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IN 1596 two Dutchmen, Barents
and Heemskirk, discovered Spitz
bergen, and were immediately
followed by British explorers. A
British seaman—Poole—was one of
^iese, and he was the first man to
find coal in Spitzbergen, in 1604. Two
notable British explorers were Foth
erby Aid Baffin, who sailed to Spitz
bergen on behalf of the well-known
company of London merchants known
as the Muscovy company. Carrying
with them a royal warrant, they au
thoritatively and definitely (annexed
Spitzbergen in 1614 to the British
crown in the name of King .Tames for
his heirs and successors. So it is
certainly British yet by right of suc
cession, whatever the successive heads
of the British government have been
or will be. since the reign of James
'NT of Scotland and I of Great Britain,
writes Dr. William S. Bruce in Sphere.
In 1914 Britain consented to sit at
a conference table, convened by other
powers, at Christiania, to discuss in
what way the government of Spitzber
gen should be organized, because of
its increasing commercial develop
ment by enterprising miners and hunt
ers of various nationalities—British
and foreign. There had been an ear
lier conference at which Russia, Nor
way, and Sweden only had sat, and at
which, I understand, Britain had re
* fused to consent to sit, or at all events
definitely did not sit and did not rec
ognize it as internationally authori
tative. But in 1914—the tercentenary
of Fotherby and Baffin's British annex
ation—the British government, which
had the ancient right and title to
Spitzbergen as heirs and successors of
King James, took up the very gener
ous attitude of insisting, if a British
government delegate w’as to sit, that
every pow-er represented there must
first acknowledge that Spitzbergen
was Terra Nullius, or No Man’s Land,
thus not forcing British rights for
ward, but also refusing to admit the
right of any other power present to
have any right or title whatever. This
conference was sitting in Christiania
in July. 1914. Besides Britain, the
United States, Germany, Russia
France, Holland, Norway, Sweden and
Denmark sent delegates, but when the
war broke out the different delegates
returned to their respective countries
and the conference was dissolved with
out result, and Spitzbergen is, and re
mains, a Terra Nullius. This is quite
definite in spite of other unauthentic
statements that have recently appeared
ft the press.
Who Shall Rule the Island?
What will next happen it is impos
sible to say, even by one who, like my
self, has been very intimately asso
ciated with Spitzbergen for almost a
quarter of a century. But certain
things must happen regarding some of
the powers which were represented at
the conference in 1914. (1) Germany
must not be allowed in future to take
any part whatever in the organiza
tion of Spitzbergen in spite of her
forced bargain with Russia at the
Brest-Litovsk treaty. (2) Russia is
surely not able to take a fully respon
sible position now with her disorgan
ized government. (3) The United
States has not the same interests, be
cause her citizens have since sold their
estates to Norwegians; Holland has
only early historical interests, France
and Denmark have no special economic
interests, and Britain, Norway and
? Sweden remain the three specially in
terested parties.
^ Which of these three countries is
able to look justly after the rights of
its own subjects, as well as those of
the other two nationalities who have
interests? Personally, for many strong
reasons, I most emphatically empha
size that the British government
should be asked by the world powers
at the peace conference to exercise
Its rights not only as heir to the Brit
ish rights and titles as defined and de
clared by Fotherby and Baffin in
1614, but also for the protection of
subjects of other nations who have
some, but not exclusive, rights there.
Spitzbergen will soon be recognized
as the goose with the golden egg. “Let
Spitzbergen develop.” In Spitzbergen
we find the finest coal in the world,
equal to the best Welsh steam coal,
in most accessible places. This is
very definitely known by many others
than myself and those thoroughly fa
miliar with Spitzbergen. It was Cap
tain Poole in 1004 who discovered coal,
and it was myself who brought it home
in 1S9S, and I had it certified as r
very high class steam coal in the j
laboratory of a Scottish colliery; but if
was the Americans who first developed
its mining on an extensive scale, in
about 1005. under William Munro. It
is now being more extensively worked
by British. Norwegians, and Swedes.
