Pitcairn's Island  Note  Source  Whalesite

Admiralty (Barrow) to Colonial Office (Stephen)
enclosing extract from Captain Eliott's report
(September 30, 1839)

Sir,

      Captain Eliott late commanding H.M. Ship Fly having visited several of the Islands in the Pacific Ocean, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you the accompanying extract from his account of the present state of Pitcairn's Island, for the information of Lord John Russell.

I am Sir           
Your most obedient     
humble Servant
John Barrow

J. Stephen Esq.
      &c. &c. &c.

      "After a long passage I arrived at Pitcairn's Island on the 29Ih of November where I found this interesting community preserving their deservedly high character for exemplary morality, innocence and integrity, but they very earnestly represented to me the immediate necessity for their being some Chief or head to their increasing Community, amounting now to 99 Souls, for their internal regulations and Government, but more especially to meet the difficulties and dangers which they had already experienced and been again threatened with by lawless strangers in Whale Ships, there having been cases of recent occurrence, where

half the ruffian Crew of a Whale ship were on shore for a fortnight, during which they offered every insult to the inhabitants, and threatened to violate any woman whose protectors they could overcome by force, occasioning the necessary concentration of the men's strength for the personal protection of the females and thereby great damage to their Crops which demanded their constant attention, taunting them that they had no laws, no country, no authority that they were to respect. American Vessels denying they were under the protection of Great Britain, as they had neither Colors, or written authority; I found them however with a Merchant Union Jack flying, procured from an English Ship.

      Apprehending that my duty required some decisive step in this unlooked for contingency I considered I should best afford protection to these people, and least involve my Government of

whose intentions in respect to the Pitcairn Islanders I am ignorant, by conferring the stamp of Authority on their election of a Magistrate or Elder to be periodically chosen from amongst themselves, and answerable for his proceedings to Her Majesty's Government for whose information he is to keep a Journal.

      I accordingly drew out a few hasty regulations to be observed, under my Authority in the in the election of this Officer marked NQ 6, which with a formal attestation of his being sworn in before me, and an Union Jack which I supplied them with, will I trust insure them against any renewed insults from Foreigners. By their unanimous voice, they selected from the situation Edward Quintal a most able & superior Senior of their number.

      Pagination of the original autograph has been maintained.

      Captain Russell Elliott (later Admiral) was commander of H.M.S. Fly who visited Pitcairn's Island in November 1838. His action there instituted the first formal government on the island.

      John Barrow was Second Secretary to the Admiralty (22 May 1804 – 28 April 1845).

      Lord John Russell was Secretary of State for War and the Colonies (30 August 1839 – 30 August 1841).

      Sir James Stephen (3 January 1789 – 14 September 1859) was the British Undersecretary of State for the Colonies from 1836 to 1847. He made an important contribution to the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. [Wikipedia]

Document no. 62. Sep 30, 1839. "Admiralty (Barrow) to Colonial Office (Stephen) enclosing extract from Captain Eliott's report." Page 1250 to 1257.

Pitcairn's Island  Note  Source  Whalesite