Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
In the southeast corner of the lagoon on Manra was a series of small slightly brackish ponds
that were left from guano collection (Bryan 1941; eastern end of the island according to
Garnett 1983a).
MCKEAN
In 1858, McKean was occupied and guano had been exported (Hague 1862). Much of the
deposits had become covered by a foot of coral mud.
On March 14, 1859, the Phoenix Guano Company filed a claim for McKean and received
bond number 6, dated December 27, 1859 (Skaggs 1994; C.A. Williams and Co. filed the
claim according to Garnett 1983a). In 1859, C.A. Williams and Co. (which became the
Phoenix Guano Co.) filed a claim to McKean with the U.S. State Department under the 1856
Guano Act (Bryan 1941 and 1942; Anon. 1860e).
All of the Phoenix Islands, except Orona (Hull) were bonded to the American Guano
Company, or its subsidiary, the Phoenix Guano Company (Maude 1952 and 1968). The
Phoenix Islands Guano Company claimed McKean, Rawaki (Phoenix), and Enderbury
(Anon. 1859a). The agent for the Phoenix Islands Guam Company was C.A. Williams & Co.
Between 1857 and 1860, American companies took possession of McKean, Rawaki
(Phoenix), and Enderbury for guano extraction (Morrell 1960). It was estimated that there
was over 100,000 tons of guano on McKean (Pompey 1972c).
In 1859, Captain T. Long of the Agate took possession of McKean in the name of the United
States of America for the Phoenix Guano Company (Hydrographic Office 1940). A plaque
bearing that inscription was found by the U.S.S. Bushnell in 1939. Anon. (1859f) reported
that the Agate left 29 workers on McKean for loading guano on the Modern Times. A.M.
Goddard and 29 Hawaiians were planning to go to Rawaki (Phoenix), but ended up on
McKean (Bryan 1941 and 1942). The Modern Times was chartered at $10 per ton to load
guano from McKean (Anon 1859a; see also Anon. 1859c).
In 1859, a group of Hawaiian workers who had worked on Enderbury, McKeans, and Rawaki
(Phoenix) sued C.A. Williams for greater compensation due to the hardships (Skaggs 1994).
They lost in court.
The anchorage on McKean was excellent, so no mooring was needed (Anon. 1859f). The lee
of McKean was a good smooth place for a ship to wait (Anon. 1859g). However, the
Asanasia, slipped the large anchor and 137 m (75 fathoms) of chain during a heavy squall
while anchored at McKean (Anon. 1860d).
In 1860, Captain Long probably visited McKean to claim the island for C.A. Williams
(Garnett 1983a).
A load of 1,089 tonnes (1,200 tons) of guano from McKean transported by the White
Swallow, was the first load of guano to be brought to the U.S. (Anon. 1860e; see also Anon.
1860e, f, and h). McKean had nothing whatsoever of value for any useful purpose, except its
abundant wealth of fertilizing substance(Anon. 1860h).
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