466
to our advantage than otherwise, having been placed
there by Chinese from Hong Kong, who were either
British subjects or had sailed there in registered
junks from a British port as British protégés.
Thus we conclude the impossibility of any but
temporary occupations of the Atoll of Pratas up till
last year (1907).
Newman
During the winter of last year Mr. H. K. Carse-
(one of your present correspondents) as the
result of some experience in such matters, and of
certain information which reached him through the
Master of a Hong Kong - Manila Steamer, decided to
go and prospect, the Atoll of Pratas for Guano and
Phosphate rock, and leaving Hong Kong on January 10th
in a chartered sea-going junk he reached Pratas upon
the morning of the 18th.
An Inspection showed that not only Guano and
Phosphate rock existed in great abundance, the whole
Atoll (14 miles long by about 3/4 of a mile wide) being
of the most perfect coral formation and offering,
wherever one might dig, a practically unlimited quan-
tity