HMS Blanche reports on venereal disease at Kosrae and finds Chuuk villages deserted.

What happened

HMS Blanche was cruising Micronesia mainly to investigate murder and kidnapping charges against the labor ship Carl. At Kosrae the crew bought cattle, later set up a coal depot and described islanders in dresses and trousers and the damage done by venereal disease. In Chuuk, sailors found only deserted houses and it was two days before canoes came out; Hezel thinks people had been frightened by armed ships’ reprisals or by labor recruiters.