Taconic (AGC 17) - Naval Cruise Book

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GREENLAND 'The world's largest island' along whose shores TBI? gggfgaggg Sgihbggz operatinl these past few months, has taken on-a new I lion. contain virtu. advent of lobal air warfare and defense. Its coastad reg and European. and 0:00,-10 gf 005 001000 00005-01:3 00 0':i0::1.3'fa3:::.::ai. 1... T.. ... s nan re, on s covere w aPl'3 cap is one ofgthe most notable geographic feature! of the llndv 30C0nd Only to its strategic location. ' The!discover of Greenland iskcommonly attributed to Norse settlers who founded settlemghts on the southern and southwestern coasts in thei10t2'cent- ury. Graduall communication between the settlers and their nag ve oaway lessened, untif it had completely ceased by the 15th centuryi T E 'su 'fn and western coasts were 'rediscoveredf bi the 0XP10fefl Rin ns., Of Cfegiv Frobisher, and later roughly charted by avis, Hudson, and Ba fin. In s Arctic expedition, Peary gave particular attention to the northern coast, of which little had been known. 0 In the beglnnin of the 10th century the Norwegian, Gunnbjorn, is reported to have sighted isiands to the west or Iceland most probably the southeast coast of Greenland. In 982 Eric the Red sailed from Iceland and further explored Gunnbjorn's find. Upon his return to Iceland he named the new land 'Greenland' so that it might seem attractive and make the people more willing to go there. Four years after his first voyage he sailed again with 25 ships, 14 of which reached Greenland, where a co ony was founded on the relatively temperate southwest coast. Other coloniesfwere founded in the following years, and at the height of their prosperity had a population of about 3,0003 When the-Norsemen came to Greenland they found traces of 'Skraelin ' Qwhich possibly means elves or fairiesj, but the sa as do not report their meeting 'any natives. Somewhat later they found the lgskimo further north, on the west coast, about Disko Bay, where the Norsemen went to catch seals and walrus. The colonists swore allegiance to Norway in 1261, but it was not until the dissolution of the union between Norway and Denmark, in 1814, that the land was passed to Denmark. . The original Norse colonists disap eared, so that ther of their grevious inhabitation when explorer Davis arrived einwa1.58o5r:1yE:zc?v:ttf ions of t e Norse burial grounds reveafbd excessive malformation rickets and evidence of a large child mortality rate. There is no indication to show'that excessive intermarriage caused the original Norse race to be absorbed into the Eskimo culture, or that it was wiped out by an Eskimo onslaught. It was not until the earl art of the 1 th I germanent settlements was fogmgd, near GodtgLabfigf1hi ggtgegqznfgiatiog :he ans Egede. Despite the great smallpox plague, and the fact that mag' of'tK' earl? settlers were convicts, the settlements prospered. Graduall y D t Y sett ements frew halted only by the restriction of communications dylcoab :ah World Wars, until the population now remains fairly stable. I ur nz 0 In 1941 a year after the G A A, ti A L I 0If signed with the'Danish ministe:rTgnW::hgg:t0g? m:k?g:ma::Lnfn Glf90mBhf Wll protectorate of the United States. The U.S. now maintain 'i.n I temporary thaab and throu h various agreements, operates air bases af I consul It God. ezgwgieenland, time most important guf which are Thtllevgnd .g'1fughew:.etstE::gla:t , - . rl:

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Trade with Greenland had been, until the German occupation of Denmark in 1940, a monopoly of the Danish Crown, dating from 1774. During the war the United States established a temporary protectorate of Greenland, which at the close of the war was relinquished. The land is now administered in Co enhagen by a government board, and in the country by various government offdcials. . For government and trade purposes, the west coast is divided into two inspectorates, Godthaab maintaining the seat of government of the southern section, and Godhavn, the northern. The inspectorates are ruled by two Danish inspectors, responsible to.the 'Director' for Greenland in Copenhagen. Each of these two large sectors of inspectorates is divided into smaller 'Districts one of which would most probably include a 'Coloni' or settlement under a Danish 'Factor', and outlying Eskimo hunting stations ruled by a native 'Factor' who is responsible to the Danish factor. The government monopoly of trade is imposed for the benefit of the Green- landers. The principle upon which the overnment acts is to ive the natives low prices for theirfproduce, but to sefl them European articfes of necessity at prime cost, and other stores, such as bread, at prices that scarcely pay for the purchase and freight. No merchandise is sold at, on the avera e, more than 205 over the cost price in Denmark. In addition, the Greenlangbrs are allowed to order goods from rivate dealers upon paying freight at fixed rates. The prices to be paid fbr European and native articles are fixed every year, the prices current in Danish and Eskimo being printed and distributed by the Government. Out of the payment five-sixths is given to the sellers, and one sixth is devoted to the Greenlanders public fund, stent in 'public works', in charity, and on other unforeseen contingencies. T is is their only tax. A Danish 'Coloni' in Greenland might seem to many not Po be a cheerful place at best, thou h in the long summer days they would certainly find some of those on the soufhern Fiords comparatively pleasant. The fact is, however, that most people who have ived some time in Greenland long to go back. There are generally in a 'Coloni' three or four Danish houses, built of wood and pitched over, in addition to storehouses and a blubber-boiling establishment. The Danish residents may include, besides a 'coloni-bestyrer' fthe 'factor' or overseerj, a 'Missionair' or clergyman, at a few paces also a doctor, if the 'Coloni' is fortunate, and perhaps a carpenter and a schoolmaster. Exports include seal oil, seal, fox, bird and bear skins, fish products and eryolite, the'strategic material used in the manufacture of aluminum, account- ed for 805 of this total. - ould hardl be considered a 'world power' yet it is all import- antpE5f1g:F:t:ining a cghstant vigil against enemy agression by air. Tae principle industrial cities of the United States can be reached from Nort - stern Europe via the North Pole route and over Greenland. Any other route ea ld add considerable mileage and detract from the effectiveness of a poss- Wgle air attack launched in Northern or Northeastern Europe. All one needs to 50 is to take an ordinary Globe and look down at the North Pole, That will ive ou some idea of its extremely strategic importance to weather observa- Eion,yand to the perimeter air defense network of the United States.