The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-04-23
GIN BOTTLES AND CARTRIDGE
BOXES FOUND ON PALMYRA
Admiral SoutherIand's Report on West Vrginia's
Cruise to HaWaii'S Southern End Is
Given Out at Washington.


international Importance, the report VI
Rear Admiral William II. II. Souther.
land exploration of Palmyra Island,
the sovereignty of which is claimed by
Great Britain and the United States,
has been received at the navy depart
ment. The report is the result of the
mysterious cruise of the West Virginia
from Honolulu last February. The sub
stance of the report shows that the
cruise was well worth while.
In all, ffty-two islets which right
fully belong under the American flag
were accounted for, and the investiga-
ton has shown that neither Great
Britain nor any other Power has
properly established any claim to them.
"The results are Definite says
Rear Admiral Switzerland, Sin making
it clear that no fagpole, notice board,
monument, cairn or any other surface
object indicating an endeavor to claim
sovereignty on the part of any nation
exists on the island"
Palmyra Island is about one thou.
sand miles southwest of Honolulu and
ninety miles distant from Tanning ISL
and. Although proclaimed part of Ha-
waii in 1882, it was annexed by Great
Britain in 1889, and because of this
information, only recently received,
the state department, after consulta-
ton with the navy department, decided
it would be well to send an American
warship there to look things over.
Rear Admiral Switzerland is able to
shatter outside claims so far as indica-
tions on the island are concerned, but
the explorations indicate that the
island has been inhabited solely by
Japanese. A bit of Japanese writing
upon translation to refer to ammunition
supplies contained in huge cases and
ready for use there on May of some
unknown year. The mystery surround
ing the use the Japanese intended to
make of this ammunition is in keeping
with the mystery and hidden secrets
CNcEy iuUL u unOC-
cupied land, which provided new
animal and vegetable life for the
, American naval officers to study and
gaze upon.
"The West Virginia reached an an
chorage off the western part of the
island during the forenoon of February
, 90, 1872" Rear Admiral Switzerland
, says in his report, ''and left there for
1 luI, he 90
, February %, 1912.
Every Inch Explored.
Gin order to insure thorough COM
pliance with the department s instruc-
! tions the surface of the island was
divided into seven sections, to each
of which party in charge of an officer
was assigned, with definite instructions
l looking to careful examination of
every part of such section"
/, The first exploring party to cover the
! first eight islets and adjacent land and
! water was put in charge of Lieutenant
!, R. L. Ghormley, who took with him G..
= K. Stevenson, coxswain, and w. Q.
: linus, a seaman.
When the West Virginia dropped an.
Choir there was no sign of human habita-
ton. The island is described as "an
l. irregularly shaped coral island, inclos-
: ing three distinct lagoons" AS to its
general physical characteristics as they
appeared Rear Admiral Switzerland
says:
"The entire island is surrounded by
a barrier reef of coral, in which lorna.
ton brown species prevails. The bar.
rier is open to the westward, the en-.
4 trance from that side being effected
over an area having many coral heads
then over ridge submerged in parts
about two feet at high water, after
which come three distinct lagoons
= White coral and sand fats, having
J. about six inches to one foot of water
/ at low water, extend inward from the
t surrounding islets toward the lagoons,
Q the latter depth being attained i'm.
o mediately at the edge of the level white
0 coral sand floor where the coral shelf
ends"
Lieutenant Ghormley and his party
on the first islet visited found some
. eocoanut trees, an underground of palm
: and young cocOanut and an abundance
: of trees the leaves of which looked like
y those of dogwood, while its manner
= of growth was like that of scrub oak
; Remarkable birds of many kinds flew
!, about in great abundance snipe, cur
!. lew, boatswain's birds and small black
birds with short bills and white spots
v ON their heads. Great numbers of birds
s resembling frigate birds, except as to
i. color, were observed nesting.
9 Initials on Trees
Land crabs were seen in great mum.
Z bers among the eorals. There seemed
= to be no sign of habitation of mankind
!, or even the animals expected to be
= found. But before leaving the islet one
: of the party noticed a peculiar mys.
ferrous sign on one of the cocoanut
trees. Close Investigation showed il to
a be the initial ''Mu overgrown with
= moss. This same initial "M" was
V found by others of the naval explorers
i A little later on another islet the
( initial ga" was discovered. A tree
La g.. L.