The Department of Commerce is anxious to obtain permission from the
Government of Colombia to erect aids to navigation, one on the
eastern or southern part of Old Providence Island and the other on
one of the Courtown Cays. Should permission be accorded the lights
will be unwatched lights exhibited from the tops of small, steel
skeleton towers about 40 feet high, placed on concrete blocks. The
area required for each tower will be a small tract of land about 50
feet square. The lights may be placed in charge of the proper local
officer of the government of each island. The United States will pay
all expenses of erecting and maintaining the lights, including the
pay for such local services of attendance as is required. The lights
would require inspection probably two or three times a year by a
representative of the Lighthouse Service of this country, but
otherwise it would not be necessary for the United States to have
any employee at the light station, except such service as would be
employed locally.
You will immediately ask the Government of Colombia if it will be
kind enough to permit the erection of these lights which it is
believed will greatly facilitate navigation in the waters near these
islands and will minimize the danger at present attendant upon such
navigation.
You will also inform the Government of Colombia that this request
does not signify the taking of any attitude on the part of the
United States Government toward the various claims concerning the
sovereignty of the islands in question.
Proclamation No. 1512, February 25, 1919, of
the Reservation for Lighthouse Purposes of Gays on Serrana
and Quita Sueño Banks
By the President of the United
States of America
A PROCLAMATION
Whereas, the Congress of the United
States has provided by act of August 18, 1856 (11 U.S. Statutes
at Large, page 119; Sees. 5570 to 5578 U.S. Revised Statutes),
that whenever any citizen of the United States, after the
passage of the act, discovers a deposit of guano on any island,
rock, or key, not within the lawful jurisdiction of any other
Government and shall take peaceable possession thereof and
occupy the same, the island, rock, or key may, at the discretion
of the President of the United States, be considered as
appertaining to the United States.
And whereas, pursuant to the foregoing
act of Congress, Serrana and Quita Sueño Banks in the western
part of the Caribbean Sea are now under the sole and exclusive
jurisdiction of the United States and out of the jurisdiction of
any other government.
Now, therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson,
President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me
vested, do hereby declare, proclaim, and make known that the
southwest cay of Serrana Banks and the north, or other suitable
portion, of Quita Sueño Banks, including any small detached cays
surrounding either of these banks which the Department of
Commerce may desire, be and the same are reserved for lighthouse
purposes, such reservations being deemed necessary in the public
interests, subject to such legislative action as the Congress of
the United States may take with respect thereto.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be
affixed.
[seal]
Done in the District of
Columbia
this twenty-fifth day of February in the year of our
Lord one thousand nine hundred and nineteen, and of the
Independence of the United States the one hundred and
forty third.
Woodrow Wilson
By the President:
Frank L.
Polk
Acting Secretary of
State.
