48-426: Port Louis is a settlement on northeastern East Falkland . It was established by Louis de Bougainville on 5 April 1764 as the first French settlement on the islands, but was then transferred to Spain in 1767 and renamed Puerto Soledad (In Spanish, East Falkland is known as Isla Soledad ). The settlement has seen several name changes. The original French settlers named the settlement Port Saint Louis, which
96-522: A formal protest over the proclamation, which went unanswered. Vernet assured the British consul that his interest was purely commercial and once more urged the British to establish a permanent presence in the islands. Vernet was the first person to be proclaimed Governor, although modern Argentine texts claim the captains of the Heroina and Pachego as "governors". " Puerto Luis ", as it was renamed, became
144-417: A height of 705 m (2,313 ft). The area away from the mountain range consists chiefly of low undulating ground, a mixture of pasture and morass , with many shallow freshwater tarns , and small streams running in the valleys. Two inlets, Berkeley Sound and Port William , run far into the land at the north-eastern extremity of the island and provide anchorage for shipping. In contrast, Lafonia
192-499: A naval outpost ( Presidio ). The Spanish removed the governor in 1806 and abandoned the settlement in 1811. In October 1820, following damage to his ship Heroína in a storm, Colonel David Jewett was forced to put into the islands to shelter in Puerto Soledad . This was the culmination of a disastrous eight-month voyage that saw a mutiny and most of his crew disabled by scurvy and other diseases. While in harbour, there
240-436: A private individual, but likewise used them, as old Spain had done before, for a penal settlement. England claimed her right and seized them. The Englishman who was left in charge of the flag was consequently murdered. A British officer was next sent, unsupported by any power: and when we arrived, we found him in charge of a population, of which rather more than half were runaway rebels and murderers. Admiral George Grey conducted
288-727: A seal hunting base and small fishing port. Vernet later seized an American ship, the Harriet , for breaking a monopoly he had proclaimed on seal hunting, one not recognised by either the American or British Governments. (Both formally disputed the restrictions through their consuls in Buenos Aires.) Property on board the ship was seized and the captain was sent to Buenos Aires to stand trial. Vernet accompanied him. The American Consul in Argentina strongly protested Vernet's actions, stating
336-495: A survey of the islands in 1836, and his view was a little more positive. In November 1846 he wrote: Today the weather was beautiful and Port Louis or Solidad [sic] seen to advantage as soon as I had finished my breakfast I landed in company with the Governor to inspect the state of his little Colony, which is situated overlooking a small basin or inner harbour, the principal house of which is that inhabited by Lieut. Smith and among
384-587: A wealthy cattle and hide merchant from Montevideo, obtained a grant of the southern portion of the East Falkland from the British government. He purchased the peninsula, 600,000 acres (2,400 km ) in extent, together with all the wild cattle on East Falkland, for a period of six years, for the sum of £10,000 down, and £20,000 in ten years from 1 January 1852. In 1851 the Falkland Islands Company , which had been incorporated by charter in
432-409: Is a lighthouse at Cape Pembroke near Stanley. East Falkland contains most of the archipelago's few roads. The main industries on the island are fishing, sheep farming , and tourism. Some oats are also grown, but due to high humidity and acidic soil, the land is mainly used for grazing. As Stanley is the capital, and East Falkland is the most populous island, it performs an economic role as the hub of
480-415: Is almost bisected by two deep fjords , Choiseul Sound and Brenton Loch - Grantham Sound , which are separated by the 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) wide isthmus that connects Lafonia in the south to the northern part of East Falkland. The island's 1,668.7 km (1,036.9 miles) coastline has many smaller bays, inlets and headlands. The northern part of the island, apart from the coastal strip bordering
528-700: Is also in Stanley. Port Louis, at the head of Berkeley Sound, was once the seat of government. However, the anchorage there was found to be rather too exposed, and about 1844 a town was laid out, and the necessary public buildings were erected, on Stanley Harbour, a sheltered recess within Port William. Other settlements include Port Louis , Darwin , Port San Carlos , San Carlos , Salvador , Johnson's Harbour , Fitzroy , Mare Harbour , and Goose Green . East Falkland also has two airports with paved runways, Port Stanley Airport and RAF Mount Pleasant . There
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#1732801964713576-629: Is the largest island of the Falklands in the South Atlantic, having an area of 6,605 km (2,550 square miles) or 54% of the total area of the Falklands. The island consists of two main land masses, of which the more southerly is known as Lafonia ; it is joined by a narrow isthmus where the settlement of Goose Green is located, and it was the scene of the Battle of Goose Green during
