Mr. Blaine to Mr. Newberry.

No. 145.]

Sir: Referring to my No. 141 of the 4th instant, concerning the critical condition of affairs in the island of Ponape, and the efforts of the American missionaries to bring about better relations between the natives and the Spanish Government, I now inclose for your information a copy of a recent letter from the Secretary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and a copy of a despatch from our Minister at Honolulu, both relating to the same subject.

I am, &c.,

James G. Blaine.
[Inclosure I in No. 145.]

Mr. Smith to Mr. Blaine.

Dear Sir: Since writing you last week, further information has been received respecting the outbreak at Ponape and the perils which surround our missionaries and their property there. I send you a copy of the letter which has been received from Mrs. Cole, one of the laborers in connection with our mission on Ponape. Nothing perhaps can give a livelier impression of the situation and of the dangers which are near at hand. Unless the American Government is represented authoritatively at Ponape and that very soon, I hardly see how we can hope for the safety of our missionaries or for the security of their just property rights.

The appearance of a gunboat in the harbor of Ponape some three years ago, when the trouble with Mr. Doane had occurred, wrought a most salutary effect among the Spaniards and natives and I feel that a crisis fully equal to that is now upon the island. I trust that you will not hesitate promptly to exert the authority of the Government in defence of these defenceless Americans, who are clearly innocent of every cause of complaint, but who are likely to be involved in the swift retribution which the Spanish authorities seem bent upon bringing upon the natives.

We have never yet received information that compensation for the actual money losses incurred by Mr. Doane in the injurious treatment of three years since has been paid over by the Spanish Government, though the promise to do so has been repeated more than once. Ponape is a small island and the American citizens there are few in number; but it is the glory of the American Government that its protecting arm is outstretched to the weakest and feeblest of its subjects wherever they may be found; and I am sure that in this crisis our Government will not be found wanting.

I am, &c.,

Judson Smith.
[Page 437]
[Inclosure.]

Mrs. Cole to Mrs. Cooke .

* * * We are in great trouble here. The natives have broken out again on the Spaniards, and killed a lieutenant and two corporals and about thirty Manila men at our place at Qua.

They came to Qua* May 17 and asked for a place to build. The hill close by our school was given them, and they started to clear the place, and two weeks after two priests came and wanted a place to build on, and no other place but the Doane’s place, close by the church, would suit them. They started to build their church about 4 yards from our church door. Of course we complained to the governor about it, but they said that that was the only healthy place, so the governor wrote and told us that they could not have it moved, as that was the only healthy place. We could not do or say anything more.

June 25, early in the morning, we were awakened with the noise of shouting and shrieking. The lieutenant and his men had just started to their work, and the natives rushed on them and killed them, a few escaping to the woods and the natives hunting them down like pigs. They not having any arms, could not do anything. They left all their arms in the house they were living in, and the natives took them all. When we first heard the noise Nanpei ran down the hill just in time to save the two priests. He brought them up to our house, and he and his wife saved five Manila men and a chief saved another, and we kept them all in our house two days and two nights. Those were nights of anxiety for us. We did not know what minute they would break in and kill them. Our own lives were in danger, too, because they were angry with Nanpei for saving them. The second night Nanpei and Mr. Bowker took them quietly from the house down to the shore and out to the reef, where the man-of-war was, and they got safely on board. When the news reached the governor he sent four armed boats, but they were driven back by the natives, killing two and wounding nine. No Ponapeans got hurt. About 5 o’clock the same day the man-of-war came, and as she was going in the passage she got on a reef, and they did not get her off until Sunday night. (She got on Wednesday evening.) The man-of-war getting on the reef saved a fight and the lives of the people we had in the house, and perhaps our own lives, too. Now they are going to send to Manila for help. In about four weeks they will have four men-of-war down here. Then they will shell the whole of Matelenin. Poor, poor Ponape will suffer now for their foolish deed.

Our work is broken up, and we will have to leave the place till it is quiet again. The governor sent word to all that did not have anything to do with the fight to leave, or he would not be responsible for their lives. We are going to Nanpei’s place at Kiti to live till the Star comes. I hope she is about ready to leave Honolulu now. We will begin to look for her the end of August.

The governor has been very kind to us. He offered us a house to stay in, and to protect us. We will be safe at Kiti, unless the whole island breaks out. The Kiti tribe is quiet now. The Spanish have a station there, with about forty men and two priests, and they are quite friendly to them. We do not know the real cause of the fight. A great many blame us for it on account of our not wanting their church near ours, but it is not true. The Oua people did not start the fight, but now they have all joined.

The second day after the fight I left Oua with ten girls, and have been staying here with a friend. I went back once to see Miss Palmer, and to plan about going to Kiti. We want to keep the girls with us, if possible.

Tell Grace not to be anxious about us. The natives say they will not kill any of us. * * *

With love to you all,

Lucy M. Cole.

