Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 70

A ASBURY PARK SUNDAY PRESS, Apr. 30, 1967 King of Aqualandia Says He Has Solution to World Peace clined to take the island ventures seriously, and the U.S. government takes the narrow view. Edwin Miller, U.S. attorney in San Diego, points out that Cortes Bank is on the continental shelf and therefore, under the 9 Rivers and Harbors Act, is in United State domain.

Another legal wrinkle is Mexico's old claim that it still owns California's offshore islands. And the Bureau of Land Man- agement in Los Angeles says a pact signed in 1959 by the United States and some 20 other nations gives countries rights to those parts of the ocean floor off their shores that are "exploitable." But the king of Aqualandia is not dismayed. "We do not seek to exploit the' wealth for ourselves and would hold domain only over, the ocean floor, not the water above it," ing to exploit the riches beneath the sea first obtain Aqualandia's blessing and return one-eighth of all that is mined from the ocean floor. This stipend, the king, explains, would go into a pool supervised by the world's sov-erign nations and would be used to maintain the Aqualandian capital on Bishop Rock, a sort of underwater mountain 110 miles west of San Diego. Grand plans, already have been drawn for this futuristic city, which Austin vows will soon rise from the sea.

It is hoped that construction on the $200 million, glass-domed capital can be started in 1968, although his highness concedes that financing of the project is among particulars still to be worked out Has Flag, Constitution Aqualandia boasts its own flag (an orange porpoise frolicking in an azure sea), has its own national anthem (composed by a UCLA student), its own constitution (written on parchment in old English script) and is run by its king, prime minister, lord chancellor and 16-member cabinet. Aqualandia's U.S. Embassy is in West Covina, at the home of one of the cabinet members, Walter Podolece, an electronics executive. The king spends much of his time teaching golf at his three schools. Austin, 51, a native of-the island of Guernsey, has made a good, albeit unkingly, living as a club pro or teaching at a variety of driving ranges.

His wife really the queen," he says) is Tanya So-mova, a part time actress who falls off horses and performs other stunts for movies and television. HOLLYWOOD W) Duffers get royal treatment at Mike Austin's golf school. Sometimes the tall, graying proprietor greets them in a tuxedo and black bowler. A visitor asked why. "I just Came back from a cabinet meeting," he said.

Austin, ywj see, is a king head of the kingdom of Aqualandia. He claims his realm comprises 83 ber cent of the world's area, but don't look for Aqualandia on the map. It is all under water. Austin (he prefers to be called regent "king sounds and fellow Aqua-andians have laid claim to the 110 million square miles of undersea land outside the continental shelfs. He has so informed the United Nations.

Any country seeking to exploit the oil and minerals from Aqualandia's domain without permission, his majesty warns, will face the wrath of the Aqualandian navy and air force: two ships and two airplanes (not armed). Aqualandia's claim to existence is fraught with legal complexities, but the affable monarch feels' all will be ironed out in time because he has the answer to world peace. Can Prevent Wars "Eventually," Austin explains, "the world will have to go to the bottom! bf the ocean for its food and fuels. The bigger nations of the world are going to grab what's! down there." Wars of the future, he feels, would be prevented because Aqualandia, in league with the world's nations, would parcel out these mineral and oil rights on an equitable basis. The Aqualandian philanthropic plan, as Austin calls it, would require only that nations seek Austin holds regular audiences with his cabinet in his tuxedo, shunning the more regal attire of lesser state head.

He was the chief framer ef the Aqualandian constitution and proclamations, all of which have been mailed to the world capitals. First King Died "The only country that sent them back," he says, "was Red China." The first king was Lynn Marion Barnett, a Los Angeles Fire Department captain. Under King Marion Aqualandia was founded Aug. 10, 1961. Austin, then prime minister, went to the United Nations 12 days later and presented his credentials to Dag Hammarskjold.

The secretary-general told Austin that Aqualandia would have to petition the world's nations fr membership, and gave him application forms. "I found the secretary general very receptive and epen-minded," Austin recalls. "He was neither for nor against our plans. Aqualandia did not sound ridiculous to him." Aqualandia's first monarch died in 1962 and his eldest son was elevated to the throne. But he was busy in the workaday world, so the cabinet named Austin the king.

"We have a democratic monarchy," he points out The official magazine, the Aqualandian, is mailed around the world "to keep government heads informed on our progress." He envisions a population of 1,000 for his two-mile-wide capital on Bishop Rock, recruiting all hands from throughout the world. "My subjects would have world citizenship," the aspiring monarch points out Not many landlubbers are in if jv 2 Mike Austin holds Aqualandia's Constitution. WE ARE SPRING CLEANING! COME ON UP TO VICTOR'S IT'S A GIVE AWAY SALE! THE COUNTRY FAIR 611 COOKMAN AVE. ASBURY PARK.N-J. GROUP III Ladlea' ratle Drm-f AAA ea.

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