Sir,
The Secretary to the Admiralty to Sir J. Pauncefote.--(Received April 3.)
Admiralty, April 1, 1888,
120
MA
WITH reference to your letter of the 27th February last forwarding copy of a letter from Mr. A. Langen, the owner of the schooner "Lilla," which was wrecked on one of the Pelew Islands in 1880 and plundered by the natives, and requesting to be informed how the 150l. which was levied from the natives by the Commanding Officer of Her Majesty's ship "Comus" was disposed of, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you, for the perusal of the Earl of Rosebery, copy of a letter from Captain East, late of Her Majesty's ship "Comus," relative to the disposal of the indemnity paid by the natives in 1882.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
EVAN MACGREGOR.
CONFIDENTIAL.
MEMORANDUM respecting the Visit of Her Majesty's ships "Comus" and "Lily" to the Pelew Islands in 1881-82.
Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 2.
Captain East to the Secretary to the Admiralty.
8, Hanover Terrace, Weymouth, March 27, 1886.
I BEG to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th instant relative to the disposal of indemnity paid by natives of the Pelew Islands in 1882.
It had been arranged by Commander Grove, of Her Majesty's ship "Lily," who first, in 1881, fixed the amount and nature of the indemnity to be paid by the natives, that all the trade produce should be handed over to Mr. Gibbon, the only Englishman living in these islands, who was to act as agent for Messrs. O'Keefe, Henderson and Co., the owners of the schooner "Lilla;" but the offending parties refusing to pay up, I was ordered to enforce payment. The trade produce so obtained consisting of cobra, pearl shell, tortoise shell, and bêche-de-mer, was handed over to Mr. Henderson, who arrived at the islands while we were there; but the stone money paid was kept by Mr. Gibbon until the natives should bring in enough trade to redeem it, and which I believe was subsequently done; also the remaining part of the fine was, I think, paid by the offending tribes, as I purposely left the impression on their minds that they would be liable to further punishment if they did not do so.
I trust Receipts were given by Mr. Henderson (for what he was given) to Mr. Gibbon, and I think duplicates were sent with the correspondence to the Commander-in-chief. Mr. O'Keefe is not giving further trouble in this matter. A great deal of risk and expense was incurred to settle this affair, which was brought about in a great measure by the way in which O'Keefe was in the habit of treating the natives of these islands, and I hope he will not be listened to.
I can quite fancy that he may be trying to make something out of the late embroglio about the Caroline Islands, and sending in preposterous claims.
I inclose copy of an extract taken from a letter written to me by Mr. Gibbon some time after I was there referring to this matter.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
JAMES W. EAST.
P.S.-The stone money referred to is utterly useless out of these islands, and the nature of the indemnity precluded any notice being taken of it in the cash accounts of Her Majesty's ships "Comus" or "Lily."
J. W. E.
Inclosure 2 in No. 2.
Mr. Gibbon to Captain East.
(Extract.)
Korror, Pelew, June 2, 1882.
I HAVE not been fortunate enough to see King Arracklye, but from report he has returned to his village, escorted by Eturo, the Araminale Chief, and is now at work repairing his village.
He has already paid Eturo a large sum of stone money--much more than what he paid you.
I had a message from the Chief of Aukarar, who has promised to pay his part of the claim by instalments.
The Arragolo people are now at work to settle their part.
King Arracklye I am rather doubtful about, though he may alter his tune.
Mr. O'Keefe has been here, and does not appear satisfied with what has been done for him.
Our meeting was short but unpleasant.
No. 2.
Sir,
The Secretary to the Admiralty to Sir J. Pauncefote.--(Received April 3.)
Admiralty, April, 1, 1888,
120
MA
WITH reference to your letter of the 27th February last forwarding copy of a letter from Mr. A. Langen, the owner of the schooner "Lilla," which was wrecked on one of the Pelew Islands in 1880 and plundered by the natives, and requesting to be informed how the 150l. which was levied from the natives by the Commanding Officer of Her Majesty's ship "Comus "* was disposed of, 1 am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you, for the perusal of the Earl of Rosebery, copy of a letter from Captain East, late of Her Majesty's ship "Comus," relative to the disposal of the indemnity paid by the natives in 1882.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
EVAN MACGREGOR.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Her Majesty's ships "Comus" and to the Pelew Islands in
MEMORANDUM respecting the Visit of
1881-82.
"Lily'
Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 2.
Captain East to the Secretary to the Admiralty.
8, Hanover Terrace, Weymouth, March 27, 1886.
I BEG to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th instant relative to the disposal of indemnity paid by natives of the Petew Islands in 1882.
It had been arranged by Commander Grove, of Her Majesty's ship "Lily," who first, in 1881, fixed the amount and nature of the indemnity to be paid by the natives, that all the trade produce should be handed over to Mr. Gibbon, the only Englishman living in these islands, who was to act as agent for Messrs. O'Keefe, Henderson and Co., the owners of the schooner "Lilla;" but the offending parties refusing to pay up, I was ordered to enforce payment. The trade produce so obtained consisting of cobra, pearl shell, tortoise shell, and bêche-de-mer, was handed over to Mr. Henderson, who arrived at the islands while we were there; but the stone money paid was kept by Mr. Gibbon until the natives should bring in enough trade to redeem it, and which I believe was subsequently done; also the remaining part of the fine was, I think, paid by the offending tribes, as I purposely left the impression on their minds that they would be liable to further punishment if they did not do so.
I trust
Receipts were given by Mr. Henderson (for what he was given) to Mr. Gibbon, and I think duplicates were sent with the correspondence to the Commander-in-chief. Mr. O'Keefe is not giving further trouble in this matter. A great deal of risk and expense was incurred to settle this affair, which was brought about in a great measure by the way in which O'Keefe was in the habit of treating the natives of these islands, and 1 hope he will not be listened to.
I can quite fancy that he may be trying to make something out of the late embroglio about the Caroline Islands, and sending in preposterous claims.
I inclose copy of an extract taken from a letter written to me by Mr. Gibbon some time after I was there referring to this matter.
I have, &c. (Signed)
JAMES W. EAST.
P.S.-The stone money referred to is utterly useless out of these islands, and the nature of the indemnity precluded any notice being taken of it in the cash accounts of Her Majesty's ships Comus" or "Lily."
J. W. E.
Inclosure 2 in No. 2.
Mr. Gibbon to Captain East.
(Extract.)
Korror, Pelew, June 2, 1882.
I HAVE not been fortunate enough to see King Arracklye, but from report he has returned to his village, escorted by Eturo, the Araminale Chief, and is now at work repair- ing his village.
He has already paid Eturo a large sum of stone money--much more than what he paid you.
I had a message from the Chief of Aukarar, who has promised to pay his part of the claim by instalments.
The Arragolo people are now at work to settle their part.
King Arracklye I am rather doubtful about, though he may alter his tune.
Mr. O'Keefe has been here, and does not appear satisfied with what has been done for him.
Our meeting was short but unpleasant.
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