White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-12-29

.... Native Musicians
Prepared by National Geographic Society.
Washington. D. C.-WNU Service.
I Hyperion ROCK, which was
recently awarded to France by
~ the king of Italy, is a desolate
spot Of land $40 miles from the
Mexican coast and is Frances first
possession off the Pacific coast of
North America. King Victor Emanuel
was the arbiter to whom France and
Mexico had submitted their claims of
ownership.
Clipperton Rock is one of the lone
Hest and least visited islands on the
globe 1t is about the same distance
from the nearest Mexican port of
Acapulco as the Bermuda islands are
from New York. Like the Bermudas
this lonely island rises sheer from the
bed of the ocean. 1t is surrounded
by dangerous coral reefs.
Mariners who have sailed near Clip
perton Rock say that the island, which
is about two miles in diameter and
reaches height of 60 feet, looks like
sail at distance. Upon closer ap-
proach it presents the appearance of
castle rising from the waves.
Most ship captains give Clipperton
Rock wide berth. In fair weather
it is easy enough to steer clear of it's
encircling reefs but in times of fog
ship could be wrecked before the
sounding lead could give any warning
of land. Soundings less than a mile
off shore give no bottom at $50 faith
oms 5000 feet).
The island, destitute of Vegetation,
has been inhabited only by small
Mexican garrison. 1t was annexed by
France in 1857. A party Of Americans
next claimed it and attempted a set
Element. When France protested to
this country in 1897 the United States
recognized French sovereignty. But
the same year President Porfirio Diaz
of Mexico claimed and seized the is
land Later Diaz agreed to submit the
matter to arbitration of the king of
Italy and abide by his decision.
Some time ago the Mexican govern
ment leased Clipperton Rock to the
Pacific Islands company, which ex-
pected to exploit the guano deposits of
the bird breeding rocks. A wharf 400
feet long was built out to the edge
Of the reef, but, as the sea breaks be-
yond it, the wharf will have to be
extended before ships can use it. The
concession has not been operated since
1914.
French colonies lie in every inhab-
tied continent except the North Amer
lean mainland and Australia; and
French owned islands, like Clipperton
Rock, are but a short sail from these.
A recent census show that the French
flag flies over some 1000OO0OO people
about 100000 less than the popula-
ton of the United States, although
France is the third largest national
landholder in the world with aggre-
gate holdings nearly double the area
of this country.
Big African Colonies.
The largest slice Of the Republics
domain covers almost half the area of
Africa including nearly the whole
western shoulder from Italian Libya
and the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan to the
Atlantic and from the Mediterranean
to the Belgian Congo. This area con.
sists of the fertile agricultural lands
and mountains of the north; the sandy,
sparsely settled wastes of the Sahara:
the French Sudan and Chad with their
fertile plains, thick forests and
swamps; and the jungle land of French
Equatorial Africa. The 100000 in.
hibitants of these regions run the
gamut of human color from the white
Berbers to the blacklist Senegal and
Congo negroes.
French Somaliland on Africa's oppo-
site shoulder Is about as large as Con-
necticut. Until recent years it was
hot desert country but irrigation has
made it habitable for more than 2OO,-
900 Arabs, Abyssinians and French.
men who maintain good trade and
handle much of Abyssinia's commerce
through it's port, Jibuti. The Comoro
islands, Madagascar and Reunion off
the east coast of Africa are also in.
cluded in the French group of posses
sions. Their subtroplcal to tropical
fertile valleys and thickly
wooded hills, make them island garden
spots where 100000 people live un.
der the tricolor. Counted among the
Reunion inhabitants is the famous
A Md el-Krim. the "Rfffian Thorn in Eu