Atdtda [4]: Useful bases, 107-108

[Paul Nightingale]

The new chapter concludes the first part of the novel; and we are back with
the Chums. However, the optimism and excitement of the opening pages is
nowhere in evidence "in this era of desuetude": the Chums repeat old
'customs' (or duties, "midwatch") in the hope, perhaps, that this will
conjure up activity. Cue the boy from "an old painting". The opening chapter
saw them on their way to Chicago and the naming of progress that was the
exhibition; and the current chapter does something similar, the named
islands a reference to exploration and colonialism.

Flying "scant dozens of feet above" sea level, the Chums can see what would
be unidentifiable from a greater altitude. Naming is to bring into existence
something that the name in question will correspond to. Hence, "no longer
named, one by one the islets vanished from the nautical charts ..." (108).
If indeed they are "unpopulated, without vegetation" (107) the act of naming
signifies the power to do so by the colonial powers, which in turn implies
the usefulness of such outposts to those power.

Reading these pages reminds us of other Indian Ocean islands that have been
in the news these past years: the Chagos Islands.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2005984,00.html
http://www.johnpilger.com/page.asp?partid=351