CO129-351 - Public Offices - 1908 — Page 474

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quantity of excellent Phosphate, but the beach of

the Atol itself and parts of the lagoon side of the

Reef shewed, at low tide, that there would be a

sufficiency of Pearl-shell of what is known as the

"ear" or "Manila" variety to make diving operations

in the lagoon extremely remunerative.

Having spent two days in a N.E. gale upon Pra-

tas, Mr. Newman returned to Hong Kong with small

specimen parcels of Phosphate and Shell, the former

proving, upon analysis, to give 80% Phosphate pure,

worth about $25 per ton, and the latter being valued

at from $8 to $16 per picul (123 lbs.) according to

size, weight and lustre of the Shell.

Before leaving the Atol Mr. Newman hoisted the

British Ensign over the place, and under a cairn

erected at the foot of the pine-tree on the S.E.

shoulder of the Atol he buried in a tin box a state-

ment to the effect that upon the 14th day of January

1907 he had taken formal possession of the Island of

Pratas in the name of His Majesty King Edward VII.

During the month of April 1907 having heard

that