Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
The minesweeper Swan left for the Phoenix Islands (Leff 1940; see also Wright 1951). Two
days later, the search was given up in the Phoenix Islands. According to Beheim (2004),
three planes from the Colorado began aerial searches of the Phoenix Islands. The four day
search covered about 25,490 square miles.
The H.M.S. Achilles was in the vicinity of the Phoenix Islands when Earhart was lost
(Holbrook 1973). It had transmitted a message that they had received an unidentified signal.
This prompted the search in the Phoenix Islands area. Apparently, the Achilles was
conducting further surveys of the Phoenix Islands area to support the British claim to the
islands.
During the search for Earhart, it became evident that Howland and Baker Islands were
inadequate for seaplanes (Holbrook 1973). The U.S. Navy then began looking for alternative
islands for development of air fields. Their attentions focused on the Phoenix Islands.
Between 1937 and 1938, the migration rate from Beru (Gilbert Islands) to the Phoenix
Islands was 15 percent (Di Piazza and Pearthree 1999). The average migration rate from the
other Gilbert Islands to the Phoenix Islands was about 3 percent.
In 1938, the resettlement scheme was approved (Knudson 1965; see also Maude 1968). In
addition to the overcrowding in the Gilbert Islands, there were political reasons for settling
the Phoenix Islands (Bevington 1990). American claims to part of the Phoenix Islands and
the doctrine of sovereignty based on occupation developed.
The migration program was known as the Phoenix Islands Settlement Scheme (PISS) (King
et al 2001). This trap was not noticed until a hurried letter from Suva was sent to the officer
commanding the resettlement program using only the program’s acronym (Robson 1941).
In 1938, the British were compelled to relocate about 2,000 Gilbertese to the Phoenix Islands
to relieve population pressures (Freeman 1951; 700 according to Keith-Redi 1996; see also
Maude 1968). Gilbertese from the southern islands were the target audience (Knudson
1965). Persons selected for this scheme possessed the least land, the poorest land, or came
from a large family relative to the quantity and quality of land holdings (Knudson 1965).
However, there appeared to be at least some circumvention of these criteria. Settlers were
told that there was no possibility of return to the Gilbert Islands (see also Maude 1952 and
1968). Settlers to the Phoenix Islands would take over the copra plantations on the Phoenix
Islands previously leased by Burns Philip (Anon. 1939a). For a detailed account of the
relocation voyages and initial resettlement activities, see Maude (1952 and 1968).
Post offices were set up on each island resettled (Maude 1952 and 1968). Since the
cancellation stamps had not arrived, letters were hand cancelled.
In 1939, the U.S.S. Bushnell completed a surveying expedition to the Phoenix and Samoan
Islands (Schultz 1939). This included surveys and collections of terrestrial and marine
species. A general account of the actual expedition is provided in Schultz (1939).
ABARIRINGA (CANTON, KANTON)
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