Extensive iron ore deposits are re
ported by the Northern Exploration
company of London. Oil deposits are
known and claimed by the Scottish
Spitzbergen syndicate, as well as very
extensive deposits of some of the finest
gypsum in the world, while there aro
indications of other valuable minerals,
which will require skilled investiga
tion and handling by expert mining
geologists and engineers.
Furs and Fisheries.
Besides minerals there are fur-bear
ing animals which would provide
sport and fur if properly protected by
the British government, and not al
lowed to be massacred and even exten
sively poisoned by northern hunters.
Let these animals be bred and only
legally killed with discretion, and there
will be a large permanent revenue
from them. Valuable foxes and rein
deer still exist in considerable num
bers in spite of the indiscriminate
slaughter that has taken place. There
are seals, whales, and porpoises. The
walrus can be re-established as well
as the polar bear. Fisheries, too,
might also be organized, and all these
animals could produce a large revenue
if properly handled and properly pro
tected by an organized and unselfish
gu> t-i lilllt'llL.
Then there are the beauties and
wonders of this arctic land of prom
ise, besides these wonderful mineral
and animal resources # mentioned.
Think of the birds, many in their mil
lions, and many of economic value,'
notably the eider duck, and some
very edible birds and eggs—geese,
ducks, and others. One may scan
acres, even miles, of purple saxifrage,
like purple heather. One may wade
through luxuriant beds of sulphur but
tercups, and find brilliant patches of
arctic poppies and other plants, thriv
ing even at great and exposed alti
tudes. Many brilliantly-colored lich
ens etch out almost every rock,
swampy bits luxuriate with the richest
mosses, liverworts, and interesting
algae, and pools teem with crusta
cean and other animal and vegetable
life; even the remnants of snow are
colored with red, yellow, green, and
other colored algae known over cen
turies.
Spitzbergen, besides mineral, animal
and plant resources, has a large series
of beautiful harbors and anchorages,
so what with these and the Gulf
stream there is every possible facility
to get there comfortably and safely.
Let our shell-shock patients and other
wounded heroes thoroughly recover in
Spitzbergen in proper sanatoria in the
healthiest climate in the world, where
you can’t get a cold or a fever because
there are no germs—a sterile, wonder
ful, and translucent atmosphere suf
fuses this land where the sun never
sets all the summer and consequently
the plants never cease to grow, and
where everything is more wonderful
and beautiful than in any inhabited
part of the world from pole to pole.
Sun Source of All Power.
Power cannot come from nothing.
Even a watch or clock must, sooner
or later, have new power put into it.
The power is put into the spring
when the watch is wound up. We
wind it with muscle force obtained
from food. Food in turn is produced
by power of the sun. So the sun,
which really driyes the watch, is the
source of all power.
Palm
Sunday
“Tell ye the daughter of Zion (Je
rusalem), behold, thy King cometh
unto thee.—And a very great multitude
spread their garments in the way;
others cut down branches from the
trees and strew them in the way. And
the multitude that went before and
that followed cried, saying, Hosanna
to the Son of David: Blessed is he
that cometh in the name of the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest. And when
he was come in Jerusalem, all the city
was moved, saying, who is this? And
the multitude said, This is Jesus the
prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.”
We invite you to our Palm Sunday
service, Sunday evening, March 28, at
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
“The Church with a Message”
11 a. m. 8 p. m.
I SHAMPOOING
\ FACIAL AND
For MANICURING
/CALL
\ 101 -3 RINGS
MRS. SWANBERG
GEORGE
ANDERSON
PIANO EXPERT
And Factory Representative
High-Grade Pianos
Will be in ordova in the near
future
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|| From Its Very
j1 Inception
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11 This Bank has kept pace with the
j | growth of this section and the develop
11 ment of its resources. It has been at all
11 times ready to aid and assist local enter
11 crises when consistent with conservative
11 banking.
