The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-04
OWNED ny THE UNITED STATES.
quite Number of Small Islands In
the Mid-Pacific.
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post
Distributed over the mid-Paci1c, in the
neighborhood of the equator, are quite a
lot of small islands that belong to the
United States. Most of them are from 1000
to 1900 miles to the south and southwest
of Hawaii. Some of them are near the Gill
bert archipelago, and there is considera-
BILE cluster just about the lesser distance
mentioned and directly south of the Hawa-
ian group, including America, Christmas,
Palmyros, and other islands of large size.
Christmas island is about thirty-fiye miles
long, 1t got its name originally from the
fact that the famous Capt Cook stopped
there on Christmas day for the purpose of
observing an eclipse. 1t is an atoll, or ring,
of coral formation, enclosing a lagoon of
water that has become so salty through
evaporation as to be Il veritable brine.
Fishes thrown over the reef by storms are
picked in it, and remain perfectly pre-
served and good to eat for months.
These isles of the Pacific belonging to
Uncle Sam number sixty in all. They have
all been annexed to the United States I'M
der an act of congress which became
law Aug. Is, 1856. This law, which remains
in force to-day, declares that whenever
any citizen of the United States shall dis
cover a deposit of guano on any island,
rock or key, not within the lawful juris-
diction of any other government, he shall
be at liberty to take peaceable possession
thereof, and such island, rock or key may,
at the discretion of the President, be con-
sidered as appertaining to the United
States. The discoverer is required to give
due notice to the department of state, with
affidavits, describing the island and show
ing that possession of the same has been
taken in the name of this country. He is
obliged at the same time to give bond,
which is filed in the treasury.
The dscoVerer, a the pleasure of con-
gress, enjoys the exclusive right to occupy
his island for the purpose of obtaining
guano, and for this product he is allowed
to charge only a certain fixed price, name
~, IS a ton for guano delivered at the
ships side, or IS ton for the privilege
of digging it where it lies. Furthermore,
he gives guarantee by his bond to deliver
the guano only to citizens of the United
States and to be used in the United States.
The law also provides, curiously enough,
that all offences and crimes on such is
lands by persons who may land thereon,
or in waters adjacent shall be deemed as
committed on the high seas, on board
merchant ship of the United States, and
shall be punished accordingly. The Presi-
dent is authorized to use the land and ma
val forces of the United States TO protect
the rights of the discoverer or his heirs.
But Uncle Sam ocean empire includes
a great many islands of far greater impor-
lance than the guano isles referred to- In
Boring Sea there are several very large
islands, besides the little Pribylov group
60 which the fur seals resort This country
owns the entire chain of Aleutian islands,
which separate Boring Sea from the North
Pacific. The inhabitants of these islands,
called Aleuts, are particularly intelligent,
much more civilized than the Eskimo and
bear a close resemblance physically to the
japanese. Off the coast of Southern Alas
ka is a group of islands of great size on
some of which live the Thlinket Indians
These Indians are the most artistic saw
ages in the world being skilful wood cary
ers Off the coast of Southern California
is the Santa Barbara group, comprising a
number of large islands.