THE BRITISH FLAG IN SPITSBERGEN

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 79, 28 December 1918, Page 8

THE BRITISH FLAG IN SPITSBERGEN

MORE LIGHT ON AN IMPERIAL EXPEDITION

The recent expedition to the Spitsbergen Group was the subject of an interview with Mr. I'. W. Salisbury Jones, managing director of the British Northern Exploration Company, published in the. "Morning Post":— This new British territory (for such it is, practically, although it has not been formally annexed) was a British possession as far back as the reign of James 1,and was effectively occupied for something like fifty yours, but towards the end of the seventeenth century tho settlement seems to have, been abandoned,'and the country remained a Mo Han's Land until the present century, when, as the result of the investigations of a number of scientific expeditions, the existence of vast mineral wealth in the ArciiTpelago was revealed. Among those who took advantage of those revelations were certain Swedish and Norwegian companies, and the Northern Exploration Company, which owns approximately 2000 square miles of land in Spitsbergen, This company's operations were; however, suspended in consequence of the war uiit.il a few months ago, when the Foreign Office undertook to accord the company's property the protection of the British, flag. .Further, in conjunction with the Foreign Office and with the support of the other Government Depigments concerned, an expedition was eouippod and dispatched to This expedition was originally under Sir Erneet Shacklelon, and his second in command was Captain Frank Wild, a , member of botli the Scott and Shackleton Antarctic Expeditions, who was released by the Admiralty for this duty. Foi\official reasons, however, Sir Ernest Shackleton was ronipelled to Icnve the ship while in Norway. The party comprised nboul two hundred persons!' including a number of mining and engineering experts, and the expedition was equipped with three months' food and other supplies for three hundred men. besides vast stores of mining, engineering, and housing material.

German Spies and Their Agents. We experienced some difficulties in Northern Norway from the machinations of German spies and their agents. Germany appears to have attached great importance to the acquisition of a share of these enormous coal and iron deposits in Spitsbergen, where before the war eho had established a wireless station, which has since been destroyed by British guns. Sweden and Norway also have large interests in tho islands, and it is reported lhat onormous profits have already been made by the Swedish and Norwegian companies out of Spitsbergen coal and iron ore during the war. The output of coal during last year wae over 100,000 tons, and on« company alone was reputed to have made ,£fil),flfJ profit, which is not at all improbable with coal commanding .£l3 per ton in Norway. However, we overcame all our initial difficulties—which were not inconsiderable— and carried out our mission successfully. It may be said with certainly lhat British interests in Spitsbergen are now established on a wider area and on a more secure foundation than before the war, and lhat the results will be of great national importance.

8000 Million Tons of Coal. How great those interests are likely to bacomo may be readily inferred from the. facts that 'the coal areas in Spitsbergen cover something like 2000 square miles, the seams varying from two lo twelve feel in thickness, with estimated reserves of over SOOD million tuns, comprising biluminous, sleam, anthracite, and ciinnel coals. Alongside Ihe coal are vnoriiioiis deposits of high-grade iron ore, as.siiyi.ns as high as Gfl to 70 per cent, ol puiv iron, not in patches or seau.i,-, but in veritable mountainous formation. It is n richer ore than any new miiuil in England richer even than Ihat imported from' Spain. Indeed, the only iron ore at all comparable with Ihat of Spilzbergen is the Gellivare ore of Swede)',. Thousands upon thousands of tons of this ore -among the richest in Ihe world-are only awaiting transportation to became of vital use to us and our Allies. It is important to know that they Imperial Government will furnish the necessary shipping facilities.