11 Our many years of service enable us to
11 give accurate and complete information
11 relative to local business conditions and (j|
| j opportunities offered in the field of our jfjj
11 vast undeveloped natural resources. jg I
11 We solicit the accounts and are ready 11
11 to assist any legitimate business or enter- 11
11 prise, and offer the benefit of our oast ex- § I
11 perience. 11
H H J j
The First Bank of |1
(1 Cordova IS
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HI! Established 1909 Ml!
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In the
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of Its goodness I
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a sealed package, but look |
for the name—the Greatest |
Name in Goody-Land. |
TIMES ADS FOR SURE RESULTS
CHAS. GOLDSTEIN & COMPANY
JUNEAU,ALASKA
“ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD—PAYING THE TOP OF THE MARKET
In presenting the following quotations we want you to understand we pay
what we quote. If the market advances after the Issuance of this circular
we give the shipper the benefit of the increase. Upon request we shall be
pleased to keep you advised of market changes. Bear in mind that because
of our policy of dealing directly with the trader and trapper we can afford
to, and do, PAY THE HIGHEST PRICES FOR FURS OF ALL KINDS,
Black bear—No. 1 silky. $ 15.00 to $ 30.00
Coyotes—Extra large No. 1. 20.00 to 25.00
Fox. cross—large dark. 75.00 to 125.00
Fox, red—large dark . 40.00 to 60.00
Fox, white . 50.00 to 65.0C
Fox, blue—Prices vary according to color and quality;
prices average from..... 75.00 to 200.03
Fox, silver—We have a big outlet for silver fox, and guar
antee top prices for same. Be sure to ship us your silver
foxes and wre will show you we are there with the
goods. Prices range from... 150.00 to 850.06*
Marten, dark and extra large No. 1. 75.00 to 100.00
Fisher, large dark . 75.00 to 125.00
Mink, extra large No. 1 dark. 12.00 to 16.00
Muskrat, fall Alaskan, large No. 1. 1.50 to 2.00
Lynx, extra large No. 1. 40.00 to 60.00
Land otter (Interior) . 30.00 to 40.QO
Land otter (Coast) . 20.00 to 27.60
White weasel, large No. 1. 1.25 to 2.00
Wolf, large No. 1, cased . 25.00 to 30.00
Wolf, largo No. 1 open. 18.00 to 25.00
Wolverine, large dark . 20.00 to 25.00
Prices above quoted are all for No. 1 best grade furs. Lower grades, in
cluding pale skins, priced in proportion.
WE ARE THE LARGEST DEALERS IN RAW AND MANUFACTURED
FURS IN THE NORTHWEST, and all we ask of you, Mr. Shipper, is to give
us the chance of a trial shipment and we will convince you that we pay more
for furs and make quicker returns than you can get anywhere in the country
We have been in business in Alaska for 36 years and have built up a very
extensive trade. We sell manufactured furs in all parts of the United States,
Canada, and in a great many European cities.
By shipping to us you are not only helping an Alaska industry but you are
helping yourself to build up a business that belongs to Alaska.
We eliminate the middleman entirely, as we buy direct from the trapper and
trader and sell direct to the consumer; thus we are able to pay you a better
price than you can get elsewhere. WE MAKE RETURNS THE SAME DAY
SHIPMENT IS RECEIVED.
If so desired, when your shipment amounts to $100 or more, we will wire out
bid, and if not entirely satisfactory yo\i may wire at our expense and we wit',
ship to any place you designate.
All we ask of you is to be fair with yourself as well as with us, and make us
a trial shipment; the result will make you a steady shipper.
References: Any bank in Alaska, the B. M. Behrends Bank, Juneau; National
Bank of Tacoma, Tacoma, Wash.; Dexter Horton National Bank of Seattle.
I ’ --
FIELD GLASSES
Binoculars, Barometers, Pocket Compasses,
Ships’ Clocks and Snow Glasses
We also fit glasses for reading. If you are particular about having
e correct time, have your watch repaired by
PAUL BLOEDHORN
PHONE 2—2—3
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Good Printing
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