Dr. Coman’s Activities

A Mr. Williams, described as “our Honolulu correspondent,” in an article in The Auckland Weekly News, dated August 8, refers to Jarvis, Baker and Howland Islands as “United States possessions” and, according to him, young Hawaiians, described as employees of the U.S.A.

Department of Commerce, were placed on those islands in March last to take weather observations.

He adds: “America’s colonisation of these three equatorial islands, which seem destined to play an important role in trans-Pacific aviation, is being further

advanced by the scientific expedition of Dr. Dana Coman, of the Hopkins Univer sity, Baltimore.” It appears that Dr.

Coman’s expedition is quite the enterprise of the Department of Com merce. His object is “to investigate the bird and marine life and the soil deposits of the three islands.”

Dr. Coman’s expedition left Honolulu about July 25 and his men were placed on the three islands and joined forces with the Department of Commerce Hawaiians, whom they found already there. Dr. Coman has established radio stations on Howland and Jarvis Islands and, through these stations, his men are keeping in touch with Dr. Coman on the yacht Kinkajou. He left two men on Baker Island but they had no radio equipment. It was understood that Dr.

Coman would return to the islands in October to pick up his staff men; but, presumably, the Department of Com merce weather-observers will remain there. It was also reported that Mr.

Harold Gatty, the famous airman, would accompany Dr. Coman on his October trip.

From the article it is clear that the American authorities are behind Dr.

Coman in his “scientific investigations,” and that these various activities are based on the assumption that Howland and Baker Islands belong to America.