LEFROY, J. H. Memorials of the Discovery and Early Settlement of the Bermudas or Somers Islands, 1515-1687, 2 vols. London. Longmans Green, 1877 and 1879. The standard work on Bermuda's history. LUDINGTON, M. H. Post Office, Postal Markings and Adhesive Stamps of Bermuda. London, Lowe, 1962. STRODE, HUDSON. Story of Bermuda. New York, Smith, 1932 and 1946. Contains outstanding photographs of different aspects of local life. TUCKER, TERRY. Bermuda's Story. rev. ed. Hamilton, Bermuda Book Store, 1967. A simplified history, 1609–1966, commissioned by the Department of Education and first published by them in 1959. WHITNEY, CHRISTINE M. The Bermuda Garden. The Garden Club of Bermuda, 1955. A comprehensive and beautifully illustrated book on gardening in Bermuda. WILKINSON, HENRY C. The adventurers of Bermuda: a history of the island from its discovery until the dissolution of the Somers Island Company in 1684. London, Oxford University Press, 1958. WILKINSON, HENRY C. Bermuda in the Old Empire, 1684–1784. London, Oxford University Press, 1950. (Both Dr Wilkinson's volumes contain useful bibliographies on the early history of Bermuda). WILLOCK, ROGER. Bulwark of Empire: Bermuda's Fortified Naval Base, 1860-1920. Princeton, privately printed, 1962. Guides and Manuals BELL, EUPHEMIA YOUNG. Beautiful Bermuda. 10th edition, revised and enlarged by S. E. Bell and William A. Bell, New York and Bermuda. Beautiful Bermuda Publishing Co., 1947. A comprehensive handbook, first published in 1902. FODOR, EUGENE, ed. Fodor's Guide to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda. London, Newman Neame Ltd. Annual. Biography NORWOOD, RICHARD. Journal of Richard Norwood. New York. Scholar's Facsimiles and Reprints, 1945. A diary kept by the famous surveyor which gives a vivid picture of life in the islands during the seventeenth century. Natural History BEEBE, C. W. Nonsuch: Land of Water. New York, Brewer Warren and Putnam, 1932. BEEBE, C. W. Field Book of the Shore Fishes of Bermuda. New York, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1933. Birds of the Bermudas. Hamilton Book Stores, n.d. Cox, WILLIAM N. Bermuda's Beginning. London, C. Tinling and Co., Ltd., 1959. A booklet for the layman on the geological aspects of Bermuda. VERRILL, ADDISON E. Bermuda Islands; an account of their scenery, productions, physiography, natural history and geology, with sketches of their discovery and early history and the change in their flora and fauna due to man. New Haven, Conn., Addison E. Verrill, 1902. WATSON, JAMES WREFORD. A geography of Bermuda. London, Collins, 1965. WINGATE, DAVID B. ed. A checklist of the birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians of Bermuda, compiled by a committee of the Bermuda Audubon Society, Hamilton. Bermuda Audubon Society, 1959. Periodicals Bermuda Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Monthly bulletin since The Bermudan Churchman. Church of England, Bermuda. Jan. 1956— The Bermuda Historical Quarterly, 1944. Bermudian Magazine. Hamilton, Bermudian Publishing Co. Ltd. 1930monthly. Newspapers Bermuda Sun Weekly, 1964 Mid-Ocean News, 1911-Weekly. Recorder, 1938-Weekly. Royal Gazette, 1784-Daily. Reports Bermuda Annual Report 1970. HMSO London 1972 SBN11 5801103. Some of the books listed above are out of print but are available for reference in the Bermuda Library, Hamilton, Bermuda, and possibly also in other reference libraries abroad. T BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY HE British Antarctic Territory was designated by an Order-in-Council which came into force on the 3rd March 1962, and with the exception of the island of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, consists of the area previously known as the Falkland Islands Dependencies. The territory lies between longitudes 20° and 80°W. south of latitude 60°S. Within these bounds lie the South Orkneys, the South Shetlands and the Antarctic Peninsula, together with all adjacent islands and the land mass extending to the South Pole. The majority of the islands in the territory are wild and rugged with many glaciers. The Antarctic Peninsula is mountainous, the highest peak being Mount Andrew Jackson (about 11,000 feet). There is a snow-covered plateau which extends along the peninsula but declines from 7,000 feet in the south to about 4,000 feet in the north. The main continental area is covered by ice and fringed by floating ice shelves, generally about 800 feet thick. The territory has a rigorous polar climate. The British population of the territory consists solely of male scientists and technicians who man the British Antarctic Survey scientific stations. During the winter of 1972 the total number was 79. In the summer months when relief personnel arrive, together with summer field workers, this figure may almost double. The exact number of other nationals working in the area is not known. There are no towns in the territory and scientific and field stations are situated on various islands and parts of the mainland. The Antarctic bases are relieved, resupplied and restaffed between November and May each year, by the Survey's Royal Research Ships Bransfield and John Biscoe. Two light aircraft, which are wintered in Canada, assist with the annual relief and provide support for field parties. One base, Fossil Bluff is supplied entirely by air from Adelaide Island. In addition to normal radio communication, teleprinters link five of the bases to administrative offices in the Falkland Islands and London. Until the year ended 30th June 1962 British Antarctic Territory finances were embodied in those of the Falkland Islands Dependencies. From 1st April 1967 responsibility for the British Antarctic Survey was transferred from the Commonwealth Office to the Ministry of Education and Science. The Survey and the territory were separately financed from 1st July 1967. The following table shows revenue and expenditure for the years 1970-73. The main island group of the South Shetlands was discovered and taken possession of by Captain W. Smith