LADRONES (la-drōnz'), or MARIANNE ISLANDS, a chain of 17 islands in the North Pacific, E. of the Philippines and the Caroline Islands; area, about 500 square miles. They were discovered by Magellan in 1521, who gave them the name of “Ladrones,” it is said, from the character of their inhabitants, the word meaning “thieves.” Guam (q. v.) is the principal island and embraces nearly one-half of the entire area of the group. On June 20, 1898, Captain Glass, of the United States cruiser “Charleston” took possession of the islands in the name of the United States, and by the peace treaty signed at Paris, Dec. 18, 1898, it was provided that the island of Guam should be ceded to the United States. The remainder of the islands, together with the Carolines, passed from the possession of Spain into that of Germany, Oct. 1, 1899, in consideration of the payment of about $4,187,500.