Ascension And St. Helena Islands Described

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30230, 7 September 1963, Page 18

Ascension And St. Helena Islands Described

An illustrated lecture on Ascension Island and S_ Helena was delivered to the Canterbury branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society by Dr. B. Stonehouse, senior lecturer in zoology at the University of Canterbury. About 30 persons attended. Dr. Stonehouse, in 1957, took an expedition to Ascension Island for the British Ornithology Union, and apent IS months there. He also spent three weeks on St. Helena On the ielwnd the expedition studied the breeding cycles of sea birds. Dr. Stonehouse said that because Ascension Island was so close to the equator it had no real seasons, the ch-mate being much the same ail the year round The temperature rarely fell below 70 degrees or rose above 90 degrees. The trade winds blew continuously.

The island was about seven miles across and the highest point, Green mountain, was about 2800 ft For many years it had been important as a cable station, and until 1922 was important as a naval station and hospital island. Portuguese Discoverer The island was discovered in 1502 by a Portuguese who later also discovered St. Helena. The Royal Navy established a garrison on the island about the time Napoleon was sent to St. Helena, and remained there until about 1922. During the World War I the island was used as a naval station, and in 1922 the settlement was handed over to the Cable and Telegraph Company. The island became

strategically important again during World War IL when an Kratrip was bulk and it was used a* a transit strip during delivery flights from the United States to Europe. After the war the Americana stationed on the island moved out, but returned in the 1950 s when the island became uieful as part of the chain of tracking station* in missile programme*. Originally the island had provided a nesting place for many sea-birds, but during the time the Royal Navy was there a plague of mice arose. Cate were imported to keep down the mice, but decided they preferred the birds, and virtually wiped them out on the main island. However, there were still large colonic* on a small island offshore

Dr Stonehouse showed slides of the island, the expedition’s camp, and some of the sea-birds He also showed a few slide* of St Helena, and briefly described that island.

St. Helena was only about five mil** across but had a population of about 5000. he said. They were charming people but the island had not been run properly, and was very neglected. The people deserved a better deal, and it was not a colony of which Britain could be proud. Things were now improving somewhat.

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