Neighbours
p. 19 · Read in the full issue
Jealous Japanese
Major Swinbourne's Memories of Gilbert and Ellice
THAT Nazi-minded gentleman, Admiral Georges Robert, whom the Ameri cans had to deal with harshly this month, because he was trying to keep Martinique for Laval and Vichy, figured in an interesting story told at the Pacific Islands Society’s meeting on April 26, by the guest of honour, Major C. A. Swin bourne, OBE, formerly an administrative officer in the Gilbert and Ellice Colony.
Major Swinbourne said that, until 1892, no one wanted the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Then, as Germany was showing great colonising activity in the Pacific, and might seek a continuous line of islands from the Marshalls and Caro lines (which she had bought from Spain), to Samoa (where she had recently become established). Britain declared a protectorate over the Gilberts. When the 1914-18 war commenced. Japan occupied the Marshalls and Carolines.
About 1916, it was understood that Japan should have all islands north of the eouator not already occupied bv the Allies. As the three important Gilbert islands of Butaritari, Abaiang and Tarawa (important, because fairly big ships can get into their lagoons), were north of the equator, the native chiefs were consulted and, with their consent, the Gilberts were joined with the Ellice as a British Crown Colony. (It was significant that the three Gilbert Islands seized by the Japs in 1941 were Butaritari, Abaiang and Tarawa.) After World War I, the Jans made the Marshall and Caroline Islands (although nominally a Mandated Territory, open to all peoples) a close Jap preserve. From haat, time onwards, the intentions of the Japanese were clear: but all the Gov ernments concerned refused to see the significance of what was hannening.
Major Swinbourne gave these details. 1920.—A British official, aboard a ship which called at Jaluit, was not allowed ashore, except to visit the Jap Governor: and he was rigidly conducted to the Governor, and back to the ship, by Jap police.
Feb. R. 1 922.—The Burns Philo shin.
“Maura.” formerlv o regular trader in the Carolines and Marshafis, arrived in f he Gilberts, with BP staff and imnedi menta. She had been “pushed out” by the Japs—and was not allowed to return. 1986—A French sloop, in charge of Captain Robert (now the notorious Ad miral Robert, of Martiniaue) called at Tarawa. en route to Indo-China. for water The captain sought permission from the Jans to call at Jaluit and Pon- He was refused.
April. 1038—Vincent Astor. New York millionaire, and a Mr. Roosevelt (cousin nf the President), called at Tarawa in a Inxury yacht, on a poof-fie cruise. Thev wanted to call at Jaluit en route to Honolulu, and thev won id not believe that the Japanese would refuse them permission to enter But thP r q n S did No Europeans wore allowed to enter those Tononese mandated islands during the na S t ten yeavc Thqt fact was ignored h ,r the European nations Interesting tbino-s about the Colony were described hv Mai or Swinbourne.
Ocean Island theadouarters of the Coionvi is one of the examnles of "Rritish Inek. Until phont 40 vears it WBS '" 11c t a mound '“H smiom miles) in a ionelv ocean No nation olaimed it.
Then it w*s recognised J 7 Albert Ellis as a mass of exceedinelv n>h phosphate rock—even richer than Nauru (which was owned by Germany until 1914)—and
so Britain annexed it. The world’s phos phate deposits, vital to our agriculture, were all in foreign hands, except Ocean Island. Had it not been for Britain’s almost accidental possession of Ocean Island. Britain would have been “squeezed” on phosphate. As it was, lsland production was so enor mous and rich that she could defy the foreign “riggers” of the market.
The British policy of governing native people by indirect rule (that is, through their own tribal councils and officials) has been thoroughly tested in the Gil berts, and has been an unqualified suc cess. The lessons learned by the British in the Gilbert and Ellice Colony might be examined with advantage by all Pacific administrations.
The correct pronunciation of Nauru is not the common “Nowroo.” It is “Na-u-ru” (three syllables).
“Although there are no hills and no freshwater streams in these coral atolls, the people are among the healthiest in the Pacific,” he said. “There is no malaria there. Incidentally, why is there fever in the Solomons and New Hebrides, and no fever at all in all the islands to the eastward? I cannot explain it.”
Major Swinbourne said that one still might see in Funafuti, in the Ellice Islands, the top of the 1,100 feet bore put down in 1896 by Professor Sir Edgeworth David to test Darwin’s theory of how these coral atolls were formed. Darwin
argued that, as the polyps could not live much below the surface of sea-water, if the coral were found at a great depth, it would be proved that these islands were formed by a very slow subsidence.
As the floor of the ocean fell, the coral insects would build up, so as to keep within a short distance of the surface of the water. Professor David’s party found coral at a depth of 1,100 feet, thus confirming Darwin’s theory.