ATTEMPTED SEIZURE OF LACEPEDE ISLANDS BY AMERICA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4904, 9 December 1876, Page 2 (Supplement)

ATTEMPTED SEIZURE OF LACEPEDE ISLANDS BY AMERICA.

(From the Perth Inquirer.) Scarcely has one international difficulty been passed over—the American Fenian escapade—than another, and to our minds a more daring and adventurous one, crops out. We allude to the Lacepede Islands question. Briefly, the United States of America have planted their flag upon British occupied territory ; they have asserted their right to the Lacepede Islands, lying on our coast, and have seized and claimed the cargo of vessels laden with the product of the islands—guano. Moreover, they claim £cSO,OOO compensation for wrongful appropriation and damages sustained. This " tall talk " is quite in keeping with the American element. These "notions" have actually been imported by the American ViceMr. S. P. Lord, of whom we may say, " He came, he saw, he conquered" not!. He has returned to Melbourne, whence he came, somewhat disconcerted and certainly less sanguine of success than when he landed. It appears that Mr. Roberts, possessed with documents emanating from the American Consul in Melbourne, claims the exolusive right to land on and possess any island on the north-west coast of this colony, and so far carried out the assumption of this right as to hoist the American flag upon one of the Lacepede Islands, where he landed in June last from the French barque Forca de la Roquette. Here he found already in possession a Mr. Geddes, tho representative of Messrs. Poole, Picken, and Co., of Melbourne, the lessees from this Government of tho Lacepede Islands, who was superintending the loading of the Emily. His papers, Mr, Roberts characterised aa forgeries, while his own were not to be questioned. What followed is interesting. Mr. Gedde3 made the best of his way to the Government Resident at Roebourne, laid his complaint, was sworn in a special constable, and attached the French vessel chartered by Mr. Roberts, the captain of which honorably attended to the summons, believing something to be wrong, and appeared before the Roebourne Bench, whore he was fined £IOO and expenses. The captain proceeded to Freemantle, whence, after remaining a few days, he proceeded to tho Mauritius with the original cargo, having first paid the royalty of 10s. per ton. Meanwhile the Emily was put in check by the American Consul, who seized the cargo in Melbourne on behalf of the American Government, aud who has also, wo.believe, forwarded instructions to the Mauritius, to seize the cargo of the Forca de la Rouquette, which the captain now owns. Mr. Lord, on his part, has been actively engaged in interviewing the Government with a view to enforcing his, claim to the islands, on the part of the American Government, and to compensation to the amount of £30,000. This, wo understand, ho based upon the legal, opinion of Mr. Higinbotham, of Melbourne, an authority on international law, who expresses an opinion which we have seen, that this colony has no claim to any island situate beyond one league from the mainland. We understand that Mr. Lord has also been in telegraphic communication with the American Government at Washington,

who support this opinion, and who have authorised him to take the part he has. On the other baud, the defined boundaries of this colony, as laid down by the Imperial instructions in the Governor's Commission, a copy of which has been placed in our hands for perusal, extend from lSdeg. 30min. south latitude to West Cape Howe, 35deg. Bmin. sout\ latitude, and from Dirk Hartog's Island, on the west coast, in longitude 112 deg. 52min. to 129 deg. east longitude, reckoning from the meridian of Greenwich, including all the islands adjacent in the Indian and Southern Oceans within the latitudes and longitudes aforesaid. Now, the Lacepede Islands are within nine miles from the Bhore or mainland, being situated in about 17deg. fimin. south latitude, and 122 deg. lOmin. east longitude. We therefore cannot reconcile ourselves to Mr. Higinbotham's legal opinion, and we fully concur with our Government, who are not prepared to concede the claim of Mr. Roberts, and who also decline to recognise the American claim. His Excellency the Governor has, however, consented, doubtless as a sop to Cerberus, to refer the question to the Home authorities for their decision ; pending which Mr. Richard Wynne has been commissioned to watch the interests of this Government at the Lacepede Islands, and to enforce the royalty of 10s. per ton on all guano removed. The revenue cutter, meanwhile, will cruise about between the Lacepede Islands and Roebourne, and put itself en rapport with the Government authorities. Several vessels have been dispatched from Melbourne by Messrs. Poole, Picken, and Co. to load for that firm, and we observe that Mr. Roberts has called for tenders to supply certain plant for working the guano deposits on such portions of these islands as he may be permitted to do so by the Government, he consenting, pending the decision of the Imperial authorities, to pay the royalty of ten shillings per ton. This amusing episode will doubtless end in gas, and we shall be glad to hear that Mr. Roberts has made a rapid fortune, not under the protection of the Stars and Stripes, but under the recognised British banner.