<P> 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 U.S. Congress that enables citizens of the United States to take possession of unclaimed islands containing guano deposits . The islands can be located anywhere , so long as they are not occupied and not within the jurisdiction of another government . It also empowers the President of the United States to use the military to protect such interests and establishes the criminal jurisdiction of the United States in these territories . </P>
what did the guano islands act allow the us to do
take possession of unclaimed islands containing guano deposits use the military to protect such interests establishes the criminal jurisdiction of the United States in these territories