Lord George Paulet occupies the Kingdom of…
February 1843 CE
Paulet had become captain of HMS Carysfort on December 28, 1841, serving on the Pacific Station under Rear-Admiral Richard Darton Thomas (1777–1857).
Richard Charlton, who had been the British Consul to the Kingdom of Hawaii since 1825, had met Paulet off the coast of Mexico in late 1842.
Charlton had claimed that British subjects in the Hawaiian Islands were being denied their legal rights.
In particular, Charlton has a claim to land that is under dispute.
Paulet requests permission from Admiral Thomas to investigate the allegations.
Paulet arrives at Honolulu and requests an audience with King Kamehameha III on February 11, 1843.
He is told the King is on another island and will take six days to arrive.
His next letter on February 16, although keeping the polite tone of formal diplomatic correspondence, becomes a bit more demanding.
The King replies that American Gerrit P. Judd, as chief government minister, can be trusted to handle any written communication.
This seems to infuriate Paulet, who had been told by Charlton that Judd was acting as "dictator".
Paulet refuses to speak with Judd, and accuses him of fabricating the previous response.
Paulet now lists specific demands.
Paulet warns Captain Long of an American ship, USS Boston on February 17, of his impending attack.
Boston does not interfere.
On February 18 the Hawaiian government writes back that they will comply with the demands under protest, and hope that a diplomatic mission already in London can settle any conflicts.
Between the 20th and 23rd daily meetings are held by Alexander Simpson, acting consul and Paulet with the King.
Kamehameha III agrees to reopen the disputed cases but refuses to overrule the courts and ignore due process.
On February 25, the agreement is signed ceding the land subject to any diplomatic resolution.
Paulet appointed himself and three others to a commission to be the new government, and insists on direct control of all land transactions.
Paulet destroys all Hawaiian flags he can find, and raises the British Union Flag for an occupation that will last six months.
He clears one hundred and fifty-six residents off of the contested Charlton land.
The dispute will take years to resolve.
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