OCEAN ISLAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 152, 21 March 1908, Page 3

OCEAN ISLAND.

THE PHOSPHA.TE-DEPOSITS;

Some days .ago it wa's. reported that the A. and A. Line steamer New Orleans was under; charter to proceed from New Zealand to : load .a'cargo of phosphates at Ocean Island.- Yesterday,; inquiries elicited, the fact that-the "lI.S. and A.S:' Company's "steamer Aberlour-is also' fixed to load a similar cargo 'at tho same Island. Beforo sotting out on her journey the New Orleans will call at Wellington and tako in about 2000 tons of bunker coal, while the Aberlour, on completing ' discharge in Auckland, proceeds 1 to Newcastle for bunker supplies. A great deal -of interest is being taken in theso two vessels, for it will be a matter of "first come first :serve," and tho one that is J second in the race will probably havo to wait a matter of fivo or six weeks whilo tlie oilier boat is loading.. Captain Schwaner,'master, of tlie German ship Claudius,' in referring to .the mothod of loading vessels-there, says, "The ;way thoy ship the cargo off, in baskets placed into eaclr boat, holding about If tons. or more, is, in my opinion—as these surf .boats are handy for the natives to handle—tho most suitable way to handle the cargo at Ocean Island.'' Ocean Island, which is situated iii latitude 0, 52min. S., longitude 169, 3omin. E., 's also known as Baiiaba, and is almost oval in shape. It is included in the Gilbert and Ellioe Island Protectorate, : though it is about 200 miles' distant from' the nearest of the Gilbert and Kingsmill Group. The Island is surrounded by a flat coral reef, which is only covered at high; tide. From the reefedge tho land shelves at a stoop angle into deep water, and as there are no outlying reefs, largo vessels can load'with safety at only a short distance from the shore. The climate is healthy, and, though naturally hot, it is usually tempered by a refreshing breeze. In the past the Island has suffered severely from drought, hut recently there .has been an abundance of rain, and vegetation has flourished. The Island is held under a ninety-nine years' lease from the British Government by tho Pacific Islands Company, Limited, who employ about 25 white and 800 native labourers in raising tho important phosphate deposits. Two chief stations havo been established—the one at Home Bay, the other at Tapiwa—and a good road has been made between the two settlemerits, which are also connected by telephone. Tram lines havo been laid down running to the end of long jetties, whence the phosphate is conveyed by largo surf boats to tho steamers, made fast, about a couple of hundred yards off to deep-sea moorings. The Aberlour, on loading at Ocean Island, takes her cargo oitlier to Hamburg, Antwerp, or' Rotterdam for discharge.