In the American section of Antarctica three claimants 
overlap 21° W.—Chile, Argentina, and Great Britain. 
This has led to a good deal of friction and on February 2, 
1952, the Argentine Navy actually fired on the British when 
they attempted a landing at Hope Bay. Both Argentina 
and Chile insist that the right of discovery is negligible and 
that effective occupation is the only test. 
One of the most spectacular lapsed claims is reflected in 
the name of New Schwabia or New Schwabenland, which 
is now a part of Norway’s Queen Maud Land. In 1938- 
1939, Hitler determined to secure for Germany her share 
in the approaching division of Antarctica among world 
powers and thus create the basis for her rights to continue 
and develop her whaling industry. A superbly equipped, 
steel-clad ship penetrated the ice pack below South Africa 
within fifty miles of the coast. Planes were catapaulted 
from the ship, many flights were made, and three hundred 
thousand square miles of territory were mapped. ‘This was 
the first photogrammetric work in Antarctica. By way of 
establishing claims, the planes dropped hundreds of steel 
spear-pointed shafts, which plunged into the ice to remain 
erect, and on the free end contained the Nazi symbol. And 
by the way, how fast history moves in our time! It seems 
incredible that it was just twenty-five years ago this very 
day that Hitler came to power. 
The United States official position was stated by Secre- 
tary Hughes in 1924 as follows: “It is the opinion of this 
department that the discovery of lands unknown to civili- 
zation, even when coupled with formal taking of possession, 
does not support a valid claim of sovereignty unless the 
discovery is followed by actual settlement of discovered 
country.” Our official position since then is that we reserve 
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