A LITTLE REPUBLIC IN THE WESTERN OCEAN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4207, 14 September 1874, Page 3

A LITTLE REPUBLIC IN THE WESTERN OCEAN.

(From the New Yorh Herald.) Some interesting intelligence in relation to the westerly group of the islands of the Magellan Archipelago which Commodores Perry and Rodgers desired to’secure to the United States, is supplied by our Washington correspondence from documents forwarded to the Navy Department by Commander George E. Belknap. We obtain from this report a glimpse of the political history of these Bonin Islands, which has in it a spice of romance, although bearing a striking resemblance to the history of more imposing powers. It appears that the patriarch of the islands, who had lived on the largest of the group, Peel Island, for forty-four years, died in April at the age of eighty. Ho was a native of Massachusetts and must have been a remarkable man, since he not only established a minature “Republic of Bonin," with a simple form of government, bringing order out of chaos, and became the first ruler, under the title of Governor, but, after holding office five years, actually declined a second term. This may certainly have been attributable to the fact that the Government was not one of much wealth, or patronage, and that there was nothing, even for a “ reformer," to make perquisites out of for himself or his relatives, unless, indeed, it may have been in the shape of turtles. But the refusal of a reelection by Governor Savory seems to have been unfortunate for the people, since no other person on the island was fit for the place, and so “ the restraints and usages of government soon fell into disuse." Another American, Captain Pease, seems, however, to have recently fallen upon the islands like a Committee of Seventy, and to have indulged in a variety of lawless acts in the name of “ reform." The deed which Commodore Perry secured of Port Lloyd—a fine harbor of Peel Island—as a United States naval station, was deposited by him in the hands of the friendly patriarch Savory, and was by the exGovemor conveyed in trust to his sons, to be delivered to the United States should it ever be demanded. Port Lloyd will be a very desirable naval station, and no doubt the annexation of the whole group of islands will one day take place. Meanwhile our Government appears to have realised the advantage of having a friend at court.