The morning call., 1893-01-30
sERENO BISHOPS REVIEW.
The Importance Of the Islands to This
Great Nation.


In an article written during September
1891. Serene f B.shop. a talented CORE
spandeat, wrote as follows in reference to
the question Of Hawaiian annexation and
other matters CONNECTED with the island
KINGDOM:
The essential public interest attaching to
Hawaii gOWs our Of lis central position 10 the
commerce OF the Pacific Ocean. Honolulu Is ex-
actly Boz The track OF all steamers sailing TO
Australasia from IAN Francisco or Puget Sound.
TIE trade on this line is between kindred pee
PIES now only 10 the gristle but already includes
ore lue Of monthly steamers. with other lines IN
"a 3 prospect. What viii this traffc become
Wien tie Two or three millions Of English
speaking people on either coast shall have multi
Piled many fold?
Even more precisely is Honolulu in tbs direct
f0uie OF one part Of that enormous traffic from
atlantic and Pacific posts which eagell y awaits
tie cutting % Tie Nc ,ragua ship canal 10 burst
g. an muetaOus tide through the isthmns. All
Tie trade with CHINA aud Japan from America
ports eu lie Atlantic must take the Nicaragua
route J. is his large movement OF ocean com
nerce impending III tie imm date future which
lends lie mos serious Importance u the poiltl-
cal ielalions Of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Every
ship from the Atlantic crossing tile Pacific to
ASIA vii naturally sight he Hawaiian Islands,
and every steamer VIII be likely 10 TepieaIsh her
coal hunkers Il Honolulu. This fact Will render
the political condition and International Fela-
tiOus Of Hawaii Of importance.
Although not upon the shortest or ''great
circle" rOue between California and China
Honolulu IS practically a convenient port OF cal
for steamers upon that line, as many Of them
now DO call This tendency viii increase win
tie coming growth Of Honolulu as a general
calling and cosnng station. 1t il also a natural
UOft Of call and supply for ships 10 China from
CallaO and Valparaiso. Honolulu is thus seen
10 be ne great cross roads OF the Pacific com
merce.
More than this Honolulu Is the only cross
roads In The North Pacific and the North Pacific
VIII he the chief region of commerce. This port
IS wholly alone in lis commanding position. II
has absolutely no competitor. From The Mar
qnesas 10 the 'eulians Hawaii IS the only LAND
10 that tremendous ocean expanse west of
America where ship can call within a space of
$500 miles from San Francisco ana 5000 from
Nicaragua. At those distances but far south OF
The route, les the poor little haven OF iult, aud
little beyond II that OF SJrong's Islaud. These
ave over 1000 NIL beyond Hawaii. Scarcely
anywhere 81 on The globe does there stretch so
vast an expanse Of ocean absolutely devoid OF
land a. that which rolls unbroken by reef or isle
b-t~een Hawaii and America. From any point
between Panama and Sltka bird flying west
ward shall find DO inch o. firm rest for her foo,
until Hawaii IL reached. Beyond Honolulu there
Is no post available except Guam. and that Is
only l5OO-miies cas- OF Hong Kong, while being
$500 + ON san Francisco and 1900 from
Nicaragua. Honolulu alone suitably divides tie
distances. being $3.50 miles from Nicaragua and
1900 fran Hong Kong. Jalult, Sironp's island
aud Bona6e are too far south Of The route to be
considered
By The geographical necessity OF the case, every
thing centers a Honolulu. not merely as The
most convent nt port Of call bot as The only pos.
sible one. i Is true that steamships can max,
the run OF 5000 miles from Nicaragua 10 Hong
Kong or fOh Ohama without Tepenshlng thei
bunkers II will not, however, ordinarily pa,
10 do that. The storage OF The necessary Goa
VIII displace just so much paying freight. The
larger part OF the steamers crossing tie Pacif,
viii ind Il eXpedient 10 coal at Honolulu.
seems certain that nearly all those 20 and iron
Nicaragua VIII do 50. Within ten years Homo
lulu viii clearly hav- 10 provide Tor The accom-
mediation OF from twenty TO thirty arg- steam
ers per month, tOge her with that OF the coillet'
supplying them. aud this IN addition 10 her pres
eBt trade.
This viii be a formidable Increase Of business
and must materially affect the commercial an.
with them the political relations of Hawaii
The amount OF tonnage likely to come through
the canal soon after Its opening is roughly esii
mailed at 100000 tons . sBnum. This +
equivalent o i've ships OF 5000 ons per day to
getber with fifteen ships Of 1000 tons. This vii
steadily and rapidly increase, as has done I'd,
Suez traffic. Now 1t seems not unfair TO esII
male that oBe-tenth OF this tonnage viii be II
the Asialc trade and will call at Honolulu
This allows for the large proportion of America
trade with Asia by way of the Pacific Coast, ant
remaining OH the great circle route. These wish
ing ships at Honolulu will be mainly British
bottoms, with many German ana French. TIL
Atlantic States will supply much OF the cargoe>
but for lack OF American ships these eaIgoe
win for time go 10 foreign bottoms.
The favorable position of Honolulu will be ma
terially enhanced by the absolute necessity O
using those islands as an intersectiDg point 10
telegraphic cables across the Pacific. Ii Is Oh
ylous that all cables between Australia and Tbs
Moth American Pacific coast must make Homo
luiu their first station. As 10 cables TO Ala, lii
route by the way of the Aleuiian Islands ha
been thought TO compete strongly with that vi
Honolulu, both on account OF diiectness and OF
account Of permitting land lines for portions
Tie route. The stormy and Indictment character
Of that route Is a serious objection. A more DE