811.0141 Phoenix Group/104
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Memorandum
The Navy Department is planning a hydrographic survey of Canton Island, Enderbury Island, and Swains Island during the calendar year 1939. The survey will be made by a ship especially fitted for this purpose, and will involve preliminary aircraft photography. While this expedition is in the Pacific it is considered opportune to include a survey of certain islands of the Phoenix Group on which accurate hydrographic information is lacking, namely, McKean, Birnie, Gardner, Hull, Sydney, and Winslow Reef. The purpose of this survey is entirely scientific and is without reference to the question of title to such islands as to which both Governments have claims.
It may be added that the Navy Department will of course gladly furnish the British Government with such information as is obtained as a result of this survey of the islands of the Phoenix Group.