Mr. Foster to Mr.
Snowden.
Department
of State,
Washington, November 29,
1892.
No. 45.]
Sir: With reference to my instruction No. 25 of 3d
instant, relative to American missionaries at Ponape in the Caroline
Islands, I now desire to call your attention more specifically to the amount
of indemnity which it is believed they are entitled to receive.
Accompanying Commander Taylor’s report, transmitted to the legation October
7, 1891, is a schedule (Appendix II) of mission property destroyed, and its
value, amounting to $11,114. It is understood that Commander Taylor is
personally cognizant of its reasonableness. Mr. Rand’s statement of the
mission lands of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions at
Ponape, for which reparation should also be made, accompanies the same
report. (Appendix X.)
Commander Jewell, who visited the eastern Caroline group in 1887, states in
his report of November 25 of that year (copy of which is herewith
[Page 514]
inclosed), that during his visit
to Ponape the governor assured Mr. Doane that the question with regard to
the land taken at Kenan should be settled to the latter’s satisfaction, but
that he was not prepared to go into the matter at that time, and that Mr.
Doane accepted the assurance of the governor as satisfactory. You will
observe from Mr. Rand’s statement that an agreement was subsequently reached
between Governor Cadarso and Mr. Doane, whereby the Spanish authorities were
to pay $2,000 compensation for the Kenan land.
As regards the indemnity due for the personal injuries to Mr. Doane, you will
see by reference to a letter of the secretary of the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions to this Department, dated September 24,
1888, transmitted to the legation October 10, 1888, and a later letter of
April 17, 1889 (copy of which is transmitted herewith), that the immediate
pecuniary damage occasioned by Mr. Doane’s arrest and deportation is
variously estimated at from $1,000 to $3,000. (See also generally letter of
the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions to the Department
November 13, 1889, transmitted to the legation November 25 of that
year.)
In view of all the facts it must be admitted that the sum of $25,000, which
the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions ask in full
remuneration of their pecuniary damage is very moderate. (Letter of January
23, 1891, copy inclosed herewith.) This society from the beginning has,
according to its published reports, expended $733,843 in establishing and
carrying on its missionary work in the Caroline Islands. (Letter of American
Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions to the Department March 18, 1891,
transmitted to legation October 12, 1891.) The fruits of the expenditure of
this immense sum have been, to a large degree, destroyed by the action of
the Spanish authorities. The sum of $25,000, which the board now ask, would
barely cover the actual property taken and destroyed, without taking into
consideration the great injury done its mission work and interests. I trust
that the sum proposed may commend itself to Her Majesty’s Government and be
deemed to afford a reasonable basis upon which to settle the claim.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 45.]
Commander Jewell to
Rear-Admiral Chandler.
U. S.
S. Essex, 3d Rate,
At Sea, November 25, 1887.
No. 45.]
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following
report of the visit of this vessel to the island of Ponape, Eastern
Caroline group, in obedience to your orders of October 8, 1887:
Upon my arrival at Jamestown Harbor (called the Spanish Santiago or Porto
Santiago) on the 19th instant, I found the Spanish in quiet and
peaceable possession of the island. The Spanish vessels of war San Quintin, Manila, and Lexo, and the hulk Maria de Molina,
were at anchor in the harbor, and the gun vessel Cebu arrived there on the 2d instant.
A force of about 600 Spanish troops was encamped on the island. The new
Spanish governor, Don Luis Cadarso, had arrived on the 1st instant.
The incidents referred to in your aforesaid order with regard to the
arrest and confinement of the American missionary, the Rev. E. T. Doane,
by the former governor of the island, Señor Posadillo, his deportation
to Manila, and his subsequent return to the island in a Spanish war
vessel by the governor-general at Manila, after an investigation of the
charges preferred against him, I found, from interviews with Messrs.
Doane and Rand (the latter Mr. Doane’s associate), to be entirely
[Page 515]
confirmed. The accounts of the
massacre, however, have been much exaggerated. While it is difficult to
obtain an exact narrative of the events, as all accounts come from the
natives, it seems certain that not more than twenty or twenty-five of
the Spanish were killed, including the governor and his secretary, and
that the uprising and resistance of the natives was provoked by the
arbitrary and injudicious action of the late governor.
From Messrs. Doane and Rand I learned that they had been reinstated in
all their rights and privileges, so far as their missionary work was
concerned. The schools and churches, which had been closed by the
arbitrary action of the former governor, have been reestablished. The
missionaries have been assured by the governor-general at Manila, and
the assurance has been confirmed by the present governor of Ponape, Don
Luis Cadarso, that their work should not again be interfered with, and
that they should continue their teaching of the Protestant religion and
the use of English in the schools without molestation. These gentlemen
speak in the highest terms of the consideration shown them by the
present governor, his affability and fairness in his dealings with them,
and they describe his treatment of the natives as “magnanimous.” On the
other hand, the governor took occasion repeatedly to express to me his
appreciation of the great assistance he had received from Messrs. Doane
and Rand in his adjustment of the difficulties with the natives, and
stated that it had given him pleasure to bring the fact to the attention
of his Government.
