Clunies-Ross focused Uk government inside the Mauritius that have an attraction to own security and you can detection into the fledgling colony. His first petition into the Governor of Mauritius, Charles Colville, required the hawaiian islands is accepted ‘underneath the supremacy on the Bodies of Mauritius’. 64 For making his instance having shelter, Clunies-Ross needed ‘a level of regional magisterial authority’ and you may a title such harbour master who buttress his condition with the islands and you may in the imperial bureaucracy. 65 Their timing is worst; Colville’s relationship with officials into the London was strained when he sided having French creoles facing United kingdom courtroom reforms so you can ameliorate thraldom. 66
Merely thirty days once composing in order to Colville, Clunies-Ross blogged a second petition, this handled toward queen and you may drafted into the consultation with the Proctor to your Legal out-of Admiralty out of St Louis into the Mauritius. 67 They asked your Cocos-Keeling Countries be put in a condition out of ‘union’ to your king’s dominions and this he truly, and his awesome heirs ‘from inside the perpetuity’, getting given a ‘grant of your own property’ from the islands. 68 The facts of the plans he requested about a couple petitions differed, however, each other show that Clunies-Ross got at heart an equivalent mix of safety and several certified identification of his power.
His determination in preserving his or her own code, along with went on sexual exploitation out of his captives, didn’t blind your to the great things about building their connectivity into Dutch administration into the Batavia
Hare at the same time is cosying around the fresh new Dutch to your Java. The guy obviously perceived the chance that he might stave off Uk intervention because of the solidifying Dutch assistance. On 12 December 1828, Hare penned a page so you’re able to senior Dutch authorities during the Batavia saying which he are ‘sensible of one’s benefit of adjacency to help you a preserving authority’. 69
Similarly aware that there can be particular advantage to be achieved, Dutch officials advised the view which they you are going to annex the hawaiian islands. During the Oct 1829, a great naval manager, H. van der Jagt, showed up agreeable the fresh schooner Blora to research the updates of region. 70 As the he was currently within the correspondence with a lot more raised figures from inside the Batavia, Hare showed nothing demand for discussing their hands to good junior manager, but he did establish that ‘it might be fascinating to have your if the Dutch Regulators raised its flag truth be told there, however, as a keen English topic he may maybe not apply at the brand new Netherlands authorities doing so’. 71 Van der Jagt concluded that Hare wanted to ‘withdraw away from every personal establishment’ with the intention that he’s ‘lord and you can master’ more than their sufferers. Instance Hare, Clunies-Ross is anxiously shopping for cover. Centered on van der Jagt, Clunies-Ross got declared his desire to that Netherlands Eastern Indies regulators dominate the hawaiian islands and you will affirmed that he ‘would rather feel less than Dutch than simply English rule’. 72 This plan requisite particular sleight of hand, while the Clunies-Ross undetectable of Dutch officials his is attractive inside Mauritius and his assures in order to British government he could not abandon their standing while the an united kingdom topic otherwise transfer allegiance so you’re able to Batavia.
Neither the fresh new Dutch neither british then followed their visits because of the saying claims to sovereignty over the countries
These types of machinations performed so much more in preserving ambiguity concerning islands’ reputation than to bring clearness regarding purple that belong. Indeed, whenever given the possibility to take action, each other empires pulled back 
. For the June 1830, the new Governor-Standard, Johannes van den Bosch, felt like it was a proper error to take possession out of isles one showed neither obvious prize neither noticeable danger. 73 Due to their part, british acknowledged you to definitely according to the usual algorithms installing imperial palms, the brand new Hare and Clunies-Ross agreements you are going to show enough. Composing to London, Owen tepidly supported the idea that a company claim to new islands could well be of good use, such as for example provided their positioning between Asia and you will Australia. 74 But firmly installing such as a declare set throughout the long coming. Instead, just like their Dutch alternatives, United kingdom authorities continued to help you physical stature connections with the isles inside the idiom off safety without and work out any definitive commitment to laws.
