Cocos—a Daughter
p. 96 · Read in the full issue
To the Queen of Cocos—a Daughter
A DAUGHTER has been born to Mr. and Mrs. John Clunies- Ross, of Cocos Islands (Indian Ocean), the tiny cluster of islands midway between Australia and Ceylon that has played a significant part in Australasian history.
The group has now been trans ferred from UK administration to Australia, but the present Clunies- Ross continues to enjoy all the rights and privileges granted to his ancestor, John George, by Queen Victoria —including a perpetual lease of Home Island, which produces about £60,000 worth of copra per year.
Cocos has been the site of a
cable station for many years— which fact trapped the German cruiser Emden in November, 1914.
She was destroyed by HMAS Sydney.
In World War 11, the Japanese shelled Cocos but never occupied the atoll, with the result that it became an important staging point for important air communications
between Australia and the UK.
In more recent years, the iii portant air-route between Austral and South Africa, at presei operated by Qantas, who will so be joined by South African Airws' in a parallel service, has ms Cocos even more important as t staging point in that Long IndiJ Ocean crossing.