NOTE ON HULL ISLAND.
According to the records of the Admiralty (see
statement of their representative under Item 3 of the
interdepartmental meeting of the 24th November
(enclosure C in A.22)) this island was first discovered
by the United States.     We do not know on what other
grounds the United States can lay claim to it. His
Majesty's iSmbassy at 'Washington have been asked to supply
urgently any material on this point which they can
discreetly obtain.
3o far as the title of His Majesty's Government is
concerned Hull Island was taken possession of on the 11th
July, 1309, by Captain Oldham, H.M.S. "Aegeria" and in
August 1936 Captain Be^rfer left a Union Jack and a notice ;
board affirming British sovereignty over the island.
For some years past the island has been leased to the
British company Burns, Philp, for the exploitation of
coconuts, and in August 1937 Mr. Jones, the local manager
of the company, was given the provisional status of
deputy commissioner of the Phoenix Islands.     The company's
interest in the island has now been bought out but LIr.
Jones is still residing there and has been confirmed in
the above-mentioned status.     At the end of last year a
New Zealand party, which has been withdrawn this month,
landed on the island and staked out in an ostentatious
manner the provisional site for an airport. Arrangements
are on foot to colonise the island as an integral part of
a scheme for placing settlers in islands of the Phoenix
Group from the surplus population of the Gilbert and
cilice Islands colony.     An advance party of these
islanders is about to arrive at Hull Island, to dig wells
and begin the planting of trees.      It would appear
advisable that some members of this party should remain on
the island until arrangements have reached a point at which
the/
the main body of settlers can arrive there,
(intiia). j.b.
14th Januarys 1939.