The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-01-14
WHEN KAlAEAUA WAS
UP FOR ELECTION
lI,rom SUNDAY Advertl.erl

40 the annual meeting OF the va
wauln Historical Society held last
evening ~ the Library OF Hawaii
bui ding, Hon. sanford 3. Dole read an
Interesting paper prepared by Rear Ad
miral Southeiland upon "Incidcnts
Connected with the Election OF King
Kalakaua in February, is54.'
Admiral Southerland was here as "a
nidshpngn al that time and ms per
sonal recolections OF the events on
that occasion were recently written, at
the request of Judge Dole, Tor presen.
tation to the society. Tne narrative
Is as follows:
Daring the latter part of January
1874, the u. $. ). Tuscarora lett San
francisco, under orders from the navy
department to run line of derp sea
soundings from that port to Honolulu,
with the object of determining a suit
able route Tor submarine telegraph
cable TO connect the two potts, these
soundings to he taken at intervals OF
thirty miles apart.
When only few days out from San
Francisco and while engaged in taking
sounding in over 2oU0 fathoms OF
water. we were overtaken and passed
by the British gunboat Tenedos, which
vessel was under full steam and sail
power and heading direct for Honolulu
Looked Suspicious.
The commanding officer of the Tus'
carora, Commander George E. B lknap,
U. S. Navy, was an officer of rare at
tainmerts and of good Judgment, and
one who kept in touch with current
events and with the generally recog
IL, ,f 4l,.ar taFaAg
| was only midshipman at that
time and was not in position to
know what my commanding officer s
impressions and opinions were as he
watched the British gunhoat pass US
headed for Honolulu at full speed, but
| do recall that he Immediately made
every effort to hasten the sounding op.
erations then III progress and, as soon
as the sounding wire was reeled in, put
the ship on course for Honolulu un.
der full sail and steam power and
then announced the abandonment, for
the time being, of the work of deep sea
exploration which he had primarily
been ordered to conduct. He was the
typical first-class naval officer of that
day-intelligent. able, resourceful,
never shirking his responsibilities, and
always forehanded in everything that
be had to do of an official nature.
The Tuscarora arrived at Honolulu
during the morning of February 3,
1874, and found H. B. NJ. gunboat Ten
edos already anchored in the harbor.
The pilot, Mr.. Babcock, I think, gave
us the only news of any Importance in
Honolulu at that time, which was to
the effect that the Hawaiian king, Lu-
naliIo, was at the point of death.
Election Called.
Soon after we moored inside the har.
Dor, the death of the king was an.
nounced. Within day or two public
announcement was made to the fact
that no successor had been designated
by the late king and date and hour
were specified for a meeting of the
legislative assembly of the kingdom in
order to elect such successor.
A few days after the death of the
king, the U, S, S, Portsmouth arrived
and dropped anchor in the harbol
abreast the Tuscarora. The Ports
mouth was sailing sloop-ofwar ther
engaged in surveying work in the
North Pacific and was commanded by
Commander Joseph S. Skerrett, one Of
the ablest and most accomplished off
GERS of the United States Navy.
Honolulu for Emma.
! The natives of the city Of Honolulu
were almost unanimous in favorinl
Queen Dowager Emma, the widow o
T Kamehameha ", as Lunalilo's IS success
, sOr, but, from the conversations O.
q those residents who were acquainted
with political conditions in Hawaii, i
+ soon became evident that she was fa
t from being the choice of the peopl
r OF the Islands in general.
. The meeting of the legislative as
i sembly had been set for February l.
nine days after Lunalilo's s death, t
o allow time for delegates from the othe
e islands to arrive, and during the in
n terval so much bitter feeling was Ell
gendercd between the partisans o
d those who were eligible to the succe'
\ sion as to make it appear quite prot
n able that serious trouble would resul
Unless the dowager queen was declare
II .he choice of the delegates
IS Ready for Trouble.
e The United States Minister, NJ
Pierce, was cognizant of the seriou
rrrs of the situation and, in frequer
conferences with Commanders BelIna
IEn Ohel TfII, ueclueu upon lluS I
n action should the election be attende
by disturbances which might result
jeonardizng the lives and pronerty
@. Amo'irnn residents. 1t was well know
70 to hirr and others that the few nati'
o, troops and the police force then in II
70 nolulu could not he depended upon
u the followers of the dowager que'
es we're defeated at the election.
The lepisative assembly was call,
"a. ia meet at noon on February -. II
3: boatswnin of the TuscarOra. Mr.. BG
10. ker, was sent on board the bnrk ID.
is. Murray, which was lying at one OF /
n nharves during the early forenoon
20, nost q furled flag at one of her ma
heads, the breaking ont of which "
Ild fe be the signal for the TuseHrorn a
th "0rtsmouth 20 each land an arm
force. Mr.. Barker was 20 break Il