The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-04-06

~ department in Washington that
negotiations for the acquisition of
Ia the Galapagos islands, off the
coast of Ecuador on the west
coast Of South America, by the United
States as a naval base have been I'M
der way for some time between the
United States and Ecuador. The
islands, which are sparsely settled,
cannot be bought outright, because OF
a clause In the constitution of ECua-
dor which prevents their sale.
1t is said in Ecuador that the United
States offers to pay $4,000, 900 in
rent. That would be 1858, 900 a year.
From a commercial or an industrial
point of view they would be of little
value to the United States. Their
total area is only about 2,400 square
miles. But they would serve, thrust
out into the Pacific as they are, as an
advance post of the Panama canal.
And, which is the main point, they
would not be the menace to it they
would be under certain circumstances
for the text 100 years.
So, the completion of the Panama
canal will bring the Galapagos islands
into the limelight of the world stage.
In almost a straight line and half way
from Southampton to Sidney, their fu-
u maritime Importance cannot be
exaggerated. The islands, about two
days run from Panama, stand in the
same relation to the Pacific entrance
of the canal that the West Indies does
to its Atlantic gateway. 1t will also
be noticed that they are a little more
than half way OF the trade route from
San Francisco to Valparaiso.
II needs no prophet to foresee that
the now almost unknown archipelago
will soon be a port Of call for the
steamships of the world and their po-
sition be likened in some degree to
hat Of the Hawaiian group In the
northern Pacific. The settlement on
Chatham island will be changed from
the status of a penal colony to that OF
a commercial center. The rapidly in
~creasing trade between the west coast
of South America and Japan brings
these islands in the pathways of the
mercantile vessels Of the latter coun-
try.
This group Is remarkable in many
ways, and the story of tho isles from
the prehistoric period when nature
in the throes Of some great agony
threw them up from the bed of the
Pacific, to the time of their discovery
and occupation by man, holds much Of
interest.
Nothing Is known definitely of the
date when the islands came into be-
ing. except that they were of a dis
tinctly later appearance than the
mountains Of the South American
mainland. Some scientists think them'
the remains Of a now-sunken CONT
nent- Owing to the isolation of the
islands, there is no authentic record
Of active eruptions, but We know that
as far back as 1875 volcanic disturb
ances were noticed, while in 1914 and
1926 English shippers reported the
crateTs active, and as late as 1907 a
new opening appeared on James
island, from which a torrent of lava
flowed to the sea.
Yhe archipelago consists of Is
larger islands and about 40 smaller,
with a total area variously estimated
at from 2,400 to 5000 square miles.
leaving the question of discovery
perhaps forever undetermined, we do
know that Thomas de Berlanga, third
bishop of Panama, was the first Eu-
ropean to sight the Galapagos, on the
10th of March, 1885. This exploring
prelate is also credited with being re-
sp0Rsible for the Introduction OF
bansnas into the western coatinent.
HIS discovery Of the Galapagos
isaaads was quite accidental and came
about during a voyage from Panama
to Fdru, whittier he had been sent to
repprt on the doings Of Pizarro, for
the worthy bishop enjoyed the conf
dence Of his king. The good bishop
was a scientist as we'll as q church
man. and he determined the exact lat
itude and longitude of the a~rchipela-
go: bat he gave no name to the group.
and after a stay of ten days turned
the prov of his ship toward Peru.
The archipelago now was well known
to the Spanish mariners, and for rea-
sons already suggested were called
the Enchanted Isles. During the pc
Rod OF revolution against Spanish au-
thority in South America the islands
we're much used by the privateers
that preyed on Spanish commerce.
With the fall Of Spanish power the