Show MORE ANNEXED swan islands in tho e caribbean a sea e and their importune importance tho the united states senate lias hal ha l just passed a bill appropriating tor for the construction ot of a lighthouse on swan island inland which ll Is a little dot ot at land in the caribbean sea between cuba and the south american coast and Is owned by sir bir warren if IC blodgett of boston the bill on Us its face ace hits ha no oth other r import than to make sitter safer the navigation of 0 these waters but involved in it Is an extremely important question oue atlon and ono one that hol has on 01 international phase it if tho the united states goes so tar far as to build a lighthouse on this isi island a nd IV IL Is probable that the Govern government men wit will I 1 not stop there but will proceed to establish a coaling station Bt allon and perhaps even a more formidable naval establishment lish ment may inay somo some adly diy be placed there already the island has been surveyed by a commission of naval office and valuable maps and charts are already in existence of at the island and the waters adjacent to it it ever the panama canal or the nicaragua canal Is built this little island 1 will I be of g preat CA importance its aa it lies dire directly ely in ill the path of all the slat shipping liping which would pass pa in and out ot at the eastern openings ot of such canals the project to construct a blicht house I 1 hero hai bits the strong drone approval of 0 the secretary of 0 the Trea treasury tilary and the naval off officers leers tailed detailed de for or duty on the lighthouse board and there tire are phases ot of tho the ca caw which are set bet orth forth by senator senater Wo Millan of michigan who ao 0 a member of 0 the senate committee on commerce wai wag assigned to make la a report on the bill tile the swan islands are says pays senator tor report situated in the caribbean sea north latitude 17 23 22 west longitude 83 the larger island Is about three miles long lone by a mile wide the smaller one Is practically a an extension of the lh other they lie directly in the path of 0 four our lines of ocean travel and that travel Is now very rapidly increasing the swan islands ar alfr guano islands lands In and as such were the first island warn taken of by the catl citizens z ina of the united states after the passage and under the provisions of the th act ot of conre congress lit in relation to such island enacted in the united states through mr seward rd then secretary of 0 state slate proclaimed in february 1963 that those islands iRlan la were under the protection at 0 the united states state in ill the technical phase of the act they are islands island appertaining to the united states and they have for or forty years been owned and continuously inhabited and operated by of the united states chev are now owned by mr warren K blodgett of boston mass in the opinion of the committee it la in important to tho the government of the united states that these islands should remain in its control and that this control should be fixed for or all time this result can elci easily ally bo be accomplished by the establishment of a government lighthouse where the constant presence ot of a paid agent of 0 tho the united states slates would make permanent possession by united states citizens a certainty guati islands are but ninety live miles from the coast of honduras miles from the coast of 0 nicaragua ui miles from cuba miles from brit till honduras and JISO miles from jamaica baica maica As has been shown they occupy a strategic position in the western port part of the caribbean sell sea which Is of at great importance and hrobat probably 1 y there Is no other island which can 1 in a tiny any way may approach them in this respect tho the united states purchases coal for its caribbean squadron at the port of kingston jamaica but what could it do in case of Y with tit england the islands lie in deep water mater and by the construction of a breakwater could have a harbor wit which to h w would hold th lit whole navy of 0 the united states they are fertile and tire are no noted ted for their healthfulness and f freedom ree from the west indian M malaria B arla several years ao ago ea hospital was tabes there as a a refuge from the southern fever and now it well known new york physician is id considering the in cu question I 1 estion of establishing n sanitarium a there Is no complication in regard to the government pov emment of the islands such as might exist in the case of a larger and populous island there are no inhabitants the island Is occupied by tour four or live five citizens ot of and connecticut whose fa famines milles are arc still living here negro labor Is brought during the working season mason from other islands and sent back when hen the Bea seasons sons work Is over 1 |