Sealand News

Did you know that the brother of American writer Ernest Hemingway created a micro-nation in 1964, three years before Sealand was founded?

Leicester Hemingway was like his brother in many ways, a writer, traveller and lover of the great outdoors, Leicester authored six books and many articles in addition to working as a newspaper reporter and boat builder. In 1953 he wrote ‘The Sound of the Trumpet’, based on his personal experience in Germany and France during World War 2, but his most famous novel is the biography ‘My Brother, Ernest Hemingway’ published in 1961.

Three years after its publication, and Ernest’s death by suicide, Leicester Hemingway travelled to a position eight miles southwest of Jamaica in international waters, secured an 8×30 foot bamboo raft to a Ford engine block and announced the creation of the ‘Republic of New Atlantis’.

Using an obscure law called the Guano Islands Act, Hemingway claimed half the island on behalf of the U.S. government, leaving the remaining half for New Atlantis. The Guano act was created in 1856 when guano (bird poo!) was used as a commercial fertilizer. Unoccupied islands covered in bird waste were in high demand and so the U.S. allowed its citizens to lay claim to any territory containing guano deposits for the good of their country.

Hemingway used this strange and little-known law to declare New Atlantis an island nation, and was voted in as president by every one of the micro-nations seven voters. His aim was to use New Atlantis as the headquarters for his own International Marine Research Society, with which he planned to further marine research, and also protect Jamaican fishing.

Although never officially recognised by any state, Jamaica didn’t seem to object to the man-made island floating just off its shores - in 1964 a spokesman for the Jamaican embassy in Washington said Leicester Hemingway was a “decent, well meaning soul”.

Like Sealand, New Atlantis had its own currency (dubbed ‘Scruples’), constitution and stamps. Leicester was a particular fan of stamps and many were created celebrating the lives of famous figures like Sir Winston Churchill and U.S. president Lyndon Johnson. He sent one of the stamps to President Johnson and received an official thank-you note in return, allegedly addressed to him as president of New Atlantis, possibly the closest anyone has come to official recognition of a micro-nation.

Sadly New Atlantis wasn’t able to withstand Mother Nature, and just a few short years after it was created the island was destroyed by a hurricane. Leicester Hemingway lived until 1982, but faced with the prospect of losing both his legs to diabetes he committed suicide at the age of 67.

Interestingly, the ‘Guano Act’ has never been repealed, meaning that American citizens could theoretically use it to create their very own micro-nations, just like Sealand!

Sealandnews.com, the official electronic newspaper of the smallest country in the world, gets ready for the Second Annual Sealand Award and you can be a part of all the fun and excitement!

This year, Sealandnews.com invites you to help us put together our nominee list!

Who’s worthy to become a Lord or Lady of Sealand? Will Smith, Daniel Craig, Wayne Rooney, Claudia Schiffer, David or Victoria Beckham, Zac Effron, Pamela Anderson, Ronaldo, Gordon Brown, Madonna, Kylie, Simon Cowell, Take That, Coldplay, the Pussycat Dolls, Paul Potts, Christopher Biggins, Leona Lewis, Kate Hudson, George Clooney, Cate Blanchet, Amy Winehouse, George Bush or Barrack Obama? Or somebody else?

You tell us! Simply send us an email and tell us who you think deserves to be honoured with a noble title of the Principality of Sealand.

It gets even better: Just for telling us who should be on the Sealand Award Nominee List 2008, Sealandnews will award a genuine Lord or Lady title to one of its readers.

You can suggest artists, athletes and politicians in the following categories: actors, actresses, popstars, sports, TV personality, celebrity, Sealand Peace Price and Lifetime Achievement award.

Please keep in mind that Daniel Redcliffe, Angelina Jolie, Pete Doherty, Britney Spears, Tiger Woods, Sasha Cohen, David Tennant, Paris Hilton, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Homer Simpson and Airiel have already been rewarded with honorary noble titles of the Principality of Sealand.

Please send your suggestions to lordsinclairofsealand@googlemail.com. All entries must be received by 5pm on Monday 14 July 2008.

The Sealand Award is an international award that will be given to celebrate outstanding talent and achievements in sports, entertainment and humanitarianism.

If you can’t afford to buy Sealand for £65 million, there might be a cheaper solution! If you’re in the market for your very own genuine island, and an official offshore tax haven to boot, one of the 8 inhabited Channel Islands is up for sale.

The lease to the island of Herm, a 1½ mile “paradise” island with white beaches, located to the south of the UK, off the coast of France, just three miles from Guernsey, can be yours for a mere £15 million.

Read more here: Baumanblog

The winner of the fourth Sealand Competition is Lord Christopher of Sealand, formerly known as Christopher Lee Harkins.

Christopher lives in Levittown, a suburb of Philadelphia and works as a RF technician.

He lives with his beautiful wife, Liz, and enjoys working on automobiles and motorcycling, going to concerts, taking long road trips and doing yard work in his spare time. Christopher and his wife are planning a family this coming fall.

Congrats, Christopher.

There’ll be another Sealand Competition starting June 11!