Evening star., 1932-11-13

(CoStinued From First Page)
strategically it may be important be-
cause 1t is on the route of the American
feet from Panama to Hawaii.
History of Arbitration.
The history OF this arbitration case
which ended In the historical fact that
for the first time since the establish
ment of the Monroe Doctrine, an i'm
portant European power became the
owner of a small territory in the
Eastern Pacific is interesting.
Chpperton Island was discovered by
the Spaniards as far back as 1887. No
body bothered to register its possession
because it was uninhabited and con-
seouently of no economic consequence
When Spain recognized MeMco's in
dependence in 1921 it was assumed
that the Spanish rights on Clipperton
were transferred to the new Mexican
republic But nobody really bothered
to investigate the matter of that small
territory-the island is Az miles long
by some miles wide.
Thirty-five years after President
Monroe established the now famou:
doctrine. on November II. 1858, q
French merchantmen sighted and visit
ed the island and for close to 80 years
most Of the European maps carried II
as a French possession. In fact, 1t was
mo mans land" although historically
it belonged to Mexico as an inheritance
| from Spain.
Seen as Defense Base.
In 1896 the famous French engineer
Ferdinand de LeSseps, who had con-
structed the Suez Canal, conceived tht
idea of building the Panama Canal
The propect failed, but while De Les
seps was in the Canal Zone he attribut-
ed great Importance to the Chppertor
Island as a base for the defense Of the
canal.
Lessons suggestions were naturally ot
| confidential nature, and gave no oc-
casion to the Mexican government tC
raise the question of the ownership Of
the island, which was known to very
| few Mexican government officials.
In 1897 a New York newspaper pub
lished a story to the effect that the
| British government was interested II
| that island and that British citizens
actually lived there. Mexico took notice
of the existence of the island and dis
patched a gunboat to verify the report
| The Mexican officers found, instead oi
| Britishers, three Americans living or
that island. They were employees of the
American Phosphate Co., and having
found this uninhabited place, hac
hoisted the American flag. The COM
mander of the gunboat ordered then
out of the island and Immediately
hoisted the Mexican flag, thus taking
for granted that this was sufficient
sign to assert MeXico's sovereignty.
he ant iT1npo afio o1U
protested against the occupation of q
territory recognized, on the maps at
least, as a French possession, and in the
discussions which followed came to an
agreement to submit the question of
ownership to the arbitration of the
King of italy. That happened in 1909
Other things intervened, then the
World War broke out, and everybody
had forgotten the dispute over the
insignificant Clipperon Island, until last
week when the King of Italy made his
decision, awarding the island to the
French.
Importance Has Developed.
In the meantime, the Importance Of
Clipperton is looked upon in naval
circles from a different angle thar
| 20 years ago.
l 1H6 SldIlQ, LIlOuSu S1Ildl1 anu DdAACA
/ has possibilities of becoming some day
an important seaplane base. 1t has q
sweet water lake in the interior which
, could be usefully employed for the land
| ing of seaplanes, and it is conceivable
| that with certain amount of expendi-
ture it should be made into submarine
base Nobody, of course. considers the
possibility of trouble between France
and the United States. But still, the
presence of an important and power
full European nation on the lines OF
] communications between Panama and
Hawaii is not considered pleasant in
many quarters.
In the meantime, the report that the
Japanese are considering the purchase
of the Island of Timor from the
Portuguese has caused surprise in well
| informed quarters in Washington. That
island is the focus of all trade routes
| from the PHILIPPINES to Australia,