(Postmarked Manila, August 11.)

[Inclosure 2 in No. 145.]

Mr. Stevens to Mr. Blaine.

No. 6.]

Sir: October 2d the accompanying statement of facts touching recent affairs at one of the Caroline Islands, affecting the lives and property of American citizens, was placed in my hands by the representatives of the Hawaiian Missionary Association, [Page 438] the agent of the American Board of Missions in the Pacific Islands, whose central office is in Boston. Rev. Dr. C. M. Hyde is a citizen of Massachusetts, and a gentleman of character and reputation, and Rev. Mr. Emerson, the corresponding secretary, has an excellent standing in these islands. At, once, I conferred with Admiral Brown, of the North Pacific Squadron, at this time in the harbor of Honolulu with the flagship Charleston and the Iroquois, as to the practicability and expediency of making an effort to deal with the questions and interests involved in what has recently transpired at Ponape. Promptly considering the matter brought to his attention, on examination of his charts, Admiral Brown found that Ponape is about 3,000 miles from Honolulu, and lies more properly in the marine jurisdiction of the South Pacific Squadron. It is obvious that the Spanish vessels, spoken of in the accompanying papers, had arrived at the Caroline Islands about the 1st of September, and that Admiral Brown could not reach Ponape with the Charleston much before October 25th, and that whatever vigorous measures the Spanish officials had resolved to take against the offending natives in the vicinity of Ponape would have been taken nearly two months before Admiral Brown could arrive at the seat of the difficulties. In the meantime, the missionary ship, the Morning Star, would have arrived at Ponape and removed the Americans who might have been considered in danger.

These facts and considerations brought the Admiral and myself to the conclusion that all that could properly be done from this point, is for me to lay the facts before the Department of State for its consideration. It seems clear that outrages have been committed against the rights of the American Missionary Board. That the taking of its property by the Spanish priests, with assent of the Spanish officials, constitutes a just claim against the Spanish Government, supplementing the adjusted claim of Rev. Mr. Doane, or his heirs and assigns, which that government some time since agreed to pay to the amount of $5,000, not one cent of which has ever been paid. * * *

I have, etc.,

John L. Stevens.
[Inclosure in No. 6.]

Messrs. Emerson and Hyde to Mr. Stevens.

The undersigned have been appointed by the Board of the Hawaiian Evangelical Association, to lay before you a statement of facts, not only as a matter of authentic information, but as one involving principles of international comity, in which said board has a vital interest.

The said Hawaiian Board is the duly authorized agent in the North Pacific of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, whose office is in Boston, Mass. As such agent, the Hawaiian Board acts on behalf of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in these islands, and in the islands of Micronesia, Ponape being one of the Caroline group.

Information has come to us that the mission property of said American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions is endangered by the conduct of the Spanish officials on the Island of Ponape, and the natives of said island, and the lives, also, of American citizens, imperiled.

When the Spanish government took possession of said island of Ponape as a constituent part of the Spanish dominions, assurances were given that the mission property, given in due form to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and held for many years as the property of the American Mission, should be duly respected.

But said property has been entered upon, seized, and occupied by the Spanish officials without any compensation for the same, although in pursuance of remonstrances from the United States Government the Spanish Government has agreed to pay $5,000 for damages incurred, not one cent of which has yet been paid. This was for property seized and damaged at Kenan, on said island of Ponape.

More recently, to wit, on May 18, 1890, the mission property at Oua, on said Ponape, was occupied in a similar way, against the protest of the women teachers left in charge of said premises since the return and death of Rev. E. T. Doane.

Still further to complicate matters, the natives of Ponape have risen upon the Spaniards, and the declared intention of the Spanish officials is to shell the premises, while the facts are that a Ponapean (the teacher employed by the mission), at the risk of his own life, and to the endangerment of the mission property, brought upon the premises two Catholic priests and five Manila soldiers, protecting them from injury at his own personal peril, and finally conducting them in safety to their comrades.

[Page 439]

In view of these facts, it has been thought advisable to call your attention to this state of affairs, in order that in consultation with the admiral of the Pacific squadron, or in any suitable way, some adequate protection may be afforded to the lives of American citizens and the property of the American Mission, endangered alike by acts of violence on the part of the natives and illegal trespass on the part of the Spanish officials.

The promptness with which the United States steamship Essex was dispatched from Japan on occasion of the former trouble at Ponape, undoubtedly had much to do with the speedy and amicable adjustment of the difficulty at that time.

Most respectfully,

  • O. P. Emerson,
    Corresponding Secretary of Hawaiian Board.
  • C. M. Hyde,
    Recording Secretary.

The accompanying exhibit, marked A, gives a copy of the letter upon which this communication is based. Mrs. Cole is an assistant teacher in the mission school.

Exhibit B is a copy of the deed to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions of the land Oua, on which the acts of May 18 and June 25, above mentioned, were committed.

