History of the Pacific Islands was the first European to sail through the islands and sighted Nui during his expedition in search of Terra Australis. European explorers did not return until two centuries later. In 1819 the island of Funafuti was named Ellice's Island; the name Ellice was applied to all nine islands after the work of English hydrographer Alexander George Findlay (1812–1876). The islands came under Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century, when each of the Ellice Islands was declared a British protectorate by Captain Gibson R.N., of HMS "Curacoa", between 9 and 16 October 1892. The Ellice Islands were administered
Communications in the Marshall Islands <br>"domestic:" Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by shortwave radio, telephone (used mostly for government purposes) <br>"international:" satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) Stations included are: Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 3 (of which two are US military stations) (1997) (stations are: MBC-TV, CPN (AFN) - Central Pacific Network (Channel 1) - CPN (AFN) - Central Pacific Network (Channel 2)) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 Country code (Top level domain): MH Not