From Gilbert Islands to Zanzibar

Zanzibar

A TRANSFER that will be greatly re gretted by Europeans and natives alike in the Gilbert and Ellice Group has just been announced. Mr. H. E. Maude, M.A., Colonial official, who has been stationed there for five years, has been promoted to be District Officer at Zanzibar, in East Africa.

Mr. Maude, with Mrs. Maude, who shares his interest in anthropology and Pacific affairs, recently returned fi'om furlough in England and New Zealand, and was a British delegate to the Carnegie Education Conference at Honolulu.

In the Gilberts, Mr. Maude carried out special work as Lands Enquiry Commis sioner.

He has presented* his extensive and unique collection of Gilbert and Ellice Islands artifacts and curios to the Auck land Memorial Museum. In Honolulu, he conducted researches into early Gilbert and Ellice Islands history, finding much hitherto unearthed material in the official archives. He intends to publish a com prehensive historical and ethnographic survey of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and people—a field of interest which has not previously been investigated.

Captain Harry Pearson, who was navi gating officer of H.M.S. Calliope when she steamed out of Apia Harbour in March, 1889, and safely rode out a hurricane which destroyed 16 vessels, died in Lon don on August 17. In the early 80’s, the trading interests of Great Britain, Amer ica, and Germany produced international difficulties in Samoa. Matters were brought to a crisis in 1889 when three German warships, three American war ships, and H.M.S. Calliope arrived in Apia, with war looming. On March 15, a terrific hurricane broke; all save the Cal liope trusted to their anchors. Captain Kane, in consultation with Captain Pear son. decided to face the storm at sea. The Calliope’s dash from Apia Harbour in the teeth of the hurricane is regarded as one of the finest feats of seamanship in British naval history.