THE CESSION OF FIJI. 23 



from King Cacobau, in consideration of which they were to 

 settle the claims of the American Government. Cacobau 

 jumped at the proposal, and though (as the despatch of the 

 British consul, Mr. Thurston, dated June 1, 1866, amply 

 demonstrates) he had no power to do so, he ceded to the 

 Melbourne gentlemen, as agents for a certain company ' about 

 to be formed,' a large tract of territory, said to amount to 

 200,000 acres. 



In the despatch just mentioned Mr. Thurston conclusively 

 shows how the so-called cession was obtained, and what a 

 vigorous protest he made against the conduct of the Vuni 

 Valu and the British adventurers. But the Polynesian Com- 

 pany became an accomplished fact, and the American claim 

 was settled in great part. Ninety thousand acres were stated to 

 be conveyed to the Polynesian Land Company, and the Aus- 

 tralians, who would not listen to the reiterated warnings of 

 a British consul, were a short time since endeavouring to push 

 their ' claim ' against the Imperial Government. 



This series of transactions caused Fiji to figure prominently 

 if not very brilliantly before the civilised world. 



On the establishment of the San Francisco and Sydney mail 

 service, Lieutenant George A. Woods, of the Victorian navy, 

 was sent down by the Steamer Company to superintend the 

 survey and arrange for the lighting of the group. In those 

 days the steamers from San Francisco made Levuka a port of 

 call. Having in the performance of his duties attracted the 

 attention of King Cacobau, his assistance was asked in the 

 formation of a government, which, after some very natural 

 hesitation, Mr. Woods proceeded to give. It would be an 

 endless task to unravel the tangled skein of causes which 

 broke up the Woods Administration, but the fact remains that, 

 notwithstanding Mr. Woods' own untiring efforts, and those 



