GOLD ON ATLANTIC ISLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 978, 22 May 1930, Page 18

GOLD ON ATLANTIC ISLE

METAL WILL BE MINED ON ASCENSION A BRITISH POSSESSION Gold lias been discovered in the middle of the Atlantic. For the first time the little rocky island of Ascension, 2.400 miles from Capetown, 3,500 miles from London and 4.000 miles from New York, figures in the world's business. Though the rainless, volcanic territory of 38 square miles has belonged to the British Empire for many generations, it has hitherto ranged with the hundreds of other obscure microscopic “freak colonies” ruled by King George in various parts of the world. Until 1922 Ascension was not even considered a country by official London. The small chip of Africa that rests within the South Atlantic was legally classed as a “man-of-war," one of those British jokes that amuse the stranger.

H.M.S. Ascension, like the Capetown Royal Observatory (also rated as a cruiser) and the Torpedo Gunnery School in England, was manned by the London Admiralty. Its revenue and expenditure passed through the naval accounts and the chief citizen held the rank of commander. Save for their guardianship over a relay station of the Eastern Cable Company, the forces of the British Crown on this island never found much work to do. At the village of Georgetown the 300 residents, civil naval and military, live contentedly waiting for the steamers that call at Ascension. Unlike its more famous neighbour, Tristan da Cunha (2.000 miles away) this territory is in close touch with the world. It gets monthly mails and the cable brings all the news.

Hitherto the Ascension people rarely had any items of general interest to send to the more populous areas of the globe. At last, however, seme worthwhile news could be wired. Like most parts of the continent to which it belongs, the island has gold deposits. Their discovery may be traced to the change in the regime that occurred in 1922. Since that

year the British Admiralty has abp doned its control and the cote** l ? office in London took over the terrr tory. St. Helena, where Napolw* died, being the nearest portion £ King George’s Empire (TOO miles i* tant) the island of Ascension *** placed under its Governor. Georgetown, the principal villas lying below a crescent of volcsbk peaks, began to devedop its commert* During the days -when Ascension w a “cruiser” the chief commodity abroad was the monster turtle. Now gold has been found in pßi l * Quantities. ✓ - The St. Helena and Ascension & velopment Company is beginning mining. No less than 1,600 to#* ore, a so-called “bulk sample* forwarded to London, where * J able process of work has been P* 4 ®**", A ship has taken the first the plant to the island, a batteFy of the kind to be fontw J over the Transvaal and Rhodesia. • rush of miners is expected, the field remains in the han< ** “1d,.. St. Helena and Ascension ment Company. , J St. Helena has also experiercec thrill. It acquired its fifst °Tho delight of the 3,000 hali-c£ citizens when this automobile through its hilly lanes was enae* the death of the Rt. Rev. Dr. Hol*£ Anglican Bishop of St. Helena, cleric probably administered the tar-flung diocese in the world. comprises Ascension. St. Helen* ,| Tristan da Cunha. From end *® j it measured 2,500 miles.