C. M. H.

Exhibit A.

Copy of letter of Mrs. Lucy M. Cole, assistant in Ponape Mission Girls’ School, dated Ponape, July 14, 1890.

May 17 [the Spaniards] came to Oua and asked for a place to build. The hill close by our church was given them, and they started to clear the place, and two weeks after two priests came and wanted a place to build on, and no other place but Mr. Doan’s place close by the church would suit them. They started to build their church about 4 yards from our church door. Of course we complained to the governor about it, and he said at first that it should be moved. He wrote to the priests about it, but they said that that was the only healthy place. We could not do or say anything more.

June 25, early in the morning we were awakened with the noise of shouting and shooting. The lieutenant and his men had just started to their work and natives rushed on them and killed them. A few escaping into the woods [and] the natives hunting them down like pigs. They not having any arms could not do anything. They left all their arms in the house they were living in and the natives took them all. When we first heard the noise, Nanpei ran down the hill just in time to save the two priests. He brought them up to our house; and he and his wife saved five Manila men and a chief saved another, and we kept them all in our house two days and two nights. Those were nights of anxiety for us. We did not know what minute they would break in and kill them. Our own lives were in danger, too, because they were angry with Nanpei for saving them. The second night Nanpei and Mr. Bowker took them quietly from the house down to the shore, and out to the reef where the man-of-war was, and they got safely on board. When the news reached the governor, he sent four armed boats, but they were driven back by the natives, killing two and wounding nine. About 5 o’clock the same day the man-of-war came, and as she was going into the passage she got on the reef, and they did not get her off till Sunday night. (She got on Wednesday evening.) The man-of-war getting on the reef saved a fight and the lives of the people we had in the house, and perhaps our own lives, too. Now they are going to send to Manila for help. In about four weeks they will have four men-of-war down here. Then they will shell the whole of Matalenim.

Note.—Nanpei is a Ponapean, a teacher, living on the mission-school premises.

Charles Bowker is a carpenter from Massachusetts, resident on Ponape, under engagement to go to Ruk to put up some buildings for the mission there.

Rev. Mr. Rand and family sailed from Honolulu on the Morning Star July 11, and will probably have landed at Ponape about September 1.

There were killed June 25 a lieutenant, two corporals, and about thirty Manila men.

[Page 440]

Exhibit B.

Deed of the land of Oua.

Be it known to all whom it may concern, I, Ijopan, King of the Metalenim tribe, and Uajai, and Noj, and Nanape, and Lepen Oua, chiefs of the same tribe, and all of the island of Ponape, we all and severally do this day of our own free will and consent make over to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, located in the city of Boston, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, and having one of the stations of the mission known as the Micronesian mission on this island, all that section or parcel of land known as Oua whose boundaries are as follows:

Beginning at the lowest tide point on the flat due nearly east of the mouth of a small stream inland, running between the said piece of land Oua and Aru, the name of which stream is Leinperij, that boundary line running west from the above said point on the flat till it strikes the mouth of the said stream, it shall thence follow the middle of this stream up to its source and pass on thence to the mountain back of it. This line shall be known as the northern and northwestern boundary line of said tract of land.

The other boundary lines are as follows: The eastern one shall start from the designated starting point of the first and above said line, running thence south along the low tide margin of the abovesaid flat till reaches a point opposite a small stream running between Mejijo and Oua, on the south side, it shall follow the middle of that stream up to its source, the said line passing on till it reaches in the mountain the terminus of the line on the north and northwest side of the above said tract of land.

These shall be its boundaries. These lands shall include all the flats, island or islands within them, the island especially known as Robinson’s Island.

This piece of land, I, the King of the Metalenim tribe and my chiefs, whose titles are above given, do make over to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, to be held, owned, and possessed by the said society or its assignees for religious, educational, and farming purposes in perpetuity.

It is stipulated by the said society, the natives now residing on the said piece of land shall be allowed to reside on their lots of land they now severally possess, but they shall never sell or alienate any part of their land or lands, or trees, or wood in the Naniark (swamp), or water from the streams, or what may be called other natural productions of the said land, unless empowered by the abovesaid society or its agent so to do.

No native, unless for proper cause assigned, shall ever be removed or ejected from that residence during his or her natural life; nor shall any native or natives be allowed to take up residence on the above section of land unless so authorized and permitted to do by the said society or its agent.

We this day do severally set our titles or affix our marks to this deed for the conveyance of the abovesaid tract of land.

Ijopan
(his x mark).
Uajai
(his x mark).
Noj
(his x mark).
Nanape
(his x mark).
Lepen Oua
(his x mark).
Witnesses:
F. E. Rand.

E. T. Doane.

Jontel
(his x mark).

(On back:) Exhibit B. Copy of deed of land of Oua on Ponape to the A. B. C. F. M.

  1. The place of missionary residence on Ponape.