron sailed on a voyage Of
discovery. an exploring expedition
which has gone upon the rolls o! fame
a. the United States Exploring Expe-
dition. for il returned with the crown Of
high achievement.
Upon his discoveries in the Antarctic
Ice the jealousy Of a British explorer
cast a doubt that has never safisfac-
torily been cleared. IL II not until
these current years that information
lie coming from the southern ice which
may clarity the ancient controversy.
The tale Of the great land masses now
being charted below Cape Horn and
New Zealand goes far TO establish ;sr-
truth Of the discoveries made by WILKES
seventy years ago.
In the navigable Pacific the work 81
WILKES was set upon a sure foundai ion
and rSmains the base Of modern knowl-
edge Countless islands owe their posi-
ton on present charts to his careful
determination Of their geographical
cOordinates. Not a ship finds it, safe
way through the unliGhted maze Of the
South Sea without the assistance Of this
great pathfinder.
His memory has not faded from the
collective mind 81 the savaRes whom he
met and With whom be deal: fsTTnly vet
fairly in the main. In recent years the
rude inhabitants Of MalOlo crowd down
TO their beach to greet the landing
stranger and the faireSt maidens Of the
island present in procession their Of
ferings Of vans and bamboo tubes Of
water. II is their tradition of hospi-
tally; they have the myth that the
American" told them thus To greet the
stranger. WII.KEs in his narrative has
set down the cold record 81 attack bv
cannibals upon his survey party. Of
swift and deadly punishment. Malolo
learned it, lesson: IL has created a myth.
but il greets each Rewcome visitor and
entreats him well
The EXPOSITION Was one ~ scientific
exploration; but WILKEs set the mark
II the United states upon distant spots
II the Pacific. and where he set his mark
there American dominion ~ to-day.
In Samoa the I nite,i States had years
~ trouble and was onGs on the edge Of a
German war. yet the only thing Of value
that Samoa has for any other than it-
islanders II the hsrbor Of PagOpago, nov
a cosling station Of our navy The first
imminent Of our chain Of title to that
naval station still EXISTS. a sheet 81 blue
paper quill peDned in the clear black
script If the treaty between WILKES and
the Tutuila chief MAUGA. comforting UPON
the nited States exclusive and perpet-
nal rights 10 u-s that fine harbOr az a
naval base.
Into Honolulu WILKEs brought his
squadron just after tho French eXac-
lions and when the next move would
have been annexation by France. He
made il ~ plain that the United states
would tolerate mo- foreign Interference
in the Hawaiian kingdom that HAWAII
under it's kAMEHANEHAs and It's later
mOnarchs. under it, revolution and its 70
public. remained an American appanage
until the fuln~ss ~ time perfected its
annexation
Nor lea in the Philippines WMKEs
visited the archipelago with a show Of