Clunies-Ross focused Uk bodies for the Mauritius having an attraction to have defense and you may identification towards the fledgling nest. 1st petition for the Governor of Mauritius, Charles Colville, wanted the hawaiian islands is accepted ‘underneath the supremacy regarding the Bodies from Mauritius’. 64 To make his instance to possess safety, Clunies-Ross wanted ‘an amount of local magisterial authority’ and a name such as for instance harbour learn that would buttress their condition on the islands and you may on imperial bureaucracy. 65 His timing are terrible; Colville’s connection with officials when you look at the London are strained when he sided having French creoles facing Uk courtroom reforms to ameliorate slavery. 66
Simply 1 month after composing to help you Colville, Clunies-Ross wrote an extra petition, this option treated with the queen and you may drawn up into the consultation on Proctor to your Legal out of Admiralty of St Louis inside Mauritius. 67 It questioned the Cocos-Keeling Isles be put in a state out-of ‘union’ toward king’s dominions which the guy myself, along with his heirs ‘in perpetuity’, getting granted a ‘offer of property’ from the islands. 68 The details of preparations the guy requested from the one or two petitions differed, but each other show that Clunies-Ross had in your mind an equivalent mix of security and several specialized recognition away from their expert.
His determination in preserving his own rule, and additionally went on intimate exploitation away from his captives, don’t blind your on the benefits of building their associations to your Dutch government in Batavia
Hare meanwhile are cosying up to this new Dutch towards the Coffee. He clearly thought the chance that he may push away United kingdom input by the hardening Dutch service. Towards a dozen December 1828, Hare had written a page so you can elderly Dutch authorities inside Batavia asserting he is ‘practical of one’s advantage of adjacency to a protecting authority’. 69
Equally aware that there may be some advantage to be gathered, Dutch officials encouraged the scene that they you’ll annex the islands. Inside the October 1829, a good naval administrator, H. van der Jagt, arrived aboard the fresh schooner Blora to investigate brand new status of your own territory. 70 While the he was currently inside correspondence with way more increased figures during the Batavia, Hare demonstrated absolutely nothing interest in revealing his give so you can a beneficial junior manager, however, the guy did determine you to ‘it could be fun to 
own your in the event that Dutch Government elevated its banner truth be told there, but given that an English topic he might maybe not apply at the new Netherlands authorities accomplish so’. 71 Van der Jagt determined that Hare desired to ‘withdraw regarding every personal establishment’ to make sure that he is ‘lord and you can master’ more than his victims. Such Hare, Clunies-Ross is frantically trying to find protection. Based on van der Jagt, Clunies-Ross got proclaimed their desire to that Netherlands Eastern Indies regulators take over the hawaiian islands and confirmed which he ‘would rather end up being significantly less than Dutch than English rule’. 72 This tactic needed specific sleight-of-hand, as Clunies-Ross undetectable away from Dutch officials his is attractive within the Mauritius with his assures to help you Uk bodies that he would never ditch his standing because an uk topic or transfer allegiance to Batavia.
None the new Dutch nor british followed its visits by asserting states sovereignty across the countries
This type of machinations performed more to preserve ambiguity about the islands’ standing rather than render clarity throughout the purple that belong. Indeed, when considering the opportunity to do it, each other empires pulled right back. Into the Summer 1830, the Governor-General, Johannes van den Bosch, decided which would be a proper error when deciding to take hands out-of isles one to exhibited neither clear prize nor noticeable hazard. 73 For their region, british acknowledged one to under the typical algorithms setting up purple hands, this new Hare and you may Clunies-Ross agreements you’ll confirm sufficient. Composing to London area, Owen tepidly supported the theory you to a strong claim to brand new islands could well be beneficial, such as for instance given the location between India and you will Australian continent. 74 However, securely establishing such as a claim put regarding the long upcoming. Instead, just like their Dutch alternatives, British officials proceeded so you’re able to body type connections on islands within the idiom of safety in the place of making people decisive commitment to signal.