Fielding Star. TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 1891. The Caroline Islands

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 95, 3 February 1891, Page 2

Fielding Star. TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 1891. The Caroline Islands

BY.a telegram from Manila dated the -31st of January, we are informed that a fresh ambuscade has taken place in the Caroline Islands, resulting in a great massacre of the Spanish troops. This group of islands, in all numbering five hundred, lies to the east of the I'hillipines in the Pacific ocean. They were discovered in 1543 by Lopez de Villalobos, and named by him after Charles V of .^pain, but they were ..never settled by the Spaniards, who took formal possession of them, but- appear only to have sent out missionaries. These Islands measure about 2000 miles from east to west. At Yap, which may be described as the chief of the Carolines,- there are hills said to contain- precious metals. The inhabitants are generally of. the Papuan race, and owe whatever civil- ' isation they have to the American missionaries.. The islands are prolific in tropical verdure, The inhabitants are docile and hospitable, and are ruled over by a number of small chiefs. In 1885 a grave dispute arose between bpain and Germany as to the right of possession of these islands. The quarrel was referred to the Pope who decided that the sovereignty of the Spaniards should be recognised, x but the Germans were allowed special trade privileges in the Archipelago. This put amend to that contention It was reported at Madrid at the end of September 1886 that disturbances had broken out at Ponape, through the action of the governor ordering the arrest of an American Protestant missionary. There were only twentysix Spaniards in the garrison, and the natives killed the governor and wounded several of the soldiers. Shortly afterwards the natives tendered their submission to the Spanish forces. It would seem, then, from the foregoing, the quarrel is one of some years standiug, and that there is no likelihood of it being ended until much more blood has been sbed on both sides, and the natives, who are truly described as 4i docile and hospitable," exterminated in the interests of " com inerce " and in the furtherance of "religion." What a hideous blot on our boasted civilisation of the nineteenth century.