624-480: Is underlain by Mesozoic rocks ( sandstone ), a younger rock than the Palaeozoic rock to the north, giving a flatter landscape than is seen elsewhere on the island. Other scenery includes Mount Simon , stone runs , heathland , and bogs . Gypsy Cove is noted as a beauty spot. Stanley , the capital of the islands and the main seaport is in East Falkland. The islands' ( Anglican ) Christ Church Cathedral
672-528: The Choiseul Sound , is largely underlain by Palaeozoic rocks in the form of quartzite and slate , which tend to form rugged landscapes and coastlines and to cause the soil to be poor and acidic . The principal range of hills, the 600 m (2,000 feet) Wickham Heights , runs from east to west. The highest point of the range (also the highest point in the Falklands) is Mount Usborne which has
720-643: The Falkland Islands to be free from any ruling power. Modern Argentina claims the Americans destroyed the settlement, but Captain Duncan's log tells of only spiking the cannons and destroying the powder store. Duncan arrested the seven senior members of Vernet's settlement for piracy and provided transport to Montevideo for any member of the settlement who wished to leave. The majority of the population decided to leave, claiming Vernet had misled them about
768-471: The Falklands War . The two main centres of population in the Falklands, Stanley and Mount Pleasant , which are both in the northern half of East Falkland, are home to three-quarters of the island's population. East Falkland, which has an area of 6,605 km (2,550 square miles), a little over half the total area of the islands consists of two land masses of approximately equal size. The island
816-687: The 1850s. In 1925 the Bodie Suspension Bridge was built across a creek in Lafonia, and is claimed to be the southernmost in the world. It is still in pedestrian use today. In April 1982, East Falkland was invaded by Argentina . The Governor, Rex Hunt , was informed by the British Government of a possible Argentinian invasion on Wednesday 31 March. Hunt summoned the two senior Royal Marines officers of Naval Party 8901 to Government House in Stanley to discuss how to defend
864-675: The American ambassador in Buenos Aires, who declared the Falkland Islands to be res nullius ("free from any power"). 40 settlers took the opportunity to leave on board the Lexington , leaving twenty-four behind. Amid the turmoil, the British took over the settlement in 1833. In March/April that year, Charles Darwin visited from HMS Beagle . He commented that: After the possession of these miserable islands had been contested by France, Spain, and England, they were left uninhabited. The government of Buenos Aires then sold them to
912-771: The Americas and Australia: in the early stages of the Munster Plantation it was argued that much of Ireland was res nullius as the Gaelic Irish were "not thrifty, and civil and human creatures, but rather savage and brute beasts." ( Anthony Trollope ) Much of the native population had been killed during the Desmond Rebellions , and Irish land use was seen as inefficient, based mostly on pastoralism ; thus, land could be claimed as res nullius and planted with English, Welsh and Scottish colonists. It
960-530: The Falklands. Major Mike Norman was given overall command of the Marines because of his seniority, while Major Gary Noott became Hunt's military advisor. The total strength was only 68 Marines and 11 sailors, which nevertheless was more than would normally have been available, since the garrison was in the process of changing over. Their numbers were reinforced by 25 Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF) members. The FIDF commanding officer, Major Phil Sommers, tasked
1008-606: The Islands for the British Government. Vernet used Puerto Soledad/Puerto Luis as a seal hunting base. The United Provinces of the River Plate granted him a monopoly in the islands and he curbed sealing by others. Vernet later seized the American ship Harriet for breaking the restrictions on seal hunting. Property on board the ship was seized and the captain was returned to Buenos Aires to stand trial. Vernet also returned for
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#17328019647131056-587: The United States did not recognise Argentine sovereignty over the Falklands. The American consul dispatched the USS Lexington to Puerto Luis to retake the confiscated property, as well as the ships "Superior" and "Breakwater", which had also been seized. In 1832, the USS ; Lexington attacked Puerto Luis, an act which was later condoned by the American ambassador in Buenos Aires, who declared
1104-427: The archipelago. Many cruise ships now stop there. A large economic role is also played by RAF Mount Pleasant , which has a number of British military personnel based there. Although these number a few hundred, their economic role in a population of under two thousand is significant. Smaller industries include horse and cattle farming, and there is also recent evidence to suggest possible valuable mineral deposits on
1152-439: The area's wildlife, while on HMS Beagle . The first permanent settlement on East Falkland began with Louis de Bougainville establishing Port Louis on Berkeley Sound in 1764. The French settlement included a number of Bretons , and the islands became known as "Îles Malouines" (the islands of St Malo ), later Hispanicised as "Islas Malvinas". For years, Port Louis was the main settlement, not only on East Falkland, but
