ON DECEMBER 29, 1934, a Presidential order placed Wake Island under the jurisdiction of the Navy Department. Previous to that time it was generally looked upon as an uninhabitable waterless atoll hardly worth owning. At present it is one of the most strategically utilized islands of the Pacific. An elaborate commercial air station has been functioning for nearly five years, and millions of dollars are being spent in a rush naval development.
The lonely spot has borne many names during its history. The present one is for Captain Wake, of the British trading schooner Prince William Henry, who is generally looked upon as its discoverer. That event took place in 1796. The Spaniards, however, knew of its existence more than 200 years before. Young Alvaro de Mendaña’s two ships, the Los Reyes and the Todos Santos, sighted it late in the evening of October 2,1568. Hoping to obtain badly needed food and water, they wallowed in a heavy cross-sea all night. But a bitterly disappointing sail around it the next morning disclosed only a reef-bound V-shaped atoll partially covered with thick brambles. Mendaña named it the Island of San Francisco, and charted it fairly accurately as to latitude. In longitude, at best seldom more than a guess in those days, he placed it along with his other discoveries, well to the east of still unknown Hawaii. His successor Quiros wrote that much of the error may have been intentional, as knowledge of the Pacific’s real width would tend to discourage future expeditions. Under such a handicap identification was not positive until recent times.
Yet as the place lay almost on the return route of the treasure ships plying between Mexico and the Philippines, it is reasonable to suppose that some of these vessels also sighted the atoll. One later map shows two islands, Lamira (take care) and Discierta (desert), in its proximity. These apt names and the absence of other land within several hundred miles suggest that each represents an independent discovery of Wake.
Rapid development of the whaling industry and the China-Northwest fur trade near the end of the eighteenth century finally brought ships of many nations. Closely following the Prince William Henry came a sister fur ship, the Halcyon, whose captain believed he had made a new discovery. Among the more prominent visitors were Amasa Delano, Edward Gardner (who reported it having a very green and rural appearance), and the missionaries Wilson and Cargill.
Long voyages and the habit of exchanging even hearsay data resulted in considerable chart confusion, and Wake suffered with the other islands. By 1828, besides being variously located, it was called: Wake’s Island, Waker’s, Weeks, Wreck, Halcyon, Helsion, Wilson, and other less frequently used names.
Such confusion throughout the South Seas was partially instrumental in securing approval for the famous Pacific exploring expedition under Commodore Wilkes. His arrival in the Vincennes December 20, 1840, marks our first naval contact at Wake. Several boats were landed for a day’s scientific and survey work, and under naturalist Titian Peale so many specimens of sea life were collected they were not fully classified for years. No claim was made to the desolate place.
Well known South Sea ships calling during the immediately ensuing years were the Maria, the Oracle, and the roaming mission ship Morning Star.
Wake’s only known wreck occurred March 5, 1866. It was the German bark Libelle, bound from Honolulu to Hongkong with a light but valuable cargo including $300,000 in coined money and some flasks of quicksilver. Among her passengers was Anna Bishop, a concert singer still considered second only to Jenny Lind. The craft struck an outer reef at eight o’clock in the evening during a fierce storm which kept everyone aboard for three days. And then they could not even take extra clothing ashore. Food and some water, however, were soon cast up, so they felt reasonably secure—until they found that the island’s porous coral formation precluded any fresh water wells. In desperation they set out three weeks later in two reconditioned small boats for Guam, more than 1,400 miles away. The 22-foot longboat, carrying Mme. Bishop and 21 others, reached Guam after 18 dangerous and exhausting days. But the small gig, holding Captain Tobias, 4 crew members and 3 Chinese, was never heard of again. Mme. Bishop was over 50 years old at the time and had lost a life’s accumulation of jewels, music, and costumes, yet she repeatedly cheered the others with her songs. The Spanish Governor of Guam promptly dispatched a vessel after the recovered specie left buried in the sand. The Libelle's well-rusted anchor chains and some lava ballast may still be seen on a windward reef, and one anchor is set upright in cement near the hotel.
Wake’s next notable event occurred July 4,1898, during the Spanish-American War. The transport Thomas, carrying part of the second Philippine Expeditionary Force, raised the atoll just after dawn. What better way to celebrate Independence Day than by claiming a new possession? General Francis V. Greene promptly ordered two boats ashore for a flag raising ceremony. This was quite brief and somewhat interrupted by birds diving at the participants. However, the little 14-inch banner was tied to a dead limb, and after making some observations, the party returned to the ship with great satisfaction. This assumption of the Navy’s usual task evidently proved a heady business, for the following day a sea target was fired at with field guns tied to the deck. “Considering the bob of the ship,” the report ran, “the marksmanship was excellent.”
