I attach a note of the meeting held on the
29th December to consider this question of the
Pacific islands.     It was contemplated, I think,
that copies of this note, when approved by those
present at the meeting, should be circulated for
consideration to the V/arren Fisher Committee.
If the note is approved here I suggest that
copies should be sent for approval or amendment to
Mr. Seal, Mr. Galpin, Mr. Syers and Mr. Shuckburgh
semi-officially, with an indication that final copies
will be circulated to the Warren fisher Committee.
Mr. Galpin was very insistent that some-
thing should be done quickly about Christmas Island,
and I am inclined to suggest that we should put in
hand provisional inquiries at once, and telegraph
to the High Commissioner telling him of the action
it may be decided to take and asking him to make
provisional inquiries as regards
(a) getting an officer for temporary
appointment to Christmas Island;
(b) ways and means of getting him there; and
(c) the probable cost.
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Sir John Maffey.
I am afraid that I ought to trouble
you with this.   The Warren Wisher Committee
on International Aviation has been studying
the question of a trans-Pacific civil aviation
service.    It is contemplated that sooner or
later there shall be such a service from JNew
Zealand to,probably^Vancouver.   This will
certainly have to call at nonolulu.   The route
from X*ew Zealand to Honolulu would probaoly be
by way of Fiji.   We had a meeting some time
ago of the representatives of interested
Departments at which I took the Chair, and the
ultimate outcome of that meeting was a survey
of various islands in which we were interested
made by vessels of the ffew Zealand Wavy. We
had another meeting on December 29th to
consider the results of that survey and all
that is now put forward is a record of that
meeting for communication to the other Depart-
ments concerned (Admiralty, Air Ministry,
Dominions Office and Foreign Office). The
general
general results are that we recommend some
definite action to secure our title to null
Island and Christmas Island more effectively
than is at present secured.   The action which
we propose is as follows:-
(1) Send to Christmas Island a Government
***** -A*
Officer in order to establish what will be more
A
than a fiction of administration.
(2) Include hull Island and a number of
neighbouring islands in the Gilbert and Ellice
Islands Colony by Order-in-Council under the
Colonial .Boundaries Act.
The Air Ministry regard the action
proposed with regard to Christmas Island as
rather urgent.   They contemplate sending out a
flying boat this year to survey the route. Meanwhile,
there have been disquieting indications that the
United States Government may put in some kind of
a claim to Christmas Island.      We had before us
at the meeting a very good new map of the Pacific
Ocean issued with the (American) national Geographic
Journal, in which Christmas Island was marked as
"U.S. and British", and the Hew Zealand Government
telegraphed on November 30th drawing attention to
a Press message from Washington which stated that
United States Government officials were devoting
attention to Christmas Island and that State Depart-
ment officials declared "The United States do not
recognise British sovereignty there".   The Foreign
Office consider     that our claim to Christmas Island
is irresistible.    It has actually been made part
of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony and the
Americans

Americans were definitely told it was British
in 1888 and nave never sent any reply.
Nevertheless, it is not in any way administered
and is only occupied by a company the financial
interests in which are i-Vench, which employs
Tahitian natives.   It will cost something to
send and keep an Administrative officer there
and there is really no justification at all for
asking the Gilbert   and Ellice Islands Colony
to pay.     Therefore, we agreed at the meeting
that the Home Government would have to pay. In
the ordinary course our proceedings would be
reported to the Warren Pisher Committee. That
Committee however will very likely not meet for
some considerable time and Sir Francis Shelmerdine
the Director of Civil Aviation, who is the
person most directly interested, is going away
next week.     What seems to be wanted is a talk
between the Colonial Office, the Air Ministry and
the Treasury, and I will try to arrange this if
authorised.   Meanwhile, I think that we should
telegraph to the high Commissioner as Mr. Creasy
proposes in his minute above.
(3)   The question of attaching the Phoenix
Group of islands, including null Island, to the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands is less urgent. Mr.
Jones criticises the recommendation, partly on
the ground that to take action of this kind with
regard to the Phoenix Group would weaken our
claim to various other islands with regard to
which no such action is suggested.    I do not
feel able to agree with him.   We have previously
been
been advised by the Law Officers to include in
some British Colony any island to the ownership
A
we attach any importance.   We attach definite
importance at the present moment to null Island
and I propose to include its neighbours for the
sake of consistency and uniformity.   It is quite
impossible to say that there may not be other
islands in the Pacific to which we nave at present
a rather vague claim wnich may hereafter assume
a definite importance;   but there is no means of
accelerating the date of that "hereafter". l
do not think that definite annexation of the Phoenix
tfroup will weaken our claim to those various other
stray islands.
y
Secondly, tor. Jones thinks that the Americans
will not recognise our title to the Pnoenix on
A
account of annexation and would look for some effectiv
occupation and administration.   Again I do not agree.
1 do not think there is any particular evidence
that the Americans are interested in the Phoenix
Group which do not, like Christmas Island, lie
on the route between America and nonolulu. In
any case, occupation and administration are
impracticable, for the islands are uninhabited
and practically uninhabitable.     in the circumstances
annexation to a Colony is the best thing we can do,
and I think it does something to strengthen our
title.
1. A telegram on the lines suggested
by Mr. Creasy in his minute of 30.12 should ^
be sent at once.
2. A meeting between the Colonial
Office, the Air Ministry and the Treasury, as
indicated by Mr. Vernon, should be arranged.
The Foreign Office should be kept in touch with
all that takes place as American susceptibilities
may be touched at any moment.
Action on 1. and 2. above may be
taken at once.
3. With regard to (3) in Mr. Vernon's
minute, I am in some doubt.     There is
obviously something to be said for the plan of
annexing the Phoenix Group of Islands forthwith
to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, but we must
be careful to avoid a false step.     It may be
that we shall find ourselves unable to hold
our position against American and world
criticism if we simply annex odd pieces of
territory without administering them in some
way.     I understand the American view to be that
these unadministered solitudes are for general
use and outside any national or Imperial scheme.
Mr. Vernon, in his minute, speaks of the
possibility of ike other islands in the Pacific
to which we have at present a rather vague claim,
which may hereafter assume a definite importance.
It would appear that this question requires
studying as a whole, so that policy may be
framed and action taken all along the line in
the interests of our posterity.     Mr. Vernon
evidently holds the view that there is no need
to
to hold up the attachment of the Phoenix Group of
Islands because these other vague claims exist.
I am not sure about this, and, as there are important
questions of policy involved, I should like the
Secretary of State to know of the position which is
developing.
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