The Trail Of

More Clues On The Trail Of Lawson

Small items of evidence in the

“Captain Lawson/Armit” case

(P/M magazine section, April

and May) keep cropping up. In

the last few weeks, one of PlM’s editors has come across re ferences to two separate men named Armit who were in New Guinea within the same decade.

THIS gives us cause to doubt, once again, whether the ex-Cooktown policeman Armit, who in 1883 led the Argus newspaper expedition in the Astrolabe Range, Papua, was “Captain Lawson” who wrote Wanderings in New Guinea.

The references were in the Aus tralian Handbook, apparently pub lished by Gordon & Gotch Ltd. in 1887. In referring to early attempts in England and Australia to settle New Guinea (by which, of course, they meant the present Territory of Papua) the Handbook states: “On 11th May, 1875, a large and influential meeting of the leading men connected with the trade and commerce in Sydney was held in the Sydney Exchange, in favour of a similar project, but on a more ex tensive scale.

“Later on, an association, called the New Guinea Colonisation Asso ciation, was formed in London; Lieutenant R. H. Armit, RN, for merly engaged in surveying on the coasts, taking an important part in establishing it; but, as the Govern ment declined to countenance its pro posals and plans, the scheme fell through.”

The Two Armits Later, in the same old Handbook, this time discussing exploration, this was said about an entirely different Armit: “The interest aroused throughout Australia by the annexation of New Guinea induced the two leading newspapers in Melbourne—the Argus and the Age —to send special com missioners to the island continent to report upon its resources and capa bilities for colonisation. The Argus expedition was commanded by Mr.

W, E. Armit, for some years an

(Continued on p. 97)

officer of the Queensland Native Police. It consisted of seven white men, an Australian half-caste and some 50 native bearers who were en gaged in Port Moresby. Professor Denton, a geologist of some note, also attached himself to the expedi tion from a love of science. On July 14, 1883, Mr. Armit left Port Moresby for the Astrolabe Range, and passed through many villages, of which he has given a graphic de

tion. Owing to native wars, it found impossible to proceed er inland. On the way back, attacked the party and carried Professor Denton. He died at abadi on August 26. The ex ion returned to Port Moresby thence to Queensland.” there are the two Armits— enant R„ and ex police officer )ne was in Papuan waters prior 75, as an officer of a Navy sur ship (perhaps Moresby’s); and 75 or thereabout, was prominent omoting an organisation for NG ment. The other went from town in 1883 to lead an expedi into the range SE of Port sby. 10 was most likely to have writ n 1875, an imaginative, fictitious int of what Papua was like in from what is now Daru? Who have answered, so promptly, letters to the London news 's of 1875 which criticised tain Lawson’s” account of his erings? e odds are that it was Lieu t R. and not ex-Police Officer he trouble is that at the moment now even less of R. than we do . —but we hope to fix that soon.