Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 2. Human Activities
Draft 1 March 2007
to the 432 Gilbertese colonists (Bryan 1951; see also Freeman 1951). For a detailed account
of the relocation voyages and initial resettlement activities, see Maude (1952 and 1968).
Between 1938 and 1939, Orona (Hull) was surveyed by a party from New Zealand (Bryan
1941; Hobbs 1945). Principal coral heads were marked with empty drums. The island was
claimed for British Pacific Airways. The military value of Abariringa (Canton) and Orona
(Hull) was that they could be small naval bases with good airstrips (Hobbs 1945).
In July 1939, seaplanes from the battleship Colorado landed at Orona (Hull) (Dickson 1939)
in their search for Amelia Earhart.
The Gilbertese settled the island in 1938-1940 (Hydrographer of the Navy 1969). In 1939,
there were 80 Gilbertese people in a settlement on the western part of the island
(Hydrographic Office 1940). There was a well arranged village where the copra camp used
to be on the west end (Bryan 1941 and 1942). A large concrete cistern had been build. The
14,000 coconut trees had been apportioned to the settlers.
In July 1939, the U.S.S. Bushnell surveyed Orona (Hull) (Bryan 1941; as part of the
surveying expedition to the Phoenix and Samoan Islands according to Schultz 1939). In
1939, the Bushnell blasted channel to the lagoon (Hydrographic Office 1940). This was next
to the village where landings could be made (Hydrographer of the Navy 1969). The blasted
channel was 0.9 m deep at spring tides.
Anon. (1939j) noted that the Phoenix Islands including Orona (Hull) have been under British
control for 70 to 100 years. Paradise of the Pacific magazine was critical of the Pacific
Islands Monthly regarding their biased reporting of U.S. claims to the Phoenix Islands
including Orona (Hull) and other island groups (Anon. 1939j).
By 1939, the population of Orona (Hull) had reached 307 (Garnett 1983a).
RAWAKI (PHOENIX)
In 1889, the British proclaimed Phoenix as a protectorate (Hydrographer of the Navy 1969;
see also Hydrographic Office 1916). The British vessel that annexed Rawaki (Phoenix) was
the H.M.S. Egeria (Douglas and Douglas 1994; under Commander Oldham according to
Garnett 1983a). The symbolic acts of declaring protectorates were performed on each island
(Orent and Reinsch 1941). This included a formal declaration and the hoisting of the British
flag. The reason for these annexations was the proposed trans-Pacific cable (Ward 1948) that
provided a new use for these small isolated islands. Bryan (1941 and 1942) reported that a
careful survey was completed of Rawaki (Phoenix) at that time.
In 1891, J.T. Arundel applied for a coconut planting license for Rawaki (Phoenix) (Garnett
1983a).
In 1897, the Pacific Islands Company took over Arundel’s business (Garnett 1983a). In
1899, Rawaki (Phoenix) was leased to the Pacific Islands Co. (Hydrographic Office 1916).
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