1200-565: The boggy terrain of the Islands prevented the Gauchos catching wild cattle in their traditional way. In 1828, the United Provinces of the River Plate granted Vernet all of East Falkland together with exclusive fishing and sealing rights. Included in the grant was a clause that provided a colony was established within three years, it would be exempt from taxes. Settling in the former Spanish capital of Puerto Soledad, Vernet reverted to
1248-685: The divine rather than human dominium . The use of res nullius as a legal concept continues in modern civil legal systems. Examples of res nullius are wild animals ( ferae naturae ) or abandoned property ( res derelictae ). Finding can also be a means of occupatio (i.e. vesting ownership), since a thing completely lost or abandoned is res nullius , and therefore belonged to the first taker. Specific legislation may be made, e.g. for beachcombing . In common law legal systems, forest laws , and game laws have specified which animals are res nullius and when they become someone's property. Wild animals are regarded as res nullius , and as not being
1296-511: The entire archipelago and a subject of controversy. In October 1820, Colonel David Jewett sought shelter in the islands after his ship, the frigate Heroina , was damaged in a storm. Jewett was an American privateer employed as captain by the Buenos Aires businessman Patrick Lynch , who had obtained a privateering licence for the ship from the Buenos Aires Supreme Director. Jose Rondeau. On 6 November 1820 he raised
1344-611: The flag of the United Provinces of the River Plate at Port Louis and claimed possession of the entire archipelago in the name of the United Provinces of the South (which later became the United Provinces of The River Plate and ultimately Argentina). Eyewitnesses present, such as James Weddell , felt the ceremony was designed simply to establish a salvage claim over a French wreck. In 1823, Argentina granted fishing rights to Jorge Pacheco and Luis Vernet . Their first expedition to
1392-630: The growth of Stanley, but has declined in the Camp . Most of the improvements in the islands have taken place on East Falkland. Res nullius Res nullius is a term of Roman law meaning "things belonging to no one"; that is, property not yet the object of rights of any specific subject. A person can assume ownership of res nullius simply by taking possession of it ( occupatio ) . However, in ancient Rome , certain forms of res nullius could never be owned ( res extra commercium ) because they were considered to belong either in common to all or to
1440-680: The island. Due to more intensive human settlement, East Falkland has the corresponding conservation problems. The warrah was one of the first casualties, as Darwin says in The Voyage of the Beagle : Rats have also been introduced, but despite this, the island has a great deal of marine life, including penguins of various kinds. Guanacos were unsuccessfully introduced in 1862 to East Falkland south of Mt Pleasant where Prince Alfred hunted them in 1871. They have since become extinct, but are still on Staats Island Charles Darwin surveyed
1488-474: The islands and repairing his ship, Jewett returned to Buenos Aires. In 1823, the United Provinces of the River Plate granted fishing rights to Jorge Pacheco and the Hamburg-born merchant Luis Vernet . The partnership of Pacheco and Vernet did not last, with Vernet forming a new company in 1825. An expedition in 1826 proved to be a failure; sailings to the Islands were disrupted by a Brazilian blockade and
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1536-559: The islands ended in failure and Pacheco abandoned the venture. Vernet persisted with a second expedition in 1826. also ending in failure due to the combination of the Brazilian blockade of Argentina and the conditions encountered. Vernet finally succeeded in establishing a settlement at Puerto Soledad in 1828. Prior to both expeditions, Vernet had approached the British consulate in Buenos Aires , seeking permission for his venture in
1584-479: The islands. Subsequently, Vernet furnished the consulate with progress reports and urged the establishment of a permanent British garrison in the islands. In 1829, Vernet approached the Government of Buenos Aires requesting the settlement be supported by a naval vessel. The request was refused, and instead Vernet was proclaimed to be Governor and authorised to act using his own resources. The British consul lodged
1632-413: The miserable conditions in the islands. Following these events, Vernet resigned as Governor. The Argentine Government then appointed Esteban José Francisco Mestivier as governor, and sought to establish a penal colony in the islands. (Mestivier's appointment was in fact the only Argentine appointment to follow the norms of the time and was properly gazetted.). Shortly after his arrival, however, Mestivier
1680-655: The miserable huts by which it is surrounded looks respectable by comparison, it is white-washed, has a flag staff before it and looks like a preventative station on the coast of Northumberland . After they transferred the administration to Stanley in 1845, it became the quiet sheep farming settlement it is today, known for its nineteenth-century houses, waterfowl and wading birds . 51°31′57.38″S 58°7′54.01″W / 51.5326056°S 58.1316694°W / -51.5326056; -58.1316694 East Falkland in the Falkland Islands (red & white) East Falkland ( Spanish : Isla Soledad )
1728-554: The original French name of the settlement Port Saint Louis . It became both a naval garrison and civilian settlement. Shortly after this, the second voyage of HMS Beagle surveyed the island. The names of two settlements on East Falkland, Darwin and Fitzroy , commemorate Charles Darwin and Robert FitzRoy . On 15 March 1833, an unimpressed Darwin wrote In November 1836, the island was surveyed by Admiral George Grey, and further in 1837 by Lowcay. Admiral Grey described their first view of East Falkland – In 1845 Samuel Fisher Lafone,
