Note to Britain

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 631, 6 April 1929, Page 9

Note to Britain

WILKES AND GRAHAM LANDS APPLICATION OF MONROE DOCTRINE (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) Reed. 9.5 a.m. WASHINGTON, Friday. IT is learned from authoritative sources that the State Department has prepared a Note, which it will soon forward to the British Government, contesting certain British claims in Antarctica. It was drafted soon after the Department received a Note from Britain to the effect that Britain would be glad to have Commander Byrd land on British territory if he wished to do so.

HPHE department took the Note to imply British sovereignty over virtually al the Antarctic region, and wished to point out that the United States considered that much of the land claimed by the British was originally discovered in the name of the United States, and that Commander Byrd, by means of his airplanes and other equipment, which earlier explorers did not have, is discovering and will probably continue to discover hitherto unknown areas. Although the Note does not mention the Monroe Doctrine, it is understood that the department contemplates taking the position .that the Doctrine is applicable to parts of the Antarctic in the western hemisphere. The United States is expected to file a counter-claim to the entire area of Wilkes Land, on the ground that Wilkes was leading an expedition authorised by Congress when he discovered the territory in 1840, and due to the fact that it is stated that the extent of this territory has never been determined. The United States feels that it could claim an indefinite part of Antarctica. It is also understood that the United States contemplates filing a counterclaim for the Falkland Island dependencies, including Graham Land, which the United States Government contends was first discovered by Captain Palmer, of the United States, in 1820. It is contended at Washington that with the exception of the Ross discovery of the Ross Sea, British exploration in Antarctica did not begin until the 20th century. According to official sources the British claims which the United States will contend were set forth in the British Imperial Conference’s proclamation in 1926. HOW DOCTRINE APPLIES AMERICA'S PART IN EXPLORATION WHAT OTHERS HAVE DONE The two essential points of the Monroe Doctrine, formulated, by President Monroe in 1823, are that "the American continents are not to be considered as subjects for future colonisation by any European Power,” and that America "would consider any attempt on any European nation’s part to extend its system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety.” It will be noted from the map published on this page that while Graham Land is in the American hemisphere," being due south of South America, Wilkes Land is definitely in the Eastern Hemisphere as it lies to the south of Australia. HISTORY OF EXPLORATION How many nations, apart from America, have contributed to the discovery of different parts of the Antarctic Continent is shown by the record of exploration there, which was started by Captain Cook’s voyage in 1773 More than 40 years later, in 1819, William Smith discovered what are now called the South Shetland Islands. In 1821 Bellingshausen, a Russian, discovered Peter I. Island and Alexander I. Land. James Weddel. a Scotsman, reached latitude 74deg. 15min. S. in 1823, in the great bay to which has name has been given. Enderby Land was seen in 1831 by Biscoe, a captain in the service of the Enderby Brothers; the next year Biscoe discovered Adelaide Island, the Biscoe Islands, and Graham Land. John Ballenv was sent southwards by the same merchants and discovered the islands which bear his name in 1839. A French sailor, D’Urville, made Adelie Land in 1840, and in the same year Wilkes, of the United States Navy, sailed along the coast of Wilkes Land. Although later explorers have found open sea in some parts of the area where he claimed to have found land, yet his discovery went a considerable way toward developing the idea that there was a continuous land mass to the south of Australia. ROSS’S DISCOVERIES In 1841 James Clarke Ross, in coin-

mund of a British Antarctic expedition, broke through the Antarctic icepack and found open sea. He sailed onwards straight toward the South Magnetic Pole, until stopped by land at Cape Adare. Boss discovered the Admiralty Mountains, Possession Island, Coulman Island, Mount Melbourne, Franklin Island, and finally the volcanic Mounts Erebus and Terror, and Cape Crozier. East of the latter, Ross sailed along the edge of the Great Ice Barrier; he had mad© the first voyage beyond latitude 75deg. S., and his name is attached to the great Antarctic bay which he discovered. The extent of South Victoria Land was first suggested by his discoveries. In each of the following seasons attempts were made by Boss to reach the high latitudes, the best effort being 71deg. 30min. S. in the Weddell Sea in March, 184^. For thirty years after this no great progress was made. H.M.S. Challenger, on February 16, 1874, was the first steam vessel to cross the Antarctic Circle. No land discoveries were made, but the examination of the sea floor indicated the existence of the icebound continent of Antarctica. King Oscar 11. Land was discovered by Larsen in 1893, his ship, the Jason, being the second steamer to cross the Antarctic Circle. In 1897 the Belgica sailed from Antwerp, under Adrien de Gerlache, with a company which included Captain Roald Amundsen. Borchgrevink led the Southern Cross expedition in 1898, and a party of ten wintered near Cape Adare on the mainland, while the shi-p went back to New Zealand; in 1900 the party was taken on board and the Southern Cross explored part of the Great Ice Barrier. The discoveries during the present century of British expeditions under Captain Scott, Shackleton and Sir Douglas Mawson, as well as those of Captain Amundsen and other foreign explorers, are too well known to need recounting. Commander Byrd’s expedition is the first to be organised in America during the twentieth century. BRITAIN MYSTIFIED AMERICA’S “SUDDEN DISCOVERY” COURTESY NOTE OF 1927 (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 10.7 a.m. LONDON, Friday. There is some mystification in official circles in London at the sudden American discovery of diplomatic exchanges over the Antarctic. It is hardly correct to say that Britain sent a note asserting her sovereignty over the territory. The only thing that can be recalled is when, in 1927, it was announced that Commander Byrd was organising an expedition to the Antarctic, Britain sent a courtesy communication offering him every facility for travel in British territory. America now regards this as an intimation of sovereignty. Coupled with this is the 1926 Imperial Conference Declaration that the Ross Sea and the Falklands are Imperial concerns. However, Downing Street will say nothing until the suggested American Note arrives.