John Fearn
Encyclopedia
John Fearn was a British
Royal Navy
officer
, ship captain and explorer. Fearn became famous for being the first European to land on the Pacific island of Nauru
, which is now a sovereign republic
.
Fearn discovered Nauru on 8 November 1798, while travelling with his whaling ship Hunter from New Zealand
to the China Seas. He named it Pleasant Island due to its attractive environment and the friendly nature of the Nauruans.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, ship captain and explorer. Fearn became famous for being the first European to land on the Pacific island of Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
, which is now a sovereign republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
.
Fearn discovered Nauru on 8 November 1798, while travelling with his whaling ship Hunter from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to the China Seas. He named it Pleasant Island due to its attractive environment and the friendly nature of the Nauruans.