SOLOMON ISLANDS, a group in the South Pacific; lying S. E. of New Britain and E. of New Guinea; extending in a S. E. direction between lat. 5° and 11° S., and long. 154° to 162° E. These islands were first discovered and explored by the Spanish navigator Mendana in 1568. He named them Solomon Islands on the imagined idea that the riches of Solomon's temple had been brought from them. While on his way to colonize them in he died, and the islands were not again visited till they were rediscov ered by Carteret in 1767. They were visited several times during the latter part of the 18th century, and parts of the coast line of the larger islands were surveyed, but between 1794 and 1838, they became almost forgotten. After the latter date the survey of the coast was renewed, and both traders and mission aries endeavored to settle on the islands. Neither met with much success, however, and little was heard of the islanders save accounts of the murders and plunders per petrated by them. In 1845 some French missionaries went thither in charge of Mgr. Epaulle, a notable dignitary of the
Church, but their leader was killed by the natives soon after landing. There is no doubt, from the accounts given, that the natives practiced cannibalism. In 1848 the French mission was abandoned. Some 12 or 14 years later, the English Church established a mission on the islands, in charge of native teachers from other islands that had been Chris tianized. In 1881 the French Catholic mission was again resumed.
The British protectorate was extended in 1887-1898. In accordance with the Anglo-German agreement of 1899 the islands of Choiseul and Isabel, with their surrounding islets, were transferred to Great Britain, Germany retaining the islands of Bougainville and Buka until the World War, when they were captured by an Australian force in 1914. The population of the entire group of islands is about 600 whites and 150,000 natives.