Phosphate Industry

Epic Of The Open Sea

New Book by Pioneer of Phosphate Industry

IN a preface to Adventuring in Coral Seas, the latest book from the pen of Mr. Albert F. Ellis, New Zealand’s repre sentative on the Board of the British Phosphate Commission, Lord Bledisloe has written: “He is himself a creative pioneer to whom I, as a farmer, desire to pay my humble and sincere tribute, for it was through his dis covery and scientific investigation of the rich phosphatic deposits of Ocean Island and Nauru that vast stores of that fertilizating element which is so essential to the develop ment of the root and fruit of the world’s economic plants have been rendered avail able to its primary producers, thus materi ally enhancing the output and inherent value of the world’s real wealth —its only true un decaying assets. . . .”

In his Ocean Island and Nauru, pub lished earlier in the year, Mr. Ellis gave a fascinating account of those still com paratively little known islands (for' the literature concerning them is still ex tremely inadequate) and told how, during the last thirty years, they have come into such prominence in the worlds of agricul ture and commerce, through the discovery of their huge deposits of high-grade phos phate.

Importance Of Air Bases

But in his new book Mr. Ellis has gone further afield. For instance, he has dealt

with the importance of such remote islands as Baker and Howland as possible links in a chain of air-ports across the Pacific —a subject that is of vital impor tance to British and American interests.

Because of recent American action, the author observes: “One does not need to be a prophet or the son of a prophet to forecast that this is going- to develop into a very big thing in the future.”

However, it is in the glimpses of the past wherein the book provides most in terest to students of Pacific problems. It will provide many an old-timer with a chuckle.

One of the most fascinating chapters in an eminently “readable” volume describes the passing of “Miki Wakabu” (Captain Walkup), the missionary, “a somewhat short, sturdily-built man, about 45 years of age, with a pronounced American accent.”

“His features were very plain and rugged,” says the author. “Obviously the best goods were not displayed in the shop window, for on further acquaintance I found he had a heart of gold.” The Hiram Bingham, his little schooner, bore the name of a fellow-countryman, one of the missionary pioneers of Hawaii. Her com mander was at one time a prominent figure in the San Francisco prize ring.

When Mr. Ellis met Walkup on Ocean Island, the missionary was on a voyage that included calls at the Gilbert and Caroline Groups. Naturally, he was sur prised to learn of the potential wealth of the island at which he made periodical visits.