The good understanding between the missionaries and the governor seeming
to be perfectly established, and learning from Mr. Doane that the
question of indemnity for his imprisonment had been referred to the
State Department, I saw no occasion for introducing the subject in my
several conversations with the governor.
There was, so far as I could learn, but one point not entirely settled
between the Spanish authorities and the missionaries. It is that of the
occupation by the Spanish authorities of certain of the mission lands at
Jamestown Harbor. These lands have been held for some years by the
missionaries by virtue of deeds executed by the different chiefs of the
natives conveying the lands to Mr. Doane for the purposes of the
mission. One of these deeds, bearing date in 1870, conveyed a tract of
some 20 acres, the other, dated in 1880, conveyed a considerably larger
tract which included in its limits the former cession.
Upon the arrival of the Spanish in the early part of the present year, a
portion of this land was resigned by Mr. Doane to the Spanish
authorities, it being considered by them the only available location in
the neighborhood for the camp and town they proposed to establish. The
Spanish, however, have encroached upon the remaining portion of the
land. The governor-general at Manila has assured Mr. Doane (see extract
from a letter of Consul Voight, a copy of which is appended) that his
title to land conveyed to him in good faith by the natives previous to
the Spanish occupation would be confirmed, and it seems to be informally
admitted that the Spanish works have encroached upon the mission lands.
Mr. Doane finds now that the occupation of a part of this land
depreciates to a great extent the value of the rest of it, for
missionary purposes, and he desires that the Spanish shall take the
whole of the tract at his (Mr. Doane’s) valuation. I offered my friendly
services with the governor to Mr. Doane, but at the same time suggested
that, as his relations with the governor were so cordial, and as my
interference might produce some irritation, he should see the governor
alone. He subsequently had an interview with the governor, who assured
him that the questions with regard to the land should be settled to Mr.
Doane’s satisfaction, but that he was not prepared to go into them at
present. Mr. Doane stated to me that this assurance of the governor was
entirely satisfactory.
There are, however, two features of the land question which I consider
unfortunate, to say the least. Mr. Doane, in my opinion, is inclined to
put a speculative price upon the land at Jamestown Harbor. While he did
not name to me any specific sum as the value of the land, he suggested
that if the mission was paid $5,000 he would consider that they (the
missionaries) were indemnified for the damage they had sustained. His
argument is that if they could have retained the land, they would not
have parted with it at any price, and that as they are, so to say,
compelled to part with it, they should be correspondingly indemnified.
The other unfortunate point is, that another considerable tract of land
at Oua, which has been occupied by the mission for some years, was
conveyed to the missionaries by a written instrument dated but a few
days prior to Spanish occupation of the island. I fear that the recent
date of this conveyance, taken in connection with the excessive damages
suggested for the land at Jamestown Harbor, will create the impression
on the mind of the governor, however false such an impression may be,
that the missionaries are endeavoring to overreach him and may tend to
delay an equitable adjustment of the land titles, and so I advised
them—I refrain from stating my own opinion as to the fact. There are in
all but five missionaries at Ponape, two men and three women.
So far as any active interposition in the affairs of the missionaries is
concerned,
[Page 516]
the visit of the
ship to Ponape was entirely unnecessary. But I have no doubt that the
moral effect of the visit will be to the advantage of the missionaries,
both in increasing their influence with the natives and in causing
greater consideration for them by the authorities of the island.
In conclusion, I beg to call particular attention to the extreme courtesy
with which I was met on all occasions by the governor, Don Luis Cadarso,
and his evident desire to promote friendly relations with myself as the
representative of the United States.
Very respectfully,
- Theo. F. Jewell,
Commander, Commanding.
- Rear-Admiral R. Chandler, U. S.
Navy,
Commanding United States
Naval Force on Asiatic Station, Flagship
Brooklyn.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 45.]
Mr. Smith to Mr.
Blaine.
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions,
Congregational House, 1 Somerset Street,
Boston, April 17, 1889.
(Received April 18.)
Sir: Permit me to call your attention to a
state of affairs in connection with the missionary work of the American
board among the islands of the Central Pacific which requires remedy,
and such a remedy as it seems to lie quite within the power of our
Government to provide.
For nearly two score years the American board has maintained a vigorous
missionary work among the natives of three distinct but neighboring
groups of islands, namely, the Caroline Islands, the Gilbert Islands,
and the Marshall Islands. The aim of this work is wholly Christian and
benevolent, without the least admixture of political interests; the
American missionaries to these parts have always been carefully enjoined
to take no part in any political questions that might arise, and they
have faithfully followed these instructions.
Where the first American missionaries found only pagans and savages,
idle, thriftless, warlike, and degraded, to-day we are able to report
nearly fifty Christian churches, with four thousand six hundred
communicants, all under the care of native pastors and fully
self-supporting; four training schools for young men and two boarding
schools for girls, gathering nearly two hundred pupils who are in
training as teachers and preachers to extend the work; forty-eight
common schools, with two thousand six hundred pupils, all
self-supporting; the Scriptures translated into the native dialects and
circulating freely among the people, and many textbooks prepared for the
use of the schools. Thrift and industry and peaceful ways of living have
replaced the vices of former days, Christian homes are maintained, and a
simple civilization is everywhere to be found.
