Who Owns Little

Islands?

Anglo-American Inquiries in Central Pacific

IT is reported in America that, at the request of the British Government, the United States Government is pre paring information concerning early voyages of American whalers, naval men, travellers and explorers, in connection with claims to ownership of a large num ber of islands in the Pacific, now under the British flag.

A discussion has been going on be tween the two Governments for more than a year, concerning these claims. It has been brought to a head by the de cision of both Governments to postpone for 50 years consideration of the claims involving Canton Island (where the Union Jack and Stars and Stripes fly side by side) and Enderbury Island.

In his address of welcome to the King, on the occasion of His Majesty’s visit to White House, President Roosevelt pointed to Canton and Enderbury as proof of

Anglo-American friendship and an ex ample to the rest of the world.

With this example before it, the State Department would now like to see the question of sovereignty over other small islands in the Pacific settled. Unnoticed for generations, they have increased en ormously in importance in recent years, because of their possible use as civil aero plane bases on the route between North America and Australia and New Zealand.

The Department’s Geographer (Dr.

Whittemore Boggs) is preparing data for submission to the British Government.

The problem is complicated by the fact that, in some cases, an island, which bears one name on the map, may actually be two or three islands. These islands are located principally in the Phoenix Group (which includes Canton and Enderbury), near the Equator, and the Ellice Group, not far distant. Other groups likely to be mentioned are the Gilbert and Fiji Archi pelagoes.

When the British Government learned of the intention of the United States to settle Canton Island, where a modern township is now being erected by American builders, it sent through the Government of New Zealand, a party of five to hoist the Union Jack. A few weeks later, an American party from Honolulu, was landed by an American coastguard vessel. The master of the latter reported that, on leaving Canton, the last he saw of the rival groups was a pleasant little poker party, in the shade of the British hut, with the newcomers being regaled with refreshing draughts of New Zealand beer.

THE construction ship ‘‘North Haven”, which landed at Canton 75 men, to gether with tugboat, barges, heavy machinery, parts for a complete hotel, air station, houses and tanks, has now left on another similar mission.

Under the command of a veteran mar iner, who went to sea at the age of 17 on a British sailing vessel, 40 years ago, the “North Haven” headed for the Bering Sea, to establish a settlement on the extreme western tip of the Alaska Peninsula, where an important naval air base is to be established. The “North Haven” has carried personnel and build ing materials for similar settlements at Midway, Wake and Guam Islands, in the Pacific, for the airways that have for three years been spanning the Pacific, from California to Hong Kong.