FACTOID #53: If you thought Antarctica was inhospitable, think again - its land area is only ninety-eight percent ice. Reassuringly, the other 2% is categorised as "barren rock".
TERNATE, a small island in the Malay Archipelago, off the west coast of Halmahera, in o 48' N., 127° 19' E. It is nearly circular in form, with an area of about 25 sq.
On the island is the small town of Ternate, which, in spite of its good harbour, carried on no considerable trade or shipping, and has only 3000 inhabitants.
For surrendered rights and privileges the sultan and his grandees received monetary compensations in the shape of annual subventions, and these also have been paid for the losses formerly incurred by the wilful destruction of the nutmeg plantations, carried out in order to enhance the value of this commodity and monopolize its cultivation.
The chief groups on the north and east are the SchoutenIslands (at the entrance to Geelvink Bay), the Admiralty Islands, and Bismarck Archipelago (of which New Pomerania is the largest island) off the German territory, and the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, the Bennett group, and the Louisiade Archipelago off British New Guinea.
On the southern side of the island the sea-which on the northern is frequently too deep for safe anchorage- becomes shallow, and the precipitous rocks give place to wide plains.
In 1884 Great Britain proclaimed its protectorate over the south-eastern portion of the island, and in 1885, after Germany had annexed the north-eastern section, the delimitation of the territories of the two countries was effected by the Anglo-German treaty of that year, Holland retaining the portion of the island west of 141ƒ E. long.
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