BOUVET ISLAND

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 96, 21 January 1928, Page 10

BOUVET ISLAND

CLAIMED BY NORWAY SHOWN ON MAPS AS BRITISH BY Telegraph.—Press Association. Copyright. (Rec. January 20, 8.45 p.m.) London, January 19. An interesting situation has arisen owing to Norway’s claim to Bouvet Island, which is shown on the map as British, and is regarded as such by the British Government. It was announced a few days ago that ' the Colonial Office had granted Rasmussen and Company, of Norway, the right to occupy the island as a whaling base for ten years, on payment of a yearly rental and royalties on whale oil and guano. A message from Oslo states that Bouvet Island was occupied by a Norwegian expedition on December 1 last year, and the Norwegian flag was hoisted, as the island hitherto had been regarded by the Norwegian Government as No Man’s Land. The newspaper “Ticlens Tegn” points out that the Norwegian authorities long ago authorised the Bryde-Dahl Whaling Company to occupy the island and establish a new base for Norwegian whaling. A Colonial Office official says Bouvet Island was discovered in 1739 by the French,- who, however, made no use of it. The island was again found by Captain Lindsay, in 1808, when he claimed it as British.