A group in the
South Pacific, said to have been discovered by the Portuguese 1525; also by the Spaniard
Lopez de Villalobos, 1545; and named after Charles II.
of
Spain, 1686.
These islands were virtually given up to
Spain in 1876.
The
Germans occupying some of the islands,
Spain protested in August, 1885.
Spanish vessels arrived at the island of Yop, Aug. 21; the Germans landed and set up their flag, Aug. 24; dispute referred to the
Pope; the sovereignty awarded to
Spain, with commercial
[
60]
concessions to
Germany and
Great Britain; agreement signed, Nov. 25; confirmed at
Rome, Dec. 17, 1885; natives subdued, Spaniards in full possession, 1891.
During the
American-Spanish War there were frequent rumors that the
United States was about to seize the islands; but the group was sold by
Spain to
Germany in 1899.
The chief American interest in the
Caroline Islands lies in the facts that American missionaries began work on the island of Ponape in 1852, the pioneers being believed to have been the first white people to occupy that island; that after the missionary board had expended over $400,000 in its work there were frequent massacres of mission workers; that the missionaries were ultimately expelled by the Spaniards from the islands; and that after much diplomatic correspondence the United States government secured the payment of an indemnity by
Spain of $17,500 in 1894.
