The morning call., 1892-07-31
ISLANDS WITHOUT OWNERS.

There is nothing in the story that the
United States and Great Britain are likely
10 fall out over the occupation OF johnson
Island in the Ladrones. 1t appears to be
romance in the vein OF Robert Louis Steven
son. 1t is quite possible that the BRITISH
war-steamer Champion is wandering through
the Western Pacific in quest OF new coaIing
stations. Great Britain has way OF snap
ping up uuconsidered trfles without saying
"By your leave" to any one. But it is clear
that the United States has nothing TO do
with those islands In the Pacific.
The story that Captain Parker. an Ameri-
can sailor, occupied johnson Island forty
years ago, and that the United States author
lied him TO annex it to this country; that lie
did so accordingly. and, though he never
occupied the island. that the title thereto
passed at his death TO his heirs and assigns,
and must now be maintained by force OF
arms against British intruders, is too thin 10
bear examination. The United States was
not forty years ago, has never been and
is not now in the business of annexing
foreign territory. II never had a title TO
Johnson Island.
There is no mystery about the history OF
the Ladrone group. They were discovered
! by Magellan simultaneously with the in
| vasion of Mexico by COrtes, and, according
to the usage of the day, were formally an
nexed TO Spain, which power has claimed
! sovereignty over them ever since. There are
twenty of them in all, but only four or five
are inhabited. the others being mere volcanic
rocks. In 1885 Bismarck attempted 10 plant
German colony on the Carolines. with
/ which the Ladrones are geographically and
politically associated. and dispute arose
with Spain which for time threatened the
/ Of In V
withdrew the garrison she had landed. and
abandoned her pretension. so that the whole
island group embracing the Carolnes, the
Ladrones and the Peews was left in the
dominion OF Spain. AS Great Britain and
| France were parties TO the settlement be-
tween Spain and Germany. II is hardly likely
that the former nation has now revived the
question of the Spanish title.
There is nothing in the Ladrone group
which should tempt foreign nation 10
occupy any of the islands except for a coal
ing station. England has no such station
nearer than Hong Kong, which lies thirty
degrees further west Frances nearest
station is at Saigon, thirtythree degrees
west; Germany in the Bismarck archi-
pelago, twenty degrees south; the United
States has or ought to have station at
Samoa, thirty-five degrees south and forty
| i've utkINtS east. II any u lIc lIdGIOHe
islands has a harbor in which big ships
| could lie 10 coal its occupation would
prove convenience for its owners in time
of war.
The position taken by Bismarck In toe
controversy Of 1885 WAS IN harmony with
the principles OF modern International law
on the subject OF blockades. He held that
there ceuld be 70 dominion without occups-
ton or TIE uBdispated exercise Of jurisdie-
, ton. He protested against the dog-in-the-
manger policy BY virtue Of which a aation
! clsimed sovereignty over territory which
It's people did not occupy and IN : nieh rs
T laws wee m IL 1orce
Ii any @ tie thousapis II Islands in
Micronesia are suita De fos coal depois and
are only occupied By a handful OF Basses
Il seems unreasonable that Spain or any
power should derry the right 6; maritime
nation TO establish a staiioa on them be-
cause at some distant period in the past
Spanish navigator happened T. be tbs FIRST
white man TO land on them ct take their
bearings.