Commander Grove held his strong belief that King Arracklye was alone responsible for the outrage on the British schooner "Lilla." This Mr. Gibbons is, no doubt, the same person who is alluded to in the letter from "the Captain, R.N." as Mr. Gubbins.
On the 26th January, 1881, King Arracklye, after receiving an ultimatum from Commander Grove, who had proceeded to the King's place of residence, Molegojok, signed a contract in which he engaged to pay, within nine months from that date: (1) 300 fish, yielding in all 600 lbs. of tortoise-shell, at 2 dollars per lb.; (2) 1,556 baskets of bêche-de-mer, weighing in all 1,560 lbs.; (3) 6,367 baskets of cobra, weighing in all 127,840 lbs.; (4) 2,160 baskets of pearl shells, weighing in all 25,920 lbs.
The "Lily" left Molegojok on the 27th January, arrived at Manila on the 31st, where she took in coal, and left again on the 4th February; but Commander Grove does not state, in his Report of his visit to the Pelew Islands, whether he made any announcement to the Spanish authorities at Manila of the fact of his having been there.
On the 23rd March, 1882, Her Majesty's ships "Comus" (a steam corvette of twelve guns) and "Lily" (a gun-boat of three guns) left Labuan, and arrived off the Pelew Islands on the 5th April, for the purpose of obtaining from the natives the indemnity imposed upon them by Commander Grove, of the "Lily," in January 1881, in compensation for the plunder of the schooner "Lilla."
Page 44
As the King evaded the payment of the indemnity to the full extent demanded a naval brigade was formed, consisting of 110 officers and men from the "Comus," and 45 from the "Lily." A landing was effected, and the town entered without opposition, the King having previously fled. His house and several of the "Council-houses" were occupied by the naval brigade; but as he still failed to comply with the demand which had been made upon him, he was informed that, unless the full indemnity was speedily paid, his place would be burnt down; and as this led to no satisfactory result, the King's house and all the Council-houses were burnt down, when
Page 3
Page 119
the naval brigade re-embarked, without loss of life on either side.
In the meantime, messengers had been sent to Ankassar to acquaint the Chief that, unless he paid a certain amount, he would be punished for his complicity in the plunder of the "Lilla." His reply, to the effect that he had no money, was known to be false, and the naval brigade was therefore again landed, and, after further unsatisfactory communication with the Chief, marched through the village, burning the Council-houses and the Prophet's house; but although the actual amount of payment obtained by the Captain of Her Majesty's ship "Comus" did not exceed the value of 150l., whilst the original fine amounted to 1,000l., no further active measures
were taken.
No protest was made by Spain against these proceedings.
Foreign Office,
October 23, 1885.
Page 120
Page 121
Foreign Office, October 23, 1885.
2
Commander Grove his strong belief that King Arracklye was alone responsible for the out- rage on the British schooner "Lilla." This Mr. Gibbons is, no doubt, the same person who is alluded to in the letter from "the Captain, R.N." as Mr. Gubbins.
On the 26th January, 1881, King Arracklye, after receiving an ultimatum from Commander Grove, who had proceeded to the King's place of residence, Molegojok, signed a contract in which he engaged to pay, within nine months from that date: (1) 300 fish, yielding in all 600 lbs. of tortoise-shell, at 2 dollars per lb.; (2) 1,556 baskets of bêche-de-mer, weighing in all 1,560 lbs.; (3) 6,367 baskets of cobra, weighing in all 127,840 lbs.; (4) 2,160 baskets of pearl shells, weighing in all 25,920 lbs.
The "Lily" left Molegojok on the 27th January, arrived at Manila on the 31st, where she took in coal, and left again on the 4th February; but Commander Grove does not state, in his Report of his visit to the Pelew Islands, whether he made any announcement to the Spanish authorities at Manila of the fact of his having been there.
On the 23rd March, 1882, Her Majesty's ships * Comus" (a steam corvette of twelve guns) and "Lily" (a gun-boat of three guns) left Labuan, and arrived off the Pelew Islands on the 5th April, for the purpose of obtaining from the natives the indemnity imposed upon them by Commander Grove, of the "Lily," in January 1881, in compensation for the plunder of the schooner "Lilla."
44
As the King evaded the payment of the indemnity to the full extent demanded a naval brigade was formed, consisting of 110 officers and men from the Comus," and 45 from the "Lily." A landing was effected, and the town entered without opposition, the King having previously fled. His house and several of the "Council- houses" were occupied by the naval brigade; but as he still failed to comply with the demand which had been made upon him, he was informed that, unless the full indemnity was speedily paid, his place would be burnt down; and as this led to no satisfactory result, the King's house and all the Council-houses were burnt down, when
3
119
the naval brigade re-embarked, without loss of life on either side,
In the meantime, messengers had been sent to Ankassar to acquaint the Chief that, unless he paid a certain amount, he would be punished for his complicity in the plunder of the "Lilla." His reply, to the effect that he had no money, was known to be false, and the naval brigade was therefore again landed, and, after further unsatis- factory communication with the Chief, marched through the village, burning the Council-houses and the Prophet's house; but although the actual amount of payment obtained by the Captain of Her Majesty's ship "Comus" did not exceed the value of 150, whilst the original fine amounted to 1,000l., no further active measures
were taken.
No protest was made by Spain against these proceedings.
Foreign Office,
October 23, 1885.
Page 120Page 121
Foreign Office, October 23, 1885.
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