Niels Peter Sorensen: The story of a criminal adventurer

For much of his long life (1848-1935) Niels Peter Sorensen operated beyond or very close to the margins of legality. His activities thus brought him t o the notice of various administrative and law enforcement agencies. conseq uently, their archives offer a rich, if widely scattered, record of his ign oble career. Trouble makers attract attention, and generate paper. Since he was particularly involved with the Solomon Islands, this was especially so in the case of the Western Pacific High Commission. Sorensen's activities thus illustrate something of the need for the extension of British imperial authority to the Pacific Islands. To be more fully comprehended, though, t hey need to be set within a wider context that embraces the united States, Australia and New Zealand.