The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-11-09
an ENGLISHNAN'S VIEWS.
1T IS TOO LATE FOR ENGLAND
TO TAKE TIE ISLANDS.
What !. Graham GrlJbIe Thinks Of
Annexation To the United states.
at IS TOO LATE FOR ENGLAND

The following article, copied from
the Engineering Magazine" of
May, 1891, is from the pen of T.
Graham Gribble. He is an Eng
lishman and was brought out here
from England to build the system
of tramways with which we are now
blessed, and it shows the feeling
that even then prevailed among
thinking men. The following par
agraph is especially significant:
what she (Hawaii), needs most
Of all is to be brought into closer con-
tact with the United States, and she
would certainly be as valuable to
this country as this country's alli-
ance would be to her. The time
for Great Britain to have annexed
the islands has passed by. They
would have been an excellent rest
and be thankful between British
Columbia and Melbourne, and an
invaluable mid-ocean link in the
great imperial federation scheme !;
but the American interests, social,
political and financial, have reached
so great a preponderance that we
may expect some proposals for
uniting Hawaii to the great repub-
lie in the immediate future" =
"When the country is thrown
open to republican push and
American capital is tempted there
by a submarine cable, frequent
and rapid steamship service and
local facilities commensurate with
the means of access, all existing
rights and franchises will become
very valuable; and for those who
are given to speculation Hawaiian
securities might we'll offer some
temptations at the present mo-
ment."
This is from the pen of an Eng
lishman. The English are the
proverbially true to their country,
and hate to see any other nation
step in when they cannot. But
Gribble says that "the time has
passed for England to annex the ISL
ands," and that the time is ripe for
America to take them. So say we
all of us. The article referred to
follows the title is railways
Building in Hawaii" and only
portion is reproduced
Pearl Harbor may have a grander
destiny and the railway prove
bonanza to its proprietors. The three
lochs have a capacity and depth for
accommodating either the future
navy of the United States or the pres
ent navy of Great Britain. y short
stretch of coral reef forming a bar
would have to be removed IN cider to
give access to vessels of deep draught.
The cost of this has been variously
estimated at from 100000 to 5000
OC0, probably the first figures are
nearer the mark.
When examining this bar in cur
sorry manner, it did not appear to be
growing coral and from the large
quantities of fresh water flowing
through the channel, it is unlikely
that it would be. A very small pro-
portion of fresh water will prevent
the growth of coral and several eXpe-
riments with n water-tight bucket,
opened and closed under water, have
proved the existence of strong fresh
that the heavy rainfall in the hills is
carried away by natural underground
conduits formed by assures in the
volcanic rock, and flows over the
lower coral beds but under the allu-
vial slopes and so out into the harbor.
The promontories which divide the
Icons are peculiarly suitable for ware
houses because vessels of deep
draught could lie alongside without
dredging.
An agreement exists between Ha-
waii and the United States under
which the latter have the exclusive
right to make and maintain naval
harbor at Pearl river. a protest was
made at the time by the British COM
missioner upon the grounds of an in
ternational treaty which gave equal
rights to all the signatory powers for
use of existing Hawaiian harbors, but
Minister Austin contended that this
was not included in the provisions of
the treaty inasmuch as it was not
harbor at present.
The effect of the recent tariff alter !
atoms will test both the productive |
ness of the islands and the energy |
and enterprise of the settlers. Many /
concerns which have been built up on |
slender capital, long credits and high |
prices, will be seriously affected by |
the smaller returns of profits upon |
this years and future crops. But the |
cheap labor, increased facilities of |
transportation, and labor-saving APP |
pliances, she will be able to hold her |
own without favors. What she needs |
most of all is to be brought into closer |
contact with the United States, and |
she would certainly be as valuable to |
this country as this country's alli- |
ance would be TO her. The time for |
Great Britain to have annexed the |
islands has passed by. They would
have been an excellent "rest and be !
thankful between British Columbia /
and Melbourne, an invaluable mid
ocean link in the great imperial fed /
Grafton scheme; but the American in
terests, social, political and financial, |
have reached so great 4 preponder-
ance that we may expect some pro-
posals for uniting Hawaii TO the great |
raDubIic in the Immediate futurP