The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-22
BRIrAN,s LATEST aRAn.
Tho history OF the Tanning, Christmas
and Penrhvn islands.

Tho History of the Tanning, Christmas
and Penrhvn Islands.
From the New York Herald
The news from Honolulu, Hawaii, pub
lishel in yesterdays Herch, TO the effect
that the British war.ship Carolinercturned
TO that port on April 8 after n cruise in the
Pacific ocean of about three weeks, during
which she had raised the British flag on
Tanning, Christmas and Penrhyn islands,
Is only another instance Of The importance
with which the British government re-
CARDS the islands in the North and South
Pacific oceans as possible naval stations
The British admiralty has decided that
hcncclorih there shall always be British
naval reserve in the Pacific, and it has
lately directed that war vessels shall be
commissioned AMI repaired at the western
terminus Of the Canadian Pacific, instead
OF returning 10 England tricnnially Tor re-
pairs ns heretofore.
Commodore D. i. Harmony, chief Of
the bureau OF yards and docS5, in his last
annual report recommending additional
naval resources in the waters Of pugant
sound, assigns ~ a reason that the Euro
/ pcnn naval powcrs have lately begun n
virtual partition OF the islands ~ ihc west.
! Crn Pacific and have undertaken 20 annex
Z gcoups where American trade and its in
/ aucnccs had been paramount
ruuR RECENT GRAB.
From the foregoing 70 would appear that
! the annexation 0i The Islands mentioned
r. only par, Of q preconcciyed plan by the
British admiralty.
The following history ofihc three islands
annexed may h. Of interest 10 thnsc who
follow the steady cncrOachmcnts OF Euro
pcan powers
Fanning's island, In tho Micronesia
Archipelago, was discovered by Capt I'd.
mond FanninF. OF the American ship
Betsy. in l5HS The next recorded account
%. ID was los Capt. Lcgmyan, dc lTom"lin,
who vent Then, IN the French corvette Ia
Uayonnaiss, IN lS2S. But his description
does not 90 nli accord with that al the dis
coycrcr. This however, may De- account
ed ior by tn coral island having increased
In The interval.
Pror b. 1855 an Endishman, Capt
! Henry English, established himself on On,
. island with a lew natives Of Humphric
island aud other places, 20 trade In th,
J pro,lHcuon 81 r1rp1nut Oh. They PLACED
+ themselves under British protection, whcr
( Capt ". H. M0rshsld. H. y, arrived il
her majcsiys ship Dido. ON October Ia
) 1855. n WIS visited by tupi. Icansc .n hr
, majcsiy's ship Alert In 1901 and was accu
uicly surveyed by Capt. g.. H. Richards
. Il. y, in her maicsiy's ship llccaIo 10
] 1868.
. tis thought no, improbable but Tai
. may Toe the America Island slated 10 hay'
, been discovered by Capt Mathcr Of ihu
I American. in lSlL Capt, Hudson, ol lhu
! United States exploring vessel Peacock
q. declares that there is mo- other island thai
! / Washington island hCrabouis. lie state
I that be- diligently sought Tor eight day
2 thc positions WHORE five islands have beef
reported lo exist, but no land was seen
Z Tie strong and various currents horra
d bouts may have led 70 some confusion j
] this respect.
= tina FERTILITY or uuE ISLAND.
2 Fanning's island II claimed by Capt
q Henry English, aud he. with few whit
? COMPANIONS anil about $50 natives, ~ sai
i 90 have much extended the cultivation ,
the ruroanut palm. Tho island Is Of cor
y formation 81 The lagoon type, and IN shap
9 a rude oval, nine and three quarters mile
!, long. uor,hWcs, aud southeast. 10 j.
y ycry fertile island, aud produces banana
u pumpkins, taro, n.H, melons, cabhage
- fadishcH, tomatoes md numerous 9th,
Garden Vegetables Introduced by tho az
~ tlrns. Every facility b. offered Tor pr0cu
4 ing drc.wood aud water, NJ well as an
(, lrhit and vegetable IN season, and The VI
II o. oi whalon Tor this purpose are not u
Z frequent
s. CHRISTMAS ISLAND.
y Christmas Fland, coral lagoon ISLAM
situated south Of fanning's island, VI
'. discovered by Capt Cook, the cNp.orc
I, w the Resolution aud Discovery, on We
~ ncsday. December -, i75L IL h, like a
y other Islands Of the same nsiurc, q be
\, q low land enclosing q lagoon, whic
y however. IN this case Il very shallow.
p Is - low that the land cannot be see
y morn than eight or ten miles OH
~ Tho island does not afford any fresh W
=. Ter. Cooks party dug without success
y several parts oi u, consequently Il WIS NJ
n inhabited except by iiocks OF sea birl
y who here lay their ema under the 10
~ tr,cs In parts OF the island. Though ycss
on its shore may be seen from most par
= of the island. II was still large enough {
q some Of Cooks sailors 10 lose themselv
upon. and 90 bo recovered only after gro
V INVITATIONS. Tho island u said 10 be I
% hablicd now, andto be the hcadquario
!. OF an American guano company.
Nv rug rNNRnyx isLASDA
ts Tho pcnrhyn islands, In the Polyncsii
NJ Afchipclago, were disco, cred In 1851