History of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

History of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

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There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William Keeling discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. In 1805, the British hydrographer, James Horsburgh, called them the Cocos-Keeling Islands in his sailing directory and named one of the islands after himself.

In 1825, Captain John Clunies-Ross, a Scottish trader, sailing the Borneo for the Trading House of Hare made a brief landing on the islands on his homeward voyage from the East Indies. He had orders to investigate Christmas Island on Alexander Hare's behalf as a possible site for a settlement. Bad weather prevented these plans and he surveyed the Cocos-Keeling Islands instead.

In 1823 Alexander Hare, an English adventurer, settled on the southernmost island with a number of slaves. Some two or three years after, J.Clunies-Ross, who had commanded a brig during the English occupation of Java, settled with his family (who continued in the ownership) on Direction Island, and his little colony was soon strengthened by Hares runaway slaves. Charles Darwin visited the islands in 1836.

The Dutch Government had in an informal way claimed the possession of the islands since 1829; but they refused to allow Ross to hoist the Dutch flag, and accordingly the group was taken under British protection in 1856. In 1878 it was attached to the government of Ceylon, and in 1882 placed under the authority of the governor of the Straits Settlements. Queen Victoria granted the islands in perpetuity to the Clunies-Ross family in 1886.

On November 9, 1914, the islands became the site of the Battle of Cocos, one of the first naval battles of World War I. The telegraph station on Direction Island was attacked by the German light cruiser SMS Emden, which was destroyed several hours later by the Australian cruiser, HMAS Sydney.

After the Fall of Singapore in 1942 during World War II, the islands were administered under Ceylon (Sri Lanka), while West Island and Direction Island were placed under Allied military administration. On the night of 8/9 May 1942, gunners of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery on Horsburgh Island rebelled. The Cocos Islands Mutiny was crushed and three of the rebels were to be the only British Commonwealth soldiers to be executed for mutiny during the Second World War.

On November 23, 1955 the islands were transferred to Australian control under the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955. In 1978, Australia entered a form of purchase of the islands with the Clunies-Ross family, and subsequently helped create an identity for locals to whom it gave a degree of autonomy. In 1995, Pulu Keeling National Park was proclaimed. The Park is managed by Parks Australia in concert with the local community.

These are currently a territory of Australia which are administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services. Defense is the responsibility of Australia although the territory does have a five-person police force

Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.