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#745: Navassa " A follow-up
From: Médard <amedard@gte.net>
I guess I found answers to my own questions (post #727 ) at :
<http://www.CMC-Ocean.org/navassa/navassa.php3>
"Navassa's History
Located in the Greater Antilles in the Jamaica Passage
approximately 70 miles northeast of Jamaica and 40 miles
west of Haiti, the island of Navassa was first discovered by
crewmen of Christopher Columbus in 1504 and has been under
U.S. jurisdiction since 1857. In that year, the island was
claimed under the U.S. Guano Act of 1856, which provided
that any uninhabited island containing guano could be
claimed as a U.S. territory.
Although it lacks fresh water and is not readily accessible,
the island has experienced episodic human habitation and
related activities that resulted in modification of the
terrestrial ecosystem and lesser known impacts on its
marine environment. Most significant was a substantial
removal of the former cap of phosphate-rich soils in the
mid-nineteenth century. Another period of human impacts took
place early this century, when the U.S. Coast Guard
installed a manned lighthouse, which was later replaced by
an automatic beacon. In addition, U.S. military personnel
were placed on the island during both World Wars. Finally,
the island has enjoyed short-term visits by Haitian
fishermen."