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Queen, or accomplish the annexation of those islands to the United States?
Mr. Hobbs. No.
The Chairman. Nothing that he remarked led you to understand that he had any such purpose?
Mr. Hobbs. No.
The Chairman. Did he ever complain about the authorities there?
Mr. Hobbs. I never heard him make any complaint. We only talked in the usual way; but did not talk politics, only incidentally.
Mr. Chairman. Did you have a residence on the island while you were there, a cottage on the island?
Mr. Hobbs. From April to shortly before September my family were there, and I was on shore at night.
The Chairman. Keeping house.
Mr. Hobbs. No, at the hotel.
The Chairman. Mr. Moore's family was there?
Mr. Hobbs. Yes.
The Chairman. Were the families of other gentlemen?
Mr. Hobbs. Yes. On our ship? No. There was one other officer of the ship had his family there, but not at the hotel.
The Chairman. Your family went out to Honolulu to meet you?
Mr. Hobbs. In April last I got three weeks' leave from the admiral and came home and took my family back.
The Chairman. They could not go over on a man-of-war?
Mr. Hobbs. No; they went over on the Australia.
The Chairman. Had you any idea of keeping your wife there when you went on that trip to Honolulu?
Mr. Hobbs. She was not there; she came this last April.
The Chairman. Are there any other families of officers living there?
Mr. Hobbs. Mr. Moore's (he was on our ship) was the only family there.
The Chairman. Of course, in the case of an outbreak when your families were ashore you would feel a concern about them?
Mr. Hobbs. Oh, yes.
The Chairman. As I understand, you had no occasion to feel concerned about the situation at all, as to the public peace, when you went out to Hilo?
Mr. Hobbs. I did not feel concerned myself at all, but people about the town did feel concerned, people living there constantly. It did not occur to me that there was any danger to my belongings at all.
The Chairman. When you returned on Saturday morning, the 13th of January, did you go ashore?
Mr. Hobbs. I went ashore in the afternoon at 1 o'clock. We arrived in Honolulu, I think, about 11 o'clock, probably.
The Chairman. How long did you stay ashore?
Mr. Hobbs. I went ashore at 1 o'clock and went up to the English Club, where we used to go. It was there that I heard that the Queen was about to proclaim the new constitution. I then went down town to see what was going on. It was a business part of the town; it was Saturday afternoon; the people were scurrying around there; did not know what was going to happen—feared that there would be some sort of trouble and could not place exactly where it was coming from. On my way down I think I met Mr. Moore, and we had some conversation on the corner there with one of the residents, Mr. McInerny. Then I went on board ship. It was about 5 o'clock that afternoon. I went ashore again Sunday. Sunday is a remarkably quiet day in
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Honolulu, and it was quiet on this Sunday—I did not see anybody about. I took a long walk and returned to the ship about 4 or 5 o'clock that afternoon. On Monday we were not allowed to leave the ship and I did not go on shore again until the next afternoon, when I had to go on duty at the place where our men had been spending the night. They were landed Monday afternoon. We had to make some arrangements about getting food for them, and something of that sort.
The Chairman. On that Saturday afternoon which you spent on shore what was the condition of the people? State whether they were agitated and excited, or quiet and cool.
Mr. Hobbs. There was rather more excitement, I ascertained, than there was before.
The Chairman. Did you attend any mass meeting that evening?
Mr. Hobbs. No.
The Chairman. Or any other evening that you were there?
Mr. Hobbs. No.
Senator Frye. Were those mass meetings on Saturday?
The Chairman. Saturday.
Senator Frye. Sunday, was it not?
Mr. Hobbs. I think it was Monday afternoon.
The Chairman. Yes. Before you left to go back on the ship, which I think you said was about 5 o'clock, did you hear of the establishment of a committee of safety, or anything of that kind?
Mr. Hobbs. I heard that a committee of safety had been appointed.
The Chairman. You heard that on shore?
Mr. Hobbs. I think so. I would not be absolutely sure about that.
The Chairman. Do you recollect the names of any of the persons with whom you and Mr. Moore conversed on these topics?
Mr. Hobbs. No; I do not remember. Shortly after Mr. Moore left, he went up town where his wife was living, and I do not remember that we did have any more conversation with any of the citizens.
The Chairman. Did you have any apprehension of an outbreak there that Saturday evening?
Mr. Hobbs. At the time I went on aboard the ship, no.
The Chairman. Later during that evening, did you have any?
Mr. Hobbs. No. I did not hear anything of any trouble except the rumors that a committee of safety had been appointed and was at work.
The Chairman. When you went on shore again on Sunday did you find any considerable bodies of men collected together?
Mr. Hobbs. No; I do not remember to have seen half a dozen people on the street.
The Chairman. You would not have supposed that the country was in a revolutionary state from the appearance of the people?
Mr. Hobbs. Not from what I saw on Sunday. But Sunday, as a rule, is a particularly quiet day, in the middle of the day.
The Chairman. You did not witness any public agitation or excitement?
Mr. Hobbs. I did not on that Sunday.
The Chairman. And you went back Sunday night to your vessel?
Mr. Hobbs. Yes.
The Chairman. And Monday you were detained on board?
Mr. Hobbs. Yes; not allowed to leave the ship.
The Chairman. What time did you get orders to remain aboard ship?
Mr. Hobbs. I think Monday morning.