ARRIVAL OF THE ALAMEDA WITH THE THE ENGLISH MAIL (VIA SAN FRANCISCO). Revolution at Honolulu. An Armed Force of Natives Take Possession of the Palace Yard. Twelve King's Guard Hold THE PALACE. FIVE KILLED and EIGHT WOUNDED.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 389, 31 July 1889, Page 5

ARRIVAL OF THE AL A M E D A WITH THE THE ENGLISH MAIL (VIA SAN FRANCISCO). Revolution at Honolulu. An Armed Force of Natives Take Possession of the Palace Yard. Twelve King's Guard Hold THE PALACE. FIVE KILLED and EIGHT WOUNDED.

The political unrest which haa prevailed at Honolulu for 3ome time past among the sympathisers with the old regime which was ousted from office by the party of reform two years ago, resulted in an open insurrection on July 30th. At three o'clock on that morning Robert W. Wilcox, wellknown as a Hawaiian Government pupil at a Military Academy in Italy, led some two or three hundred armed men over the Palace wall from Likelike-street. There was only the usual guard at the gates, who could ofler no resistance. The King, who was sleeping at Honuakaha, the Queen's private residence, Queen and Punchbowl-streets, was apprised of the situation by telephone from one of the native women within the palace. His Majesty immediately telephoned to Jas. W. Robertson, Vice-Chamberlain, ' who repaired with all haste to the King, and they hurried off to the royal boathouse, where the King remained during the disturbance, the royal standard floating from the flagstaff. Lieut. Robert Parker took charge of the Palace with twelve of the Household Guards, and although repeated demands were made upon him by Wilcox to surrender he refused to do so. It is believed that the plan of the insurrectionists was to secure the person of the King and demand of him a new Con^jitution and a new Cabinet, also his abdication in favour of Liliuokalani, his sister, the heir-apparent. Upon the members of the Cabinet receiying information of the state of affairs. th*ey I held a council with the American Minister, and the British, French, and Portuguese Commissioners, also Captain Woodward of the U S.S. Adams. The Cabinet decided to make a demand, in the name of the Government, upon Wilcox to surrender. The Cabinet appointed Colonel Y. Y. Ashford to take charge of the troops and report to them all arrangement* he might be able to make for preserving the authority of the Government. Minister Damon was appointed to carry the demand for surrender to Wilcox. He proceeded to the King-street entrance of the Palace a few minutes before ten o'clock, attended by Lieutenant KatnaDa of the police force. He was refused admittance, Wilcox declining to receive any communication from the outside. In the meantime the Honolulu Rifles were ordered to report at the Armory, which they very promptly did to the number of nearly a hundred. And every able-bodied male employee of the Hawaiian Government within the city, was ordered to report for duty to the Marshal of the kingdom. Shortly before the visit of Minister Damon to the Palace gace, six sharpshooters from the Honolulu Rifles were posted in the Hawaiian Opera House, commanding a view of the front of the Palace. A .shot was now fired from the Palace Yard, but by whom or in what direction is not known. Another shot immediately followed ; it is believed by one of the Rifles Guard at a foreigner on horseback persisting in passing the line after being ordered back. Firing then almost immediately became general on both sides, Minister Damon having to get away between the tjvo fires. The rebels turned the fieldpieces in the yard upon their besiegers, but they were only allowed to fire a few shots, for, as fast as they came to serve the guns, they were greeted with bullets from the sharpshooters. The tiring was at times quite brisk. Before the skirmish had continued long, it was reported that Robert Boyd, Wilcox 's lieutenant and a Hawaiian Government graduate of an Italian navalacademy, was fatally wounded. George Markham was also reported mortally wounded, and John Hapa, a halE negro, to be lying dead near the Government building "Kapuaiwa. ' Early in the afternoon four revolutionists were captured after escaping from the Palace Yard over the wall. Two of them were wounded, one rather seriously. Dr 3. Rodgers and Wood dressed his wounds at the Police Station. The prisoners reported their comrades desirous of getting out of the scrape. About two o'clock the Government buildings were captured by the Rifles without resistance. Sharpshooters for the Government were posted in Kawaiahao Church and private residences commanding the Palace Yard, as well as in the Opera House. Whenever anybody appeared in the yard he was fired at, and many were knocked out. Wilcox was seen in rear of the Palace by different persons. He wore an Italian uniform. In the afternoon about 30 oi the revolutionists surrendered their arms to Lieutenant Robt. Parker, and are in custody in the basement of the Palace. Looman, a Belgian who was second in command of the rebels, came over the Palace wall, ib is supposed to , get; food, was arrested and taken to the Station House. The saloons were closed all day by order of the Marshal. Business places were closed, and the streets filled with orderly crowds of all nationalities throughout the day. In the afternoon the Government decided that it was necessary to dislodge Wilcox from the bungalow into which ne had withdrawn his remaining force. Halfpast tour was fixed as the time for the grand attack, but it was an hour later before preparations were completed. Having no ordnance to bring: to bear upon the building, the use of giant powder cartridges was ' resorted to. These were hurled by strong arms from Palace Walk and some from

