Trindade and Martim Vaz

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Map of Trindade from the book, The Cruise of the Alerte.
Map of Trindade from the book, The Cruise of the Alerte.
Map of Martim Vaz Islands.
Map of Martim Vaz Islands.
NASA satellite imagery of Martin Vaz Islands in pseudo-color.
NASA satellite imagery of Martin Vaz Islands in pseudo-color.

The islands of Trindade (occasionally called Trinidad) and Martim Vaz (also called Martin Vaz), which are located about 1,200 km East of Vitória in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, belong to the State of Espírito Santo, of the Brazilian Federation. The islands, 10.4 km² in area, are uninhabited, except for a garrison of the Brazilian Navy, 32 strong. The group consists of Ilha Trindade, by far the largest island with an area of 10.1 km², and Ilhas de Martim Vaz 47 km further East, with an aggregate area of just 0.3 km² (30 hectares).

The islands are of volcanic origin and have rugged terrain. They are largely barren, except the Southern part of Ilha Trindade. They were discovered in 1502 by Portuguese explorer João da Nova and stayed Portuguese until they became part of Brazil at its independence. From 1890 to 1896, Trindade was occupied by the United Kingdom, until an accord with Brazil was reached. During the period of British occupation, Trindade was known as "South Trinidad".

The individual islands with their respective locations are given in the following:

Contents

[edit] Geography

[edit] Trindade

Trindade
Elevation 600+ m (1,968 feet)
Coordinates 20°30′52″S, 29°19′50″W
Location Atlantic ocean
Range
Type Stratovolcano

The small island of Trindade, with an area of 10.3 km², lies at the eastern end of an E-W-trending chain of submarine volcanoes and guyots extending about 1100 km from the continental shelf off the Brazilian coast. The island lies more than halfway between Brazil and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near the eastern end of the submarine Vitória-Trindade Ridge.

Trindade is a mountainous, dissected volcanic island with numerous phonolitic lava domes and steep-sided volcanic plugs. The highest summit is Pico Desejado, near the center, 620 meters high. Close by to the northwest are Pico da Trindade (590 m) and Pico Bonifácio (570 m). Pico Monumento, a remarkable peak in the form of a slightly inclined cylinder, rises from the west coast to 270 m. The youngest volcanism, at Vulcao de Paredao (217 m) on the southeast tip of the island, constructed a pyroclastic cone with lava flows that are no older than the Holocene (Almeida, 1961). Remnants of the crater of the 200-m-high cinder cone are still preserved. Lava flows traveled from the cone to the north, where they form an irregular shoreline and offshore islands. Smaller volcanic centers of the latest volcanic stage are found in the Morro Vermelho (515 m) area in the south-central part of the island.

There is a small settlement in the north on Enseada dos Portugueses, supporting a garrison of the Brazilian Navy, 32 strong.

[edit] Martim Vaz

[edit] History

The Trindade and Martin Vaz Islands were discovered in 1502 by Portuguese navigators, and, along with Brazil, became part of the Portuguese ultramarine domain.

Flag of the Principality of Trinidad
Flag of the Principality of Trinidad

In 1893[1] the American James Harden-Hickey claimed the island and declared himself as James I, Prince of Trinidad.[2][3] According to James Harden-Hickey's plans Trinidad after being recognized as an independent country would become a military dictatorship and have him as dictator.[4] He took his idea seriously because he designed postage stamps, a national flag, and a coat of arms, he established a chivalric order, the "Cross of Trinidad", he bought a schooner to transport colonists, appointed M. le Comte de la Boissiere as Secretary of State and opened a consular office at 217 West 36th Street in New York, and even issued government bonds to finance construction of infrastructure in the island. Despite his plans his idea was ridiculed or ignored by the world. [5] [6] [7] [8][9] [10]

In July 1895, the British again tried to take possession of this strategic position in the Atlantic.[11] The British planned to use the island as a cable station.[12] However, Brazilian diplomatic efforts, along with Portuguese support[citation needed], reinstated the Trindade Island to Brazilian sovereignty.

