ANTARCTICA CLAIM

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1929, Page 5

ANTARCTICA CLAIM

OF DISCOVERED TERRITORY [United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.] (Received this day at 8 a.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 8. Director Isa ah Bowman (Director of American Geographical Society, and one of the principal backers of the Byrd Expedition), stated that United States by virtue of Byrd’s latest flight is in n position to lay claim to 25,000 square miles of Antarctic territory lying along an hitherto unknown coast some 250 miles in length. This territory, lie stated, lies wholly without Boss Dependency. “The eastern limit of Ross Dependency is 150 meridan west, Maryland lies east of that meridan. On the contrary Rockfeller Range lies west of meridan 150 within Ross Dependency. “Since Byrd’s base camp is within Ross, it is necessary in setting up an Independency claim on the part of United States that there be an independent continuous connection between the new discoveries and the sea, at a point where no question of conflict of claims could enter the argument.” Bowman explains that Byrd’s observation of such a connection continues. “Insofar as any claims to Polar territories are valid they must rest not upon the principle of permanent occupation, but upon subsequent notification of the fact and of its specififc communication to others Powers ” If we take a view of reasonable possession we shall find it well illustrated by British claims of operations in the Antarctic, in order to avoid consideration of the new discovery. As they were continuous by land from Ross Dependency it seemed desirable to make an independent .tie-up with the coastline,/ in case further consideration of the discoveries makes it wise for United States to set up a specific claim.