Richards-street, and as they exploded the report made people at a distance think the rebels had got the cannon into play again. A terrific fusillade was at the same time begun and kept up with scarcely an intermission fpr about an hour from all the commanding points of vantage. A galling fire was poured into^ the lower flat of the bungalow by half-a-dozen citizens marksmen posted in the Hawaiian Hotel Stables. Then suddenly was heard the commanding shout, "Hold on," after which only a desultory shot or two was heard from the church, and the explosion of one bomb at the bungalow. The cessation of the fray was caused by the beleaguered rebels displaying a white sheet and calling out their "Surrender." The gates were thrown open and a force of volunteers entering received the submission of Wilcox and about thirty of his followers. The remainder of them made good their escape over the Palace wall. The thirty who had surrendered to Lieut. Parker in the afternoon were previously sent to the station under guard. Wilcox and his gang were escorted also to the station. The rebel chief bore himself sullenly and proudly through the crowded streets, casting looks of disdain to right and left as cries of vengeance were heard, such as " String him up," etc. The casualties consisted of seven rebels killed and twelve wounded, some of the latter seriously. Boyd and Markham were severely but it is believed not fatally wounded. The city was well patrolled by regular and special armed police, Honolulu Rifles and the Adams men during the night, and the morning dawned without further trouble to be reported. Additional arrests for treason are those of J. J. McDonald and J. M. Poepoe, the lawyer. Warrants are issued for others.

THE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. The interior of the bungalow in the Palace yard, where the rebels were located the greater part of the day, presented a scene of devastation next morning. The roof is damaged very considerably by the giant powder cartridges which exploded on it. The rooms upstairs at the Richardsstreet end presented a sorry appearance. Furniture was all smashed to pieces, the floors were strewed with broken glass, and bullet holes were seen in the walls in every direction. It was terrible to see what damage had been done. On the matting jn several of the rooms were large patches of blood, and many cloths were lying around saturated with blood, On the back verandah downstairs was a long trail of blood, looking as if a wounded man had been dragged along. The damage to the lower part of the bungalow was small compared to that on the first floor. Nearly all the windows on the Ewa side of the Palace were smashed, and many on the Waikiki side. The front of the Opera House was badly peppered with bullet shots. Considerable damage was done to the interior. One shell from a field piece passed through the front door, two green baize screens, the inner wall, through the outer wall of the Royal box, the back of a chair, exploding in the wall on the other side of the box. Another shell passed through the front window and lodged in the counter weight box of the red curtain, where it now is. The back of one of the seats in the gallery was smashed to pieces. The windows and roof were riddled with bullets. Very little damage was done to the Government building. Lieutenant Wilson has been brought before the Court on a charge of high treason, and remanded. Several arrests have been this morning. Amons tha arrAstod «** bl j° Station House are members of the King's Own, Queen's Own, Prince's Own and Leleiohoku Guards, Albert Kunuiakea, Kahananui, Charles Clark, A. S. Mahaulu, J. M. Poepoe and Alex. Smith. J. M. Kaunamano, ex-member for Hamakua, is under arrest. John E. Bush, editor of the " Ka Oiaio," and W. H. Cummings were taken to the Station House shortly before noon to-day for the purpose of being examined. Bush is held in custody, but Cummings has been let go. Albert Kunuiakea and J. J. MacDonald were released from custody this afternoon, there not being sufficient evidence to warrant their detention. Others may be released.

PAST REVOLUTIONS. The "Honolulu Bulletin," from which the above account of this extraoidinary affair is culled, observes: "The proceedings of Tuesday, July 30th, make a fantastic illustration on the pages of what has been eventful Hawaiian history. Therehave been several turbulent incidents within living memory, the riots at the present king's accession, the Moreno episode, the revolution for constitutional government in 1&87, and now, the Wilcox fiasco that has brought its authors to grief and caused the sacrifice of several live 3 among the misguided band." A great folly of the past is illustrated in bold relief by this squelched uprising. Although, as has often been well eaid, Hawaii's weakness is her ,'strength, a crazy military ambition once, like an evil spirit, possessed the government. Under this influence the policy of having Hawaiian youth of promise educated in specific lines at great centres of civilisation was employed to give Robert W. Wilcox and Robert Boyd a military and a naval training, respectively, in Italian schools. Such skill as was necessary to be acquired in those bran«hes of course comprised a degree of knowledge of much utility in the art 3 of peace, but this object could have been amply and batter reached without going so far from home, while the warlike attainments of our heroes seem not to have included the common sense required to make great commanders had the country been in distress tor such at this juncture.