The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-12-15
CIVIL WAR CLAIM
IN LOCAL. COURT.
story Of Burned Whalers Comes
Up Again in Legal Form
From Court Of Claims.

plraiical cruises Of the Shenandoah and
Alabama In destroying Union property
on the high seas are recalled In q doeu-
mont just received in Honolulu, tho
COPY Of q petition By Frederick viii
helm Ehlers and others for the pay
ment by the United States Of claim
Of $685. 54.47 as loss sustained by the
burning Of the Hawaiian bark Harvest
in 1865 at Ascension Island by the
Shenandoah.
According to the petition, this act
was committed in April, 1855, time
after the War of the Rebellion had
ceased, but which fact was not known
on the Pacific Ocean.
The petitioners, of whom there are
twenty.six heirs of Henry Hackfeld,
Dowsett Company, Ltd, assignee Of the
heirs of James ]. Dowsett, and four
heirs of Frank Molteno, recite in their
petition tale which will be remember
ed by the older generation in Honolulu
and Hawaii. 1t was forty-seven years
ago that the Harvest was destroyed by
the rebel privateer and the case is now
in the court Of claims.
Bill Carries Money.
According to paragraph ID of the pc
tition, it appears that on June %, 1906,
the claim of the heirs was referred to
the court of claims by senate resell
ution. That Senate bill 374S provides
that the sum of $157, 228.27 be appro-
priated to be paid to the heirs men
tioned for all losses and damages sus-
tanned by them by reason of the cap
ture and destruction Of the Harvest
and its cargo.
The Harvest was owned by Henry
Hackfeld, Frank Molteno and James
1. Dowsett, of the Kingdom of Hawaii,
and was built in Connecticut. In 1868
the Harvest was registered as a ship
under the Hawaiian flag, and later as
a barque, but was manned by an
American captain and mates with a
crew of native Hawaiians.
Her Last voyage.
On her last voyage, the Harvest sail
ed from Honolulu December "a, 1864,
as a vessel of the Kingdom of Hawaii,
her captain and officers all being
Americans. After the pursuit of her
business as a whaler for several
months, but before the completion Of
her voyage, she put in to Ascension
Island, March 20, 1865, having on
board $50 barrels of sperm oil and q
quantity of whalebone. Ascension Isl.
and was at that time not within the
control of any recognized OF civilized
government.
At the same time there were at an
-ebor at Ascension Island three vessels
snip Hector and snip II. cary, Rfl-tt
which were destroyed with the Har
vest. The owners of these ships were
awarded by Alabama Claims Commits
sion for their losses respectively $780,
600, $4,000 and $47,977.
Burned in 1865.
The Shenandoah forcibly took DOS
session of the Harvest, put guard on
her and searched her, and though
shown the Hawaiian registry and ship.
ping articles did not credit them but
declared that the Harvest was an
American vessel, and was treated as
such.
After retaining possession of the
Harvest for some days, the Shenandoah
despoiled her of part of her cargo Of
oil, her chronometers and navigating
instruments and charts, with part Of
her provisions and officers effects
and during the month of April set IRE
to the Harvest and completely destroy
vessels mentioned.
Afterward the Shenandoah went to
the west coast of South America, and
by means of the cargo taken from the
Harvest managed to get to England
where she was turned over to the Uni
ted States government.
The owners of the Harvest presented
claim against the United States, but
Secretary of State Seward refused to
recognize any direct responsibility for
the destruction of the vessel, holding
that any relief must come from con-
gress. They hold that the money re-
ceived from the sale of the Shenan-
doah, $250,O00, is still lying in the
treasury of the United States, map
propriated to any special use or pur.
pose.
Harvest Was Included.
1t is also held by the heirs Of the
owners, that Geneva Arbitration Tri.
bunal awarded $15,5O0,000 for dam.
ages to American shipping by rebel
cruisers after February Is, 1865, and
that the claim for the capture and
destruction Of the Harvest was inelud-
ed in the list submitted to the tribunal
by the United States government.
The Alabama Claims Commission was
appointed to disburse this money, but
the claim of the Harvest and her cap.
tain were both dismissed, the first as
II was not an American ship, and the
second as Capt. John r. Eldridge was
sailing on a foreign ship. and 80 not
entitled TO protection Of the United
States.
There Is strange request. or state.
meni, "a the petition, In The claim
made the hull and rigging Of an kinds
were valued nt $4,000; advances 10
erew and eoFt " outfit sl7,232 25, cost
Of $50 barrels Of oil, az o. per gallon,
tssi30i profits for ihe remainder OF
the season u 1868, 10000, making 4
total " 900 Ss2.25 in American sold
eoir However, rs 10 Apnl, 1895
American gold coin Waf Worth ea8 N
currency The total damages sustained
tifaafftT
Tho whole uutfar haa ean4a Al If.To