in 1819, whilst the South Orkney Islands owe their discovery to Captain G. Powell in 1821. The Antarctic Peninsula was discovered in 1820 by Edward Bransfield, R.N., and taken into the possession of Great Britain by John Biscoe in 1832. The penetration of what is now known as the Weddell Sea and the final discovery of the continental land masses to the south and east of the Antarctic Peninsula can be attributed to many great explorers-Cook, Weddell, Ross and Bruce to name but a few. Many of the islands within the territory were used as temporary bases for the early sealing and whaling expeditions, but at Deception Island of the South Shetlands Islands a more permanent and more active whaling station was in operation from 1906 to 1931. During this time a magistrate was in permanent residence for the summer months. In the 1943-44 season, under the code name of 'Operation Tabarin', the first of what are now known as the British Antarctic Survey bases were established at Deception Island and Port Lockroy. Since then the number of occupied stations has at times been as many as 12 but in recent years the number has been 6, most stations being somewhat larger. In December 1967 Deception Island was temporarily evacuated because of a volcanic eruption. A second eruption in February 1969 partially destroyed the station, which has now been abandoned. The locations of the occupied stations are: Signy Island-South Orkney Islands 60° 43′ S., 45° 36′ W. Argentine Islands (Galindez Island)-West coast of Graham Land 65° 15′ S., 64° 16' W. Adelaide Island-West coast of Graham Land 67° 46′ S., 68° 54′ W. Stonington Island-Marguerite Bay 68° 11' S., 67° 00′ W. Fossil Bluff—George VI Sound 71° 20′ S., 68° 17′ W. Halley Bay-Caird Coast 75° 30′ S., 26° 39′ W. A station is also maintained by the Survey at King Edward Point, South Georgia (51° 17′ S., 36° 30′ W.) in the Falkland Islands Dependencies (q.v.). Other bases which have been established, but are at present unoccupied, are: Cape Geddes, Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands. Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetland Islands. View Point, Duse Bay. Deception Island, South Shetland Islands. Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula. Danco Coast, Graham Land. Anvers Island, Palmer Archipelago (now used as a summer air facility). Port Lockroy, Wiencke Island, Palmer Archipelago. Prospect Point, Graham Coast. Detaille Island, Loubet Coast, Graham Land. Horseshoe Island, Marguerite Bay. The territory is administered by the High Commissioner, resident in Stanley, Falkland Islands. A Court of Appeal was set up on the 1st July 1965 for the purpose of hearing and determining appeals from the courts of the territory. HIGH COMMISSIONERS 1962 Sir Edwin Arrowsmith, KCMG 1964 Sir Cosmo Haskard, KCMG, MBE DIRECTOR, BRITISH ANTARCTIC SURVEY READING LIST CHRISTIE, E. W. H. The Antarctic Problem. Allen & Unwin, 1951. PRIESTLEY, R. E. et al., Eds.. Antarctic Research: A Review of British Scientific Achievement in Antarctica. Foreword by H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. Butterworth, 1964. 495 B BRITISH HONDURAS RITISH HONDURAS is situated on the east coast of Central America bounded on the north and part of the west by Mexico and by Guatemala on the remainder of the west and south. In length the country extends 174 miles from the Rio Hondo in the north to the Sarstoon River in the south. In breadth the widest part (Belize City to Benque Viejo del Carmen) is 68 miles. Its land area is about 8,866 square miles which includes a number of islets (known as cayes) lying off the coast. The coastline is for the most part flat and swampy but the country rises gradually towards the interior. The Maya Mountains and the Cockscombs, which reach a height of 3,800 feet (Victoria Peak), form the backbone of the southern half of the territory. All the Western (Cayo) District is hilly and includes the Mountain Pine Ridge most of which lies between 1,000 and 2,000 feet above sea level but rises in parts to around 3,000 feet. The northern districts are also hilly except towards the coast but contain considerable areas of low tableland. There are seventeen principal rivers, of which the Belize River is the most important. None is navigable by vessels over five feet draught and few for any distance. The coastal waters are shallow for 10-20 miles to the east. This shallow sea is dotted with cayes and is bounded by a coral encrusted reef second only in size to the great barrier reef off the eastern coast of Australia. Three separate reef areas lie still further to the east and the most easterly islet is more than 60 miles to the east of Belize City. The climate is sub-tropical and on the whole agreeable. In the largest city, Belize City, the temperature averages 75°F from November to January and 81°F from May to September. The mean annual temperature is 79°F. Day temperatures often reach 90°F-96°F and night temperatures may very occasionally fall to the fifties. Most of the year the heat and humidity are tempered by sea breezes. This description applies with small variation along the whole coastal area. Inland, the day temperatures during the dry season tend to be higher, but drop considerably at night. Rainfall increases from north to south: There are two dry seasons, the main one from March to May and the other in August and September (called the Maugre Season). British Honduras has been struck from time to time by hurricanes. In recent years: a hurricane struck Belize City on 10th September 1931, causing heavy loss of life and property; on 27th September 1955 hurricane 'Janet' struck the northern part of the country completely destroying the town of Corozal and damaging dozens of villages in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts; on 15th July 1960 hurricane 'Abby' struck the area of the Sittee River, south of Stann Creek, causing some damage to crops and dwellings; on 24th July 1961 hurricane 'Anna' wrought fairly extensive damage to crops and houses in the villages of Seine Bight and |