The annexation of the Caroline Islands by the Spanish Government was
attended by some acts of injustice toward the American citizens engaged
in this work, at which full representation was made at the time by our
Government to the court of Madrid. For some of these wrongs reparation
has been made; for others no satisfaction has been given. Mr. Doane, the
veteran of the mission, was most unjustly deprived of his liberty and
carried away to the Philippine Islands for several months, exposing him
to very considerable expense and his work to serious injury. Mission
property on the island of Ponape of considerable value was taken
possession of without compensation. For these several losses, and for
the indignity shown to his person and liberty, Mr. Doane has as yet
received no proper satisfaction, and I desire hereby to make fresh
appeal to our Government vigorously to follow up this wrong and
effectively to press this most just and needful claim upon the Spanish
Government. It is not for me to fix the sum in which reparation should
be made. Mr. Doane has named $2,000 as the least sum which would cover
actual losses. I am sure that it will not be in vain that we make this
fresh appeal to our Government for reparation of a wrong so unjustly
inflicted on one of its citizens, engaged in a most humane and
beneficent work.
One further fact I desire to bring to your attention. At an annual cost
of about $15,000 the board maintains a missionary ship, the Morning Star, which plies between Honolulu,
Hawaiian Islands, and these several groups, and serves as the medium of
conveying to the American laborers their mails, supplies, and the
necessary materials for this varied missionary work. The German
Government, which has recently annexed the Marshall Islands and set up
its protectorate there, demands that this missionary
[Page 517]
ship, which is a great cost to the hoard
and a source of revenue to no one, shall pay a port due of $500 annually
before it is at liberty to go upon its missionary work among these
islands. This has the effect of a direct tax upon the benevolent people
of this country who sustain the missionary work in that group, and seems
wholly out of keeping with the friendly attitude which exists between
the Government at Berlin and our own Government. No reason for this
exaction is known to exist. The officers of the Morning Star are forbidden to engage in the customary trade
among these islands, and we have no reason for thinking that these
restrictions have ever been violated. It is well understood that our
Government can not exert itself in this matter beyond the sphere of
persuasion and friendly influence, but it is believed that nothing more
than this will be required in order to secure proper consideration at
Berlin and suitable instructions thence to the Imperial commissioner
resident in the Marshall Islands to remove this exaction.
Assured of your personal interest in the matters thus laid before you,
and of your readiness in all appropriate official ways to guard American
interests and maintain the dignity and fair fame of our Government, both
in the eyes of its own subjects and before all foreign powers,
I have, etc.,
Judson Smith,
Foreign Secretary American Board of Commissioners
for Foreign Missions.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 45.]
Mr. Smith to Mr.
Blaine.
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions,
Congregational House, 1 Somerset Street,
Boston, January 23,
1891. (Received January 26.)
Dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
reception of your favor of the 14th instant, acquainting me with the
reception of my previous voluminous communication, and assuring me of
the immediate attention which it would receive. This is gratifying, and
I heartily appreciate the readiness and good purpose of the
Department.
The amount of indemnity which should be sought at the hands of the
Government at Madrid has not been so fully presented in this
correspondence, perhaps, as it ought to have been. There is a certain
difficulty in measuring with accuracy the losses incurred by the unjust
acts of the Spanish authorities at Ponape; but some things are clear.
Since there never has been any satisfactory settlement of similar
questions raised three years and more since, when the first troubles at
Ponape occurred, it is important that the indemnity now asked for should
be adequate to meet the situation in all its bearings. A pledge of
$2,000 compensation for mission property taken for Government use, made
by the Spanish Government to Mr. Doane, has never been fulfilled. No
reparation to Mr. Doane for personal losses and injury in his arbitrary
arrest, imprisonment, and deportation has ever been made. And now we
have the enforced withdrawal of all our missionaries from Ponape and the
breaking up of all their work there; the destruction of the mission
houses at Oua, to replace which at least $10,000 would be required, a
loss of mission books valued at $2,000, burned at the same time; and the
appropriation of mission land at Oua to the purposes of the Spanish
Government without compensation. These things together make up such a
case as clearly warrants our Government in demanding of the Government
at Madrid compensation in a sum of at least $25,000, together with the
restoration of our missionaries to their work in Ponape and ample
security for their peaceful prosecution of that work hereafter.
From the numerous utterances of the press on this outrage it is clear
that the sentiment of the Christian public, and indeed of the public in
the country at large, not only heartily favors but strongly demands of
our Government prompt and decisive action in the direction which has
been indicated in the previous correspondence from these rooms. We have
every reason to expect that our Government will heed this demand of the
public and will right the wrong which has been inflicted upon American
citizens in Ponape, reparation for which can not be unduly delayed
without great loss, not so much to this board and its missionaries as to
the repute and fair name of the nation we love and honor.
I am, etc.,
Judson Smith,
Foreign Secretary American Board of Commissioners
for Foreign Missions.
