. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 155 Ocean Island. THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY. By Thos. J. McMahon, A mere dot on the map, a tiny speck of land, barely five miles in circumfer- ence, is Ocean Island, also known by its native name of "; It lies in tlie kneliest space of the Central Pacific, 50 miles south of the Equator, and 2800 miles from Sydney. cuped convicts from Australia, lived upon tlie island, but none realised the mil- lions of money that lay in the vast, deep deposits of phosphate-of-lime that lay under their fee
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 155 Ocean Island. THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY. By Thos. J. McMahon, A mere dot on the map, a tiny speck of land, barely five miles in circumfer- ence, is Ocean Island, also known by its native name of "; It lies in tlie kneliest space of the Central Pacific, 50 miles south of the Equator, and 2800 miles from Sydney. cuped convicts from Australia, lived upon tlie island, but none realised the mil- lions of money that lay in the vast, deep deposits of phosphate-of-lime that lay under their feet. The island was so small, apparently so valueless, that no nation bothered about it. It was suliject to long and terrible droughts, when the scanty native popu- lation had to fly to adjoining ^< islands for food. After the droughts would come copious downpours of rain, and then the island was a veritable garden. To-day, Ocean Is- land is a gTeat commercial asset; it is termed the rich- est island in the world. The island rises at its high- est point about 250 feet above water. Swept by bene- ficent trade breezes, the is- land is exceedingly healthy, and always remarkably cool. No malaria exists, nor tropi- cal diseases, discomforts, or pests of any kind. In the bloom of a good rain season it is a picturesque island, the innumerable, ghost-like, phos- pliate-rock pinnacles, in a wonderful variety of shape and size, of the worked-out phosphate fields, are intense- ly effective and interesting. Ocean Island forms the circular top of a submarine mountain. It is plain that at one period this summit must have been submerged, as the framework of the is- land is composed of coral. According to scientists, the For very many years this island was island appeai-s to be slowly rismg, known to Pacific traders, and American as seems by a very enrious system whalers, but none ever guessed its won- of terraces. It is not sohd, but rs pierced derful value. Beachcombers, mostly es- by count
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