News has just arrived that Great Britain has taken possession of one of the smaller islands in the Pacific Ocean, which is claimed by the Hawaiian Government.
This island is known as Palmyra Island, and is situated about a thousand miles to the southward of Hawaii. The Hawaiian Government claims that it is one of the dependencies of the Sandwich Island group.
It was discovered by Captain Cook, the famous navigator who explored the Pacific Ocean in 1768, and secured Australia and New Zealand for the British.
It has long been marked on the maps as a British possession, but it appears that it was occupied years ago by Hawaiians, who raised the Hawaiian flag over it, and claimed it for their Government.
The action of Great Britain in claiming the island at this time is considered of the highest importance, as it is feared that it may have been claimed merely for the sake of complicating Hawaiian matters, and preventing annexation.
Our Government will look very closely into the rights of the affair, and insist upon their being respected.
The State Department will gather all information possible in regard to Palmyra Island. Should it be found that Hawaii's claims are good, our minister in the Sandwich Islands will be instructed to ask the Government there to protest against the action of Great Britain. The United States will then uphold this protest, and the officials believe that it will result in the removal of the British flag from the island.
An American guano company located on Palmyra Island some years ago, building sheds and a wharf, but after the guano deposit was exhausted they abandoned the island. It was at one time known as Americus Island.