Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-08-23
Outlying ISLES
BELONG TO OAHU

Acting Governor Atkinson this morn
ing received from the Attorney Cen
eral the following opinion about the
status of the outlying islands, about
which Postmaster Pratt had asked fol
information:
In answer to your request for. an
opinion relative to ,"e pol itical status
Of certain Islands of the Hawaiian
Archipelago we beg to report as fol-
lows:
Cure (Kure) Island, or Ocean Is
land, lies in latitude rs degrees 25 min
utes. longitude IFS degrees % minutes
west, about So miles west OF the Mid.
way Islands.
The Midways, which were discov-
cred by Captain n. c. Brooks. Of the
Hawaiian bark Gambia lie in lat. 2S
deg. 10 min. n. long. III deg. 22 min.
w. These islands were taken posses
sion of in the name OF the United
States, and have always been consid-
cred as belonging to the United States.
AS to Bunker Island, we have been
unable to find that the same belongs
to the Hawaiian Archipelago. Accord
ing to Index to the Islands OF the Pa
cifc,' by William 7. Brigham, A. NJ.
we find that Bunker Island. or Jarvis
Island, was discovered by one Captain
Brown on August 2lst, 1881. and was
annexed to Great Britain on June 3rd,
1889.
"LisiaDsky Island lies in lat. 20 deg
90 min. n. long. l73 deg9 so min. W.
and was discovered by Captain Lisians-
ky in 1905, and annexed to Hawaii in
1857.
"Laysap Island lies in lat. % deg.
~ min, II, sec. long. III deg. A min.
| OG sec ".
Gardiner Island lies in lat. % deg.
OF min. y. long. l67 deg. 50 min. w.
Two Vrothers is a reef, the exist
cnce of which is doubtful. and, accord
ing to the U. S. photographic Office
charts lies in lat. q deg. II min. n.
long. l6S deg. 2S min. w.
French Frigate lies in lat 90 deg.
i6 min 80 sec. n, long. 1856 deg l6
min. w.
"Necker Island lies In lat. 90 deg.
3j min. 80 sec. N, long. l6i deg. 80
min. So sec. W, and was discovered
by La Perouse In 1856, and annexed to
Hawaii in 1894,
Bird Island lies In lat. 23 deg. 03
min. Is sec. n, long. l6l deg, IS min
, II sec. w.
"Kaula Island Is a small volcanic
! island lying II miles S.W. OF Niihau
OF the Hawaiian group.
"As to Wilson and Johnston Island
we have been unable to locate the same
, but find In the above mentioned work
by Mr.. Brigham, Johnston or Cornwall
lis Island, which was discovered De
, cember 14th, 1907, by Captain John
ston. and which is claimed by thu
American Guano Co. Of San Francisco
The island lies l6 deg. As min. n.
1859 deg. 80 min. w.
According to the Hawaiian Islands
and the Islands, Rocks and Shoals u
the Westward a compilation issued b!
the U. S. photographic Office, all o
the above named islands, with the ex
cepton of the Midways, Bunker anC
Johnston Island, were from time tC
4 time annexed by Hawaii, and hence
, became the property Of the United
States with the annexation of this Ter
D ritory,
1t is the opinion of this department
D that the islands mentioned as beinJ
annexed from time to time by Hawaii
D belong TO the County of oahu. undo
tue provisions of Act 80, or the Count,
u Act, OF the Session Laws of the Terri
u tory Of Hawaii, 1905, Section o
!. which reads: The Island Of Oahu an
u the waters adjacent thereto, shall b
the County OF Oahu, with Its Count
g seat at Honolulu"
II