Evening star., 1948-02-17
The Falkland Islands Issue

The sudden dispatch of heavy cruiser
from South Africa on what is understood
TO be showing" of the British flag in
contested islands off the tip of South
America emphasizes vexatious issue that
has rolled diplomatic waters for gen.
erations.
The nub Of the issue concerns the right
full ownership over the Falkland Islands,
but the matter is complicated by collateral
disputes over other islands in the region
and the tip of the Antarctic Continent all
of which are in effective British possession.
These British rights are contested by
Argentina and Chile. Indeed, the Argen-
tine government recently announced that
naval squadron would carry out extern
sive maneuvers In the entire Falkland
region, while it is understood that q
Chilean warship would visit the segment
of Antarctica claimed by Britain in order
to take physical possession.
These naval demonstrations and coun
Recommendations are the sequel OF dip
lomatic stalemate in prolonged negotia-
tions between Britain and the two South
American nations. They are really two
fold because Chile's claim is limited to
the northern peninsula tip of Antarctica,
known as Graham's Land, whereas Argen-
tina claims the Falklands and other de-
pendent island groups to the eastward.
The Chilean claim raises the legal ques-
ton as to whether Antarctica has hitherto
been effectively occupied by the nations
which have conducted explorations. The
British certainly have a weather station
on Graham's Land and a whaling depot
on the adjacent South Shetland Islands.
The Falkland dispute Is much older 1t
goes back clear to the sixteenth century.
The islands were first discovered by the
British Aavigators, Davis and Hawkins, be-
tween 1892 and 1894. Dreary, cold and
rain-drenched, they were then valuable
only as whaling and sealing stations.
During the next two centuries they were
contested between Britain, France and
Spain, all Of which made temporary settle
ments Only the British settlers remained
and introduced sheep-raising, which be-
came a hourishing industry. Meanwhile,
Argentina stepped into the place of Spain
when it became independent and has con-
tinued the argument for more than
century. The present population of the
Falklands, while small, IS entirely British
mostly Scottish shepherds. The other
islands are Whaling stations.
Britain has invited both Argentina and
Chile to submit their claims to the Inter-
national Court of Justice at The Hague.
This invitation has been refused, the Ar
gentine counterproposal being that an
international conference should be held in
Buenos Aires to adjudicate the matter.
But the British government holds that
recognition of what it considers to be its
long established title to the area should
be acknowledged before any such con-
ference can be held.
There, diplomaticall the matter rests
for the moment. 1t Is almost unthinkable
that q genuine crisis should arise over
these disputes. Nevertheless, the actions
of Argentina and Chile in dispatching war
ships to the area are not taken kindly by
Britain, which obviously does not intend
to let such demonstrations pass unchal-
lenged. Therefore, the Royal Ensign is
about to be displayed with proper naval
backing.