Guano Islands Act

The Guano Islands Act (11 Stat. 119, enacted August 18, 1856, codified at 48 U.S.C. ch. 8 §§ 1411-1419) is a United States federal law passed by the Congress that enables citizens of the United States to take possession in the name of the United States of unclaimed islands containing guano deposits. The islands can be located anywhere, so long as they are not occupied by citizens of another country and not within the jurisdiction of another government. It also empowers the president to use the military to protect such interests and establishes the criminal jurisdiction of the United States in these territories.

"Guano Islands" redirects here. For the island in Kiribati, see Enderbury Island. For the island in Antarctica, see Guano Island (Antarctica).

Guano Islands Act of 1856
Long titleAn Act to authorize Protection to be given to Citizens of the United States who may discover Deposits of Guano
Enacted bythe 34th United States Congress
EffectiveAugust 18, 1856
Citations
Public lawPub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 34–164
Statutes at Large11 Stat. 119
Legislative history
  • Introduced in the Senate as S. 339 by William H. Seward (R–NY) on May 26, 1856
  • Committee consideration by Foreign Relations
  • Passed the Senate on July 24, 1856 
  • Passed the House on August 16, 1856 
  • Signed into law by President Franklin Pierce on August 18, 1856
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