News of the exploit was seriously considered back at Washington. Construction of a transpacific cable was planned, and the place might prove a good way station. Orders were issued to Commander Taussig of the gunboat Bennington to take official possession. This event took place January 17, 1899. A flagpole was quickly set up, the men formed in two lines facing seaward, and after calling all to witness that the island was not in the possession of any other nation, Commander Taussig ordered the flag raised. The Bennington promptly saluted with 21 guns. The flag was then nailed to the pole, at the base of which was secured a brass strip bearing the following inscription:
“United States of America.
William McKinley, President
John D. Long, Secretary of the Navy
Commander Edward D. Taussig, U.S.N.
Commanding the U.S.S. Bennington,
This 17th day of January, 1899
Took possession of the atoll known as Wake Island
For the United States of America.”
Several days were spent there, but no fresh water was located. It was also discovered that most of the place bore strong evidence of being under water at times, so the cable was eventually routed to the northward in a straight line between Midway and Guam.
Other transport and naval vessels stopped at intervals during the next few years. In December, 1906, one of the former brought General Pershing, who raised another flag —a sturdy improvised one of canvas. Small caches of emergency supplies were usually left, but fishermen and feather gatherers were in the habit of quickly depleting them. Tumbled-down shacks, broken oriental pottery, a weathered shrine or two, and several graves remain as evidences of their occasional residence.
The U.S.S. Beaver called in 1922, and a year later the Tanager's scientific expedition spent nearly two weeks there. This was a project of the Bishop Museum of Honolulu and Yale University. Accurate chart work was accomplished in addition to the natural history studies. Total area of the V-shaped atoll was found to be about 2\ square miles. A shallow cross-channel two thirds of the way up each wing really made three islands instead of one, so the second was named Wilkes and the third Peale. Jagged coral reefs lay across the end of the shallow lagoon.
Decision of the Pan American Airways to use the place brought quick co-operation from the Navy. The U.S.S. Nitro was dispatched early in 1935 for the purpose of bringing the chart up to date and to secure other useful information. Two of her boats were lost in the heavy surf, but no one was seriously injured.
The air-base construction ship North Haven arrived from Midway at noon the following May 5, and no time was lost starting work. One group circled the atoll in a small boat, while a second explored ashore. Both Wake Island proper and its western appendage, Wilkes, were found unusable, principally because of their lowness. Peale Island, however, slightly indented from the end of Wake’s other arm, proved a welcome surprise. A rich brown loam instead of sand and rocks indicated that it was safe from submersion.
The problem then was how to get everything over to Peale, for the only safe landing place was on Wilkes. It was finally decided that a launch and lighter must be transported over the latter to the lagoon, where they could ferry material the rest of the way. This required a great deal of clearing and blasting work.
A tractor was soon landed on Wilkes, and a temporary camp equipped with a big water still was constructed. A small railroad was next constructed to the lagoon with steel strips and wheels meant for another purpose. This successfully carried both launch and lighter, which in turn began relaying the rest of the cargo over to Peale. With everything ashore by May 29, the North Haven proceeded to Manila. When she returned a month later the elaborate Peale air station was taking shape; some progress had even been made in clearing the lagoon of jagged coral dangerous to any landing clipper. After two months of hard work, the first clipper glided down upon the placid surface.
Since then, like Midway, Wake has enjoyed a steadily growing resort trade. Fishing is the main attraction, and the next is undoubtedly that of just looking at the myriad of brightly colored small fish in the lagoon. But no visitor leaves without lingering memories of the natural beauty of the atoll. The coral reef and sand are pure white, the outer sea a deep blue, and the lagoon an emerald green. Moreover, the water is so clear a 60-foot bottom may be seen. Interesting and comical birds also demand attention.
All-around development has continued until at present the island is almost self- sustaining. Big cisterns hold rain water; farm animals furnish milk, meat, and eggs; and a hydroponic truck garden supplies the island population and the passing clippers with fresh foodstuffs. Winds are harnessed to provide power, and the sun to heat water.
The current naval project will of course dwarf the Pan American establishment, but no details may be given. When completed, scouting airplanes, submarines, and perhaps even small surface craft will conduct routine protective maneuvers in all directions. They will arrive none too soon. Events of recent years the world over have plainly demonstrated that undefended possessions have little chance of survival, even though an aggressor nation may control more surrounding territory than it can profitably utilize. And Wake is far more than a mere possession—it lies on our route to Guam, the Philippines, and the mainland of Asia.
Our coastline extends to Guam, even if we should scuttle in the Philippines. We can wriggle, and squirm, and make a wry face over paying the bill, but we can never evade ultimately the cost of properly fortifying a naval base in the island of Guam, and in a lesser degree in the island of Tutuila, in the Archipelago of Alaska, and on Midway Island ... the reason being, if there were no other, to prevent their being used against us as commercial supply-stations or naval bases by an enterprising rival or enemy.—Quoted from Admiral Niblack, in Bywater’s Sea Power in the Pacific.