The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-10-22

Adams. then its agent, to discharge
the employees and abandon the island.
Adams carried out his instructions in
December, 1908, and left. But he
went back within a few months and
claimed title to them by right OF dis
ooyery. IN 1901 attorneys represent
ing Adams sent letter to the state
department inquiring IL proof of his
claim to the ownership Of the Islands
would be received. The department
would not thereby prejudice the
rights OF any prior claimant who
might appear in the future Since
then the department. has had no cor
respondence either with Adams or
with his attorneys. and il is believed
that his coming visit TO Washington
is to endeayor to obtain from the de-
partment some guarantee to his al
legged title by right of discovery.
The government, however, does not
claim ownership or sovereignty over
the islands, but under the guano act
of 1856 merely considers them as
for the purpose of extracting guano.
There are many other Islands which
are net within the lawful jurisdiction
OF any other government and which
are not claimed by the citizens of
any other government whose status
is the sumo as that of the Swan
Islands. Under the law seven princi-
pal facts must be established before
the president of the United States,
acting through the state department,
can grant the right to extract guano
from an unclaimed island. These
are as fCloWs: First, that a deposit
OF guano has been discovered on the
island by an American citizen: sec
ond. that the island is not within the
lawful jurisdiction of any other gov
eminent: third. that it Is not occu-
pied by the citizens of any other gov
ernment; fourth. that the discoverer
has taken and kept peaceable posses
sion thereof in the name of the
United States; fifth, that the discov-
orer has given notice of the fact as
soon as practicable to the state de-
partment, on his oath: sixth, that the
notice has been accompanied with a
description of the island. its latitude
and logitude: seventh, that satisfac-
tory evidence has been furnished to
the state department showing that
the island was not taken out of the
of any other government
or people.
The United States has never claimed
sovereignty over the island and has
no power to determine disputes be-
tween citizens of the United States
in regard TO their rights in guano
island. In case that dispute should
arise the claimants would be obliged
TO vindicate their title in THE fedeyal
courts. In the present case, how
ever, Adams claims ownership to the
islands by right of discovery after
they had been abandoned by the
guano companies.
Not much is known in this country
about King Adams and his unique
fight for the ownership of these
islands, but mariners of the Carib-
bean, who know his story we'll, think
of him every time they pass by the
west end Of the Greater Swan Island
and see the fixed white light staring
across the dark water from the only
beacon on the island. Like many
other branches OF the government of
the island, the lighthouse department
is not as efficient as il might be. The
charts of the photographic office of
the navy department say that this
beacon is unreliable" because IL isl
only lighted when an approaching
vessel is seen.