1776-434: The property of the owner of the land in which they are found. Exceptions include treasure trove , for which specific law applies, generally making it Crown property; and some types of shipwreck , such as flotsam, jetsam, lagan and derelict . A concept derived from res nullius by allegory is terra nullius . Using it, a state may assert control of an unclaimed territory by occupying it. This terra nullius principle
1824-468: The same year, paid £30,000 for Lafone's interest in Lafonia , as the peninsula came to be called. Lafone had never even visited the islands. The only remaining signs of this venture are the ruins at Hope Place and the stone corral at Darwin. In 1859, the town of Darwin was founded. Although used for sheep farming since the early nineteenth century, East Falkland was dominated by cattle farming until
1872-564: The subject of private property until reduced into possession by being killed or captured (see, e.g. Pierson v. Post ): Even bees do not become property until hived. An exception in the United Kingdom is the mute swan : The U.K. Monarch retains the right to assert ownership of unmarked mute swans, which he currently does on stretches of the Thames and its tributaries. Likewise in common law systems, abandoned things are generally
1920-516: The trial. The American Consul in the United Provinces of the River Plate protested the actions by Vernet, stating that the United States did not recognise its sovereignty in the Falklands. The consul dispatched the warship USS Lexington to Puerto Luis to retake the confiscated property, as well as the Superior and Breakwater which had also been seized. The Lexington destroyed the guns and powder of Puerto Luis in 1832, an act later condoned by
1968-494: The use of its original name Puerto Luis. By 1831, the colony was well established and advertising for new colonists, although the Lexington' s report (see below) suggests that the conditions on the islands were quite miserable. The colony was largely archaic, and the Argentine government hoped that Vernet's appointment would bolster the economic and political status of the colony, given his extensive business operations. Vernet
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2016-471: The volunteer militiamen with guarding key points including the telephone exchange , the radio station and the power station . Jack Solis, commanding the civilian coastal ship Forrest , operated his vessel as an improvised radar screen station off Stanley. East Falkland was also the location of the bulk of the land-based action in the Falklands War . As a result, some areas of the "Camp" in East Falkland were still heavily mined until 2020, when all de-mining
2064-487: Was another attempt at mutiny by the crew who wished to return to Buenos Aires . With many of his crew disabled by scurvy, Jewett sought the assistance of the British Antarctic explorer James Weddell in preparing his ship for sea once more. On 6 November 1820, Jewett raised the flag of the United Provinces of the River Plate (now Argentina ) at Port Louis. Weddell witnessed the ceremony. After resting in
2112-478: Was changed to Puerto Soledad after capture by Spain. Vernet reverted to a Spanish version of the original name when he formed his settlement, Puerto Luis. The British renamed the settlement Anson's Harbour for a while before reverting once more to the original French name, Port Louis. For a time, the town became the Spanish capital of the islands, which were claimed by Spain and administered from Montevideo as
2160-555: Was completed in the Falkland Islands. Areas that saw intensive combat included Goose Green , San Carlos , Mount Longdon and the Two Sisters ridge. Following the Falklands War, Britain increased its military presence on the East Falkland. The Falkland Islands Government has invested heavily in improving facilities in Stanley and transportation around the islands, tarmacking many roads. The population has risen, because of
2208-471: Was murdered by his own men and the settlement was in chaos. These events spurred Britain to return to the islands, ( See Re-establishment of British rule on the Falklands (1833) ), requesting that the Argentine military presence leave on 3 January 1833 (though remaining members of the settlement were encouraged to stay). "Puerto Luis" was renamed "Ansons Harbour", but reverted to "Port Louis" in line with
2256-631: Was used to justify colonization of much of the world, as exemplified in the competition for influence within Africa by the European powers (see the scramble for Africa ). The concept was applied even where there were indigenous peoples residing in what Europeans considered newly discovered land, as in Australia . It was also used by English colonists in Ireland , based on similar grounds to those used in
2304-404: Was well aware of British claims to the islands. Prior to both the 1826 and 1828 expedition, he approached the British consulate with the grant of the United Provinces of the River Plate and obtained their stamp. While visiting the consulate, he expressed the wish that if the British returned they would take his colony under their protection. Vernet also provided written reports on the suitability of
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