Canton Island (Pacific Ocean) to Suva, Fiji Nov. 8 1941, FAM 19-19 First Flight

Item Specifics

Country

Fiji

Catalog Number

1941

Stamp Type

General Issue

Condition

Cover (Postal History)

Stamp Format

Multiple

Year of Issue

1941

Item Description

Pacific Ocean first flight cover from Canton Island to Suava, Fiji with clean cachet, canceled " CANTON ISLAND, / NOV / 8 / A.M. / 1941 / CANTON ISLAND. "  On Back: " SUVA / -9 NO 41 4 PM / FIJI ." This 1941 First Flight is F.A.M. #F19-19 from joint British / U.S. Condominium in the Pacific Ocean. 

November 8, 1941 first flight cover for Foreign Air Mail (F.A.M.) Route F19-19, the Trans-Pacific Ocean leg from Canton Island west to Suva, Fiji, where received on November 9, 1941. 

From 1939 to 1979 Canton Island was part of the Anglo-American condominium of the Canton and Enderbury Islands, which consisted of the coral atolls of Canton (now Kanton) and Enderbury in the northeastern part of the Phoenix Islands, about 1,850 miles (3,000 km) south of Hawaii in the central Pacific Ocean. The islands were vital naval and air bases on the route between the Americas and the Philippines and Australia and were claimed and jointly administered by both the United Kingdom and the United States. There is no fresh water on Canton Island. During World War II, 1,600 American troops were stationed at Canton Island at its airfield and naval facilities, but were not invaded by the Japanese. The remaining Phoenix Islands were claimed by the U.S. under the Guano Islands Act, but aside from Hull Island were either abandoned or remained under exclusive British control until 1979.

The United States and the United Kingdom relinquished control over the islands to the government of newly independent Kiribati under the Treaty of Tarawa in 1979 and the Canton and Enderbury Islands Condominium ceased to exist. In this treaty, the U.S. acknowledged Kiribati sovereignty over fourteen islands, but reserved the right to military bases. In May 2010, the population of Canton Island was reportedly 24, with 14 adults and 10 children. The island's sole village is called Tebaronga. Kiribati declared the "Phoenix Islands Protected Area" in 2006, with the park expanded in 2008. The 425,300 square kilometer (162,200 square miles) marine reserve contains eight coral atolls, including Canton (Kanton).

Copyright 2020 by Michael Fried, P.O. Box 27521, Oakland, California 94602-0521

Seller Information

Seller

abctoo (12)

Registered Since

02/25/2020

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Item Location

California, United States

Ships To

Worldwide

Item Weight

0 Lbs 6 oz

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No