[Enclosure—Translation]
The Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs
(Lykke)
to the American Minister (Swenson)
Mr. Minister: In your note of June 3, 1927,
concerning the claim made by the American company “Polarfront
Company” to occupy a part of the Island of Jan Mayen, you stated
that the area claimed by the company in question and which is
alleged to have been found unoccupied on July 26, 1926, included
that part of Jan Mayen which lies north and east of a direct line
drawn from the northern part of North Lagoon on the northwest coast
of the Island to President Rock on the southeast coast of the
Island.
In this connection I have the honor again to point out what I
previously stated in my notes of March 7, 1927,9 and April 30, 1927,10 that the Norwegian
Meteorological Institute has extended its occupation to cover the
whole Island of Jan Mayen and that notification thereof had been
given the United States Government in a note from the Norwegian
Legation in Washington dated May 17, 1926.11
[Page 483]
It is therefore incorrect when the Polarfront Company declared that
it found the territory to which it lays claim unoccupied on July 26,
1926. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute’s occupation of the
whole Island was given visible manifestation among other things by
the fact that the Institute placed annexation placards among other
places by a house lying on the northern part of Jan Mayen—that area
to which the Polarfront Company now lays claim. From the
investigations which I have had made it appears that the Polarfront
Company’s expedition before arriving at North Lagoon landed on the
northern part of Jan Mayen, had been in the house in question, and
must have seen the annexation placard.
As regards the claim stakes which Mr. Ekerold, President of the
Polarfront Company, alleges to have brought to the Island in 1922
when he undertook occupation on behalf of the Norwegian
Meteorological Institute, I must reiterate that no such claim stakes
have been seen or known and nothing has been previously mentioned
about them.
With regard to the boundary of the territory which the Polar-front
Company claims to have occupied, I must advise that I have had new
investigations made in the matter. From these it appears that the
house and fox farm established by the Polarfront Company lie about
due west from the northern shore of North Lagoon, while about 100
meters northeast of the house stands the placard put up by Mr.
Ekerold, which designates the northern boundary of the territory
occupied by him on behalf of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
The placard is of considerable size and stands on a mound, so it is
quite visible from the newly erected house. It has been ascertained
that the sign has not been moved by any who have served Jan Mayen
station after Mr. Ekerold. It must therefore be considered proved
that the Polarfront Company’s establishment lies within the area
which Mr. Ekerold occupied in 1922 on behalf of the Norwegian
Meteorological Institute.
The steps taken by the Polarfront Company to occupy Jan Mayen thus
indicate a violation of that right acquired by the Norwegian
Meteorological Institute, which as the rightful occupant of the
Island is justified in taking the measures to maintain its
rights.
I beg [etc.]
