The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-28
THE PROBLEM OF DEFENSE

who write for the New York Herald
against the annexation movement, says
that the United States, if it should
acquire these islands, could not hope |
to defend them against the attacks of |
hostile power. The same paper, how.
ever in a recent discussion of war
problems admitted that the British isl |
and outposts, Malta, Cyprus, and the
Bermudas could hold their own against
all corners, while their provisions lasted, |
without the assistance of the British
fleet 1t does not seem to have oC.
CURED to it that what engineering and
military skill had achieved for an insular
station under the English flag it might
do as well for one which had an Amer
lean proprietorship
The problem Of defending these
islands is by no means serious. There
are but two powers that could think of
attacking an American possession in
this ocean-Great Britain and Russia
and the latter ofthese has but meager
naval facilities on its Pacific coast. 1t is
obvious, therefore, that the only power,
the possible hostility of which is to be
considered as a factor in the Hawaiian
problem, is Great Britain.
For England to make a sustained
attack upon this group there would be
the need of nearby base of supplies
for its fleet As all the stations owned
by that power in British America would
quickly fall into the hands of the Yam
kees-nine millions of whom, it must
be remembered are adult fighting men,
and one million of whom are trained to
arms-the hostile fleet would have to
keep itself in communication with such
distant ports as Hongkong and those of
New Zealand and Australia. The diff.
ficulty of doing this with an active Van,
kee fleet of battle ships and cruisers in
this ocean, and with AN erlcan priva
teers keeping the English squadrons
busy all over the world in the protection
of that vast commerce which gives the
> people of the British isles their wealth
and sustenanCe, makes it easytO see that
any very continuous naval investment
I Of Hawaii is not to be prediCated.
Considering the expense and trouble
involved and the need of Great Bri-
, tains vigilance in ten thousand other
directions where floating or stable prop
erty of its own lies exposed, the
y game would not be deemed worth the
p candle.
+ Assuming, however, for the sake of
the argument that the Hawaiian group
would have to be defended by its own
, garrisons, what then? The assault OF
an enemy would be, of course, upon
4 that part of the group which affords
n harbors that could be used as a rendez
n vous for ships. Such an island as La
II mai, for example, would be of small value
if captured, while Hawaii and OAHU
would be useful objective points, 1t i:
reasonable to say that both ,uld be as
readily held by United States garrison'
as Malta or any of the West India o.
Bermudan groups are by British forces
u Army engineers hold that it is nj
e longer practicable for a fleet to attacl
IS modern land defenses capably held
y for the simple reason that guns mount
,e ed on shore elevations will carry furthe
D. and do more execution than will thu
4 same class of ordnance aligned on tn,
decks Of ships. The French squadron
y did not dare approach and attack tn,
a. German fortresses during the war 0
1871. Neither did the German ironclad
rs undertake close investment of Frencl
is seaboard cities. In the recent war il
y Chill, the insurgent fleet, great ant
: strong as it was, held warily aloof iron
n the bristling outposts of Valparaiso
d It's objects were won by flank move
l. ment-landing sailors and soldiers at
& nearby port which, by some culpabl
Il negligence had not been proper
| guarded.
Here on Oahu, battery Of moder
d guns on Diamond Head, two or tire
n shore batteries along the reef and tn
y nearby coast and a nest or two c
!. mortars, could hold any fleet at ba
e off Honolulu Similar defences at tw
Is or three other points on the islam
e would keep landing parties at a dis
e lance. Added to these devices such
,r submarine torpedo system as tina
st which has been organized at Sa
e Francisco, would, at very moderat
n cost make Oahu anOther GibraltaI