Canton and Enderbury Islands, atolls of coral formation, are situated 1,850 miles south of Hawaii in the Phoenix group of Pacific islands at about 2° 50 S. lat. and 171° 43 W. long. Canton is about 9 miles long and 50 to 600 yards wide. Enderbury is 2.5 miles long and about 1 mile wide. The islands have been claimed by both the United States and Great Britain. On Aug. 10, 1938, however, both nations agreed to leave the question of sovereignty for future determination and to provide for joint use of the islands for commercial aviation and communication. On April 6, 1939, an exchange of notes between Great Britain and the United States confirmed this arrangement for 50 years. The significance of the claims advanced lies in the fact that Canton lagoon provides one of the best seaplane bases in the Pacific and thus forms an important air base and naval communications center on the route to Manila and Australia. On April 13, 1939, the United States granted to Pan American Airways the use of certain areas on Canton Island as an air base for a projected trans-Pacific air transport service between California and New Zealand. The license gave permission to erect all necessary structures in the lagoon including piers and ramps. It further provided, in accordance with the agreement between the United States and Great Britain, that Great Britain might have the use of this base upon payment of a fair and reasonable amount to Pan American Airways, based upon the cost of installation and operation of such facilities. On April 30, 1939, the first crew was sent from San Francisco to begin work on the island's air base.
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