Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-22

Greenwich Hospital
1.-THE affair was published not only in
the service journals but in the popular
press and excited much attention. I'M
mediately, however, the Admiralty was
informed by the French maritime author
tiles that the island had been discovered
by Captain Castor, of the French brig
Celine, in October, 1929, who had taken
formal possession of it in the name of
France. The matter was not OF much
international consequence. but there was
sharp correspondence between the naval
and maritime authorities Of Great Britain
and France over the question. This was
accentuated by the French government
sending out small frigat> LHirondelle
to take formal possession OF the island,
which had been named by Captain CASTOR
L'Isle Celine The similarity Of names
increased the confusion, and as Captain
Wright was dead there was no explana-
ton except by word of mouth Of his hav-
ing given it the name of Selma.
"Some months after L'Hirondelle re-
turned with the strange news chat the ISL
and could not be found The awkwa rdness
OF this situation
The Island Could was extreme. Cap
Not Be Found. tain wright was
dead and soon after
Captain Castor was murdered by mutt
neers on his vessel After this, by tacit
agreement, neither the British nor the
French maritime authorities took any fur
ther steps in the matter.
THE island was not heard Of again until
1854, when an American merchant vessel
the Jane, of Marblehead, reported having
spoken the American sloop of war Albany
in Pacific waters The Jane, being home
ward bound, brought some letters, both
official and private, from the Albany to
the United States. One of these was
communication from the commander Of
the Albany, Captain Gerry. to the naval
authorities at Washington, mentioning
having found and visited an uncharted
island in latitude IL deg "a min, longi-
tude 143 deg. 16 min. which he identified
as the Selma Island of the British Ad-
miralty and L'Isle Celine of the French
Department of Marine. This was the last
communica ton from the Albany, which, it
will be recalled, sailed from the United
States in August, 1858, and mysterously
disappeared, her fate remaining unknown
to this day.
Meanwhile, almost Immediately upon
Captain Moncrieff,s return t. England
from his voyage to the Pacific, he sue
ceeded his father as tenth baronet, also
inheriting large estate, and retired from
the navy. Soon after he became hopeless
ly invalided, but he survived more than
forty years, dying, at the age of seventy
two, in 1874.
He was man of peculiar temper, but
with a high sense Of personal and profes-
sional honor. He was passionatey fond
of the navy, and conceived that his pro-
fessional reputation, az well as his per-
eonal honor, had been cruelty wronged in
this matter Of the islands discovery.
Ills elder son, also naval officer, died
some years before Captain Moncrieff,
leaving an only son, Kenneth Moncrieff,
a boy of fourteen at the time of his
fathers death. The boy lived with his
grandfather, who never ceased to impress
upon him that when he reached man
hood he should make every effort to clear
his grandfather's memory in this matter
Of Selma Island"
Warrington paused for a moment and
looked at Sir Kenneth, lying back in his
long chair and watching the faint blue
wreath of smoke from his cigarette.
Warrington, who inwardly marvelled
at this, read on with clear emphasis
the tragedy Of Sir Kenneth's life.
'The boy, who succeeded to his grand
fathers title and estates, early showed
great fondness and aptitude for the sea.
He became an enthusiastic yachtsman, be-
longing to most Of the big yacht clubs in
Great Britain, France and America He
determined to acquire experience in yacht
ing before undertaking the redscovery of
the island. His warm friend and coad-
jutor in this noble sport was an old school
and university comrade of his, Hugh
Langton, and, like Sir Kenneth Moncrieff,
a man of large inherited fortune. The in
timacy, which began at Harrow and con-
tinued through Oxford, was cemented by
the similarity Of tastes between the twol
men.
"Langton was reckoned by Sir Kenneth
Moncrief to be the soul of honor. Hell
had great charm Of manner, united with
all the accomplishments of man of the
world. No thought Of jealousy or rivalry
between Langton and Sir Kenneth had
ever arisen in Sir Kenneth's mind.
"Langton became almost as deeply inter-
ested in this matter OF Selma Island asl
Sir Kenneth himself, and together the
two friends made number Of expert
mental voyages in large seagoing yacht,
the Alceste, built on the Clyde for Sirl
Kenneth Moncrieff.
"At last in 1894 Sir Kenneth, accom-
panied by Langton, started upon his real
yoya &c of discovery, not mentioning, how
ever, to any one except Langton what his
ultimate object was. The yacht sailed
by way of Suez, called at number of
ports and finally stopped at Singapore.