PACIFIC ISLANDS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
3605
[Section No. 148.J
116
Glands in 1990.
I am
Si
Your most obedient
humble servant
Juster
is
0.
My Lord,
No. 1.
Mr. Langen to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received February 13.)
Batavia, January 7, 1886. BY this present I take the liberty of asking your Lordship whether it is true that the sovereignty of the Spanish Government over the Pelew Islands in the Western Pacific has been acknowledged. I was sole owner of the British schooner "Lilla," which vessel has been plundered by the natives of Fair Island at the end of the year 1830. I suffered thereby a loss of nearly 3,000l.
Her Majesty's Commander-in-chief on the China Station sent at the time Her Majesty's ship "Lily" to the Pelew Islands in order to recover the stolen property; the vessel was found to be demolished, and very few articles were only returned.
See the Report of Her Majesty's Commander-in-chief on the China Station dated the 12th February, 1881, N. 78; and correspondence with Her Majesty's Admiralty dated the 28th March, 1881, M. 554; and 8th April, 1881, M. 673.
I now beg to ask whether it be not possible to recover this loss from the Spanish authorities, as there was not a single Spanish official on this island at the time of the plundering of the "Lilla."
In 1881 I had been made acquainted by Her Majesty's Government that the Pelew Islands were not subject to any European Power; I could, therefore, take no steps at the time to try to recover the loss. Now that the Spanish Government claim these islands as their domain, I should think the Spanish Government should be answerable for the action of their subjects, viz., the natives of the Pelew Islands.
I very humbly ask your Lordship's advice of how to proceed in this matter, and what steps I could take.
I remain, &c.
ADOLPHUS LANGEN,
(Signed)
No. 2.
Memorandum by Sir E. Hertslet respecting the Pelew or Caroline Islands.*
April 6, 1881.
MR. LANGEN asks a variety of questions respecting these islands; but before Mr. Langen alluding to them further, it may be first mentioned that he addressed a somewhat similar letter to the Colonial Office on the 13th February last year, which letter was sent to this Office to know what answer Lord Salisbury might think it advisable to return.
The matter was carefully considered, and the Colonial Office was informed that Lord Salisbury thought that Mr. Langen might be informed :-
"That, so far as Her Majesty's Government had been able to ascertain, no claim had hitherto been made by any civilized Power to the sovereignty over the islands in question.
"With respect to the protection which Her Majesty's Government might be in a position to extend to Mr. Langen if he should trade in those parts, there was nothing in the circumstances under which Mr. Langen was placed which took his case out of the scope of the general principles by which Her Majesty's Government were guided in such matters."
He now puts the following categorical questions:-
Q. 1. Is it a fact that, by International Treaty, no European Power can claim the sovereignty over the Caroline, Pelew, Islands, and the islands north of New Guinea?---- A. There exists no International Treaty to that effect.
* See also Foreign Office Memorandum of October 23, 1885,
[952]
PACIFIC ISLANDS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
3605
[Section No. 148.J
116
Glands in 1990.
I am
Si
Your most obedient
humble servant
Juster
is
0.
My Lord,
No. 1.
Mr. Langen to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received February 13.)
Batavia, January 7, 1886. BY this present I take the liberty of asking your Lordship whether it is true that the sovereignty of the Spanish Government over the Pelew Islands in the Western Pacific has been acknowledged. I was sole owner of the British schooner " Lilla," which vessel has been plundered by the natives of Fair Island at the end of the year ∙1830. I suffered thereby a loss of nearly 3,0007.
Her Majesty's Commander-in-chief on the China Station sent at the time Her Majesty's ship "Lily" to the Pelew Islands in order to recover the stolen property; the vessel was found to be demolished, and very few articles were only returned.
See the Report of Her Majesty's Commander-in-chief on the China Station dated the 12th February, 1881, N. 78; and correspondence with Her Majesty's Admiralty dated the 28th March, 1981, M. 554; and 8th April, 1881, M. 673.
I now beg to ask whether it be not possible to recover this loss from the Spanish authorities, as there was not a single Spanish official on this island at the time of the plundering of the "Lilla."
In 1881 I had been made acquainted by Her Majesty's Government that the Pelew Islands were not subject to any European Power; I could, therefore, take no steps at the time to try to recover the loss. Now that the Spanish Government claim these islands as their domain, I should think the Spanish Government should be answerable for the action of their subjects, viz., the natives of the Pelew Islands.
I very humbly ask your Lordship's advice of how to proceed in this matter, and what steps I could take.
I remain, &c.
ADOLPHUS LANGEN,
(Signed)
No. 2.
Memorandum by Sir E. Hertslet respecting the Pelew or Caroline Islands.*
April 6, 1881.
MR. LANGEN asks a variety of questions respecting these islands; but before Mr. Langen; alluding to them further, it may be first mentioned that he addressed a somewhat similar letter to the Colonial Office on the 13th February last year, which letter was sent to this Office to know what answer Lord Salisbury might think it advisable
to return.
The matter was carefully considered, and the Colonial Office was informed that Lord Salisbury thought that Mr. Langen might be informed :-
"That, so far as Her Majesty's Government had been able to ascertain, no claim had hitherto been made by any civilized Power to the sovereignty over the islands in question.
"With respect to the protection which Her Majesty's Government might be in a position to extend to Mr. Langen if he should trade in those parts, there was nothing in the circumstances under which Mr. Langen was placed which took his case out of the scope of the general principles by which Her Majesty's Government were guided in such matters."
He now puts the following categorical questions:-
Q. 1. Is it a fact that, by International Treaty, no European Power can claim the sovereignty over the Caroline, Pelew, Islands, and the islands north of New Guinea P---- A. There exists no International Treaty to that effect.
* See also Foreign Office Memorandum of October 23, 1885,
[952]
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