Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-16
Story of Annexation of Wallis
and Futuna Told in Letter
to Honolulu Resident
FRENCH WARSHIP FIRED
GUNS TO CLlNcH TREATY
Or. Victor Brochard's Diplo-
macy Results in Agreement
of the Kings and Chiefs
Signed a Few Days Ago

The long arm OF France is stretch
ing out In the South Seas just as is
the long arm of Great Britain.
An extension Of territory even more
spectacular than the commercial coup
by which a British syndicate secured
flaming and Washington islands has
Just secured for France a large terri
tory further south, in the archipelago
that includes the Fiji group.
Recent papers coming here from
Fiji told OF the unexpected arrival at
Suva OF the French warship Kersaint,
!. and Of the news trickling out that the
Wallis and Futuna islands had been
seized. Now full details of the story
and OF the extraordinary developments
that led up to Frances act have come
in the course OF letter TO a Honolu-
Ian.
The man whose activities and brain
have directed tie annexation OF the
islands to France Is DR.. Victor Bro
chard, formerly doctor in charge oil
the French legation at Peking and lat
terIy resident de France or governor
of Wallis Island. Dr. Brochard is
related TO Mrs. David f. T1rum and
Miss Margaret Clark OF Oahu college.
A letter with the story Of the events
leading up to annexation has come to
Vida Thrum. II tells also OF some
friction between the French pratec-
torate and the Catholic miss
priests. The annexation OF the
islands Is regarded It is stated, as a
move that the priests tried to blocK,
but In which they were not successful.
In part the letter says:
'Slnce Victor has been here, a con-
slant struggle has been going on. Lit
tie. however, the king and chiefs have
become enlightened. and as they are
the ones who control absolutely the
masses Of the natives, It Is through
them that annexation has finally been
accomplished. This means the abso-
lutte defeat Of the priests. Formerly,
when menaced with the French laws,
they sheltered themselves behind the
native laws tmade by themselyes) and
the islands being simply under a pro-
tectorate, only force could settle mat
ters. victor (Dr. Brochard), quite
alone. without even white police,
could only use diplomacy until when
he felt the time was ripe, he sprung
the idea Of annexation upon the king
and chiefs and used all his powers OF
persuasion to such good effect that
after a day and night OF deliberation,
and without giving the priests an idea
of what was going on. they signed up
without resistance the treaty Victor
had drawn up.
ssThe. salute OF twenty-one guns
from the man-os-War in port was the
first information the priests received.
French laws are most rigid regard
ing the Catholics. Priests can neither
open schools nor can they hold prop.
erty of any kind except subject to the
government and today If the govern
ment so wills, every inch Of land the
priests hold on Wallis island can be
seized. No such measures, however,
will be taken. All changes will be
made with the utmost consideration In
order to avoid trouble.
"All other islands in the Pacific be.
longing to France have been taken by
force. and there is no doubt that VIC
tor has achieved great success In
securing this peaceful annexation. He
has opened communications now with
Futuna, a large island 40 miles from
Wallis, on the subject and the prob
f. abilities are that annexation will be
accomplished there within few
months.
aside from this victory, the Minis
ter OF Colonies has highly approved ol
Victor's work here and by the lasl
mail he wrote that Victor's cross oi
The Legion of Honor is almost Ger
tainty for the fourteenth of July. The
final decision is made July II.
The natives of the islands are de
scrfbed as of pure Polynesian race
light brown in color, with usually tire
mendous heads of hair, slightly wav
ing. sometimes quite straight and rare
ly kinky. They are said TO have beer
living in dense ignorance and little
industrial progress has been made un
der the old regime.