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Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1938, Page 4

In connection with negotiations between America and Britain in regard to joint jurisdiction among some of the islands in the Pacific, a correspondent from Vancouver stated recently that America’s “line of observation” in the Pacific lias been added to by the purchase of portion of the Palmyra group or islands, about 1000 miles south of Honolulu. It comprises 35 atolls, aggregating less than one 1 square mile in area, but enclosing a U-shaped lagoon, having a certain strategic value as a seaplane port. The j islands are said to be owned by Anieri- | can interests. It is intended to erect a radio station and the necessary buildI ings to house the wireless staff, as well as to furnish quarters for Navy air personnel, and, possibly, provision for an intermediate base for oil fuel. The group is in the vicinity of Canton and Endorbury Islands, for the ownership of which the United States, for two years past, lias been negotiating with Britain. Another “advanced operating base,” at Midway Island, is provided | for in the legislation submitted to j Congress lor the annexation of the Palmyra group. Westward, beyond Midway, the United States Navy is already controlling a string of islets, which are described as a useful landing place for long-range bombing aero- i planes. Two hundred miles beyond I Midway is Kuro, which President 1 Roosevelt ordered transferred to the 1 Navy two years ago. These new dove-j lopments are disclosed for the first ! time, in an explanatory note to the legislation, authorising an additional expenditure of 28,000.000 dollars on the line of observation, which, according to Navy strategists, will extend 6090 miles from the Aleutians to Samoa, in the vicinity of the 180th degree of longitude—the internation- j al date line, as it is known to Pacific travellers. The appropriation covers a i new naval air station at Kodiak I Island. Alaska; dry-dock facilities in Hawaii for the largest battleships; high-powered wireless installation ; and j an extra air link, to draw remote sectors of the Hawaiian islands into ! closer contact with naval, military and aviation units in the vicinity of j Honolulu.