In order to clearly demonstrate sovereignty over the island, now part of the State of Espírito Santo, a landmark was built on January 24, 1897. Nowadays, Brazilian presence is marked by a permanent Brazilian Navy base on the main island.

Many visitors have been there, the most famous of whom was the English astronomer Edmund Halley, who took possession of the Island on behalf of the British Monarchy in 1700.

It was the site of an alleged UFO sighting in 1958.[13]

[edit] Cultural references

[edit] The Cruise of the Alerte

In 1889 Edward Frederick Knight sailed to Trindade in a 64 foot yawl named the Alerte, in search of a buried treasure reported to have been left there by pirates in 1821. He wrote the book The Cruise of the Alerte about his journey with detailed descriptions of Trindade.

Arthur Ransome used the descriptions from Knight's book as a basis for Crab Island in his book Peter Duck, except that he set the island further north in the Caribbean Sea.

[edit] Discovery and Terra Nova Visits

In September 1901 Captain Scott's expedition ship Discovery called at Trindade, then known as "South Trinidad", on its way to Antarctica. Edward Wilson, in his diary, recorded a vivid encounter with the fearsome land-crabs that abounded on the island [14]. Scott returned in July 1910 with the Terra Nova Expedition, a visit noteworthy for the extreme difficulty of re-embarkation, an operation during which several expedition members nearly drowned [15].

[edit] Frank Mildmay, or the Naval Officer

In 1829 Captain Frederick Marryat published a novel Frank Mildmay, or the Naval Officer, which included the title character's Robinson Crusoe-like adventures on Trinidade.

[edit] Ramage and the Renegades

In 1981 Dudley Pope used Trinidade as the setting for his book Ramage and the Renegades. Fictional character Nicholas Ramage led a voyage set in 1802 to claim Trinidade for the British, in the aftermath of Napoleon's first armistice.

[edit] Star Trek: The Next Generation

In the episode "The Survivors," Commander Data refers to the undersea Earth colony of New Martim Vaz.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "To Be Prince of Trinidad: He Is Baron Harden-Hickey", New York Tribune, November 5, 1893, p 1
  2. ^ Bryk, William, "News & Columns", New York Press, v 15 no 50 (December 10, 2002)
  3. ^ "Principality of Trinidad: John H. Flagler's Son-in-Law Is Its Sovereign, Self-Proclaimed as James I", New York Times, June 10, 1894, p 23
  4. ^ Bryk (2002)
  5. ^ "Trinidad's Prince Awake: An Appeal to Washington Against Brazil and Great Britain", New York Times, August 1, 1895, p 1
  6. ^ "Grand Chancellor of Trinidad: Significant Phases in the Ascent of Male Comte de la Boissiere to His Elevated Diplomatic Post", New York Times, August 2, 1895, p 9
  7. ^ "Trinidad's Case in Washington: Courteously, the Chancellor Would Permit Britain's Cable Station and Use It, but There Is Graver Trouble", New York Times, August 7, 1895, p 1
  8. ^ "Trinidad's Diplomat in Action: M. de la Boissiere Asks that His Sovereign's Land Be Recognized as a Neutral Principality", New York Times, August 9, 1895, p 5
  9. ^ "Trinidad's Prince at Work: Grand Chancellor de la Boissiere Tells How the War Between Great Britain and Brazil Will Be Averted", New York Times, Jan 24, 1896, p 9
  10. ^ Flags of the World - Trindade and Martins Vaz Islands (Brazil)
  11. ^ Bryk (2002)
  12. ^ Bryk (2002)
  13. ^ The Trindade Island UFO: A detailed study of Photos 1 and 2
  14. ^ (see Wilson's Diary of the Discovery Expedition, entry for 13 September 1910)
  15. ^ as recorded in Cherry-Garrard's account in The Worst Journey in the World, pp 53-61

[edit] External links