The Daily Alaska empire., 1940-08-20
GRUENING FLYING 10 REVISIT ISLE
 HE ONCE SEIZED

aska Clipper today to fly as. guest of Pan A crican AirWays over that ccmpany's new route to New Zealand. The Governor came to Juneau by Electra from Fairbanks last night
 The Governor received a per- scnal invitation from Juan Terry Trippe. President of Pan American Always, to be a passenger on the official inspection flight. A
 Trippe's radiogram said 1T hope you can go inasmnch as you per sollally had so much to do with the rights which our government has secured at Canton Island and other pioneering steps that have made possible this new trade route which is destined to be important to our country's commerce and to our na- tional defense as well"
 I1,170 Miles 'o
 Final arrangements for. fine flight were made while. th4 Governoi was at Nome, .PAA invited him to fly from Nome to Auckland, New Zeal and, distance of .lf,17o miles, as guest of the company. PAA flies the entire distance except for the jump between Seattle and San Francisco. ....s,..,.
 The Governor will leave San Fran cisco August "A and return there September 4 after stops at Honolulu, Canton Island, New Caledonia and Auckland, He will be back in Ju- neau within 20 days. .,
 In 1897 Dr. Gruening, then Di- rector of the Division of Territories and Island Possessions of the De- partinent of the Interior, made an inspection trip to three small South Pacific Islands which had been col onized by the United States with a view to their future use on New Zealand airp1ane route
 Not Adequate
 Dr. Gruening felt then that the points then in possession of the United States were not adequate for the purposes intended.
 On the then proposed route of American clippers from California to New Zealand, the first stop after Hawaii was a place called King mans Reef, only about 75 yards of which projected above the water at high tide, and which would have been swept by seas in any, kind of rough weather obviously not the place to put down a seaplane car rying passengers regularly. The sec ond stop was, to De the harbor of Papo Pago the capital of American Samoa. which, surrounded by steep mountains and small in extent, was dangerous.
 So Gruening cast about for a place that would be suitable fol the first stop of American Clipper ships after leaving Honolulu. He found that Canton Island, the title to which had been in dispute be- tween the United States and Bri- tain, was admirably suited for the purpose. It is a coral atoll sur rounding lagoon nine miles long by four miles wide. Moreover, it's land area was adequate for run ways in every direction. Thus, tho island could be utilized by botr land and seaplanes. Unfortunately few weeks before their arrival the British had hoisted their flas and claimed sovereignty, and by that act U. s. claims seemed to have been greatly diminished,
 Flag Raised
 However Gruening recommended that the party land on the island and raise the American Flag, and utilize it, This was done. While be- 1 fore international law the island is now under so-called -domin- ium," namely a joint ownership be- i tween Great Britain and the United States, the United States has the full use of it.
 Pan American Airways has erected a hotel on it and it is now the sec end stop after San Francisco. It lies close to the equator, some l,6o0 miles southwest of Honolulu.