The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-11-23
THE INTERNATIONAL MARINE CON-
FERENCE.

gins with the assembling last week
at Washington of official representa-
tives of all maritime nations. The
Herald was the first to urge the
United States government to take
the initiative in the movement which |
has brought about this international
conclave of nautical experts, scien-
lists and seamen, and it is with much
pride and pleasure we hail the final
realization of the scheme. Never, at
least since the renowned Brussels
Conference of 1853, which Maury
we'll said "presented the sublime
spectacle of all nations agreeing to
unite and cooperate in carrying out
one system of philosophical research
with regard to the sea-" and which
covered itself with glory and the
world with the benefits of its wise
counsels, has any scientific congress
had more magnificent opportunities
for world wide usefulness than that
now assembled at the capital.
The first great advance OF modern
times in navigation and the conquest
of the sea was due to the sagaclty
and genius Of a somewhat similar
gathering of scientists and practical
seamen. Prince Henry of Portugal,
in the fifteenth century, collected
around him at Sagres, near Cape st.
Vincent, the most skillful naviga-
tors of the age, forming, so to speak,
a school for mariners. Out Of 1t
came such illustrious pupils as
Cabral, the discoverer Of the Azores
Diego Cam, who first penetrated the
mouth of the broad River Congo,
and, later, Bartholomew Diaz, the
first European to round the "Cape OF
Storms" on the southernmost pro-
montory of Africa.
If no other object is to be gained
by the present Maritime Congress
than to amass and sift the nautical
learning of every nation and to dis
seminate the precious lore among
all seamen the worlds gain would be
incalculable. No knowledge, per
haps, is more scattered and more In
accessible to those whom it most
concerns than that derived from ex
detrimental acquaintance with the
sea and a scientific study of the ex
act conditions of it's safe navigation
Such knowledge may be treasured
UP in the nautical records Of differ
ent nations. But the average sea
man has no access to these. The
Washington Conference has, there
fore, a work of vast utility and bene
ficence in bringing, as 1t were, into
focus scattered rays of light from
hundreds of sources which dlffusec
would be of little use to mariners.
But there are other and more in
vit1ng vistas of usefulness which
will open before the Conference
While it's decisions will not have thu
force of international law, it's judi
cious recommendations will com
mand the respect not only of all thu
governments represented in it's de
alterations, but of all intelligent navi
gators. It is therefore in the bes
position to prescribe improved regu
lations for preventing disasters a
sea, to secure the adoption of ''stean
lanes" by which disabled vessels
far from land may be quickly sue
cored, to facilitate navigation b.
better modes of signalling both b!
night and by day, to clear the ocean
of formidable derelicts, and to brins
about reforms which will divest tn
deep of many of its terrors to com
MERGE, so as to make true the happ,
conception, never yet realized.
The seas but join the nations they divide
If even a moiety of the good tn
Conference may do is accomplished
by its labors, the risks and costs o
navigation will be immensely les
} sened. The profits of ocean com
, MERGE will be proportionately in
creased, and the resulting inter
change of production in every par
of the globe will be more rapid am
lucrative than ever before.
The work before the Conferenc
calls for the most patient and pains
taking research and careful sitting
A year would not be too long for it
deliberations, considering the man,
difficult questions on which it has t.
pass its opinion. But if it is no
disturbed by lobbyists and fancifu
theorists it may in a short time, an
with a fair degree of unanimity
reach final and wise conclusion
3 upon the monentous matters sub
+ mitted to its arbitration. Let
E emulate the great Brussels Confer
=, ence in the spirit of its inquiries an
decisions, and it cannot fail to be