I want to know the answer to the following question:
What nation had a claim on the Marshall Islands as of 1874?
All the background I'm provided with is that "Although the Spanish Empire had a residual claim on the Marshalls in 1874, when she began asserting her sovereignty over the Carolines, she made no effort to prevent the German Empire from gaining a foothold there.". Is that enough to answer the question?
Answer: yes