The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-23
Hawaii and the Cable.

The news from Honolulu is that the Ha
waiian Government objects to granting any
concession for the projected cable between
British Columbia and Australia, on the
ground that an existing treaty with the
United States stipulates that no grant oi
land or Of special rights shall be made to
any other Government.
At first this declaration may seem to con
fict with the fact that at the Colonial Con
ference in July Mr.. THEODORE DAVIES was
present, as a representative of the Honolulu
Chamber OF Commerce, and proposed, In be
half of that body, that the cable should
land at Honolulu. But the real conclusion
seems to be that his mission was not sane
toned by the Government Of Hawaii, and
that no proposal of his could bind that Gov
eminent. Besides, the mere privilege Of
landing Is quite different from that OF a
grant of land to I've held as British, and sub
iect only to British control
The resolution adopted by the Ottawa
Conference insisted that the cable should be
free from foreign control" but mentioned
no route. while the bids invited by the Do
minion Government described eight distinct
routes, of which five take in Necker Island
and two Others Honolulu. Hawaii claims
Necker Island as her own. and not long ago
formally raised her flag there because infor-
nation had been received OF Great Britain's
purpose to use 1t as a cable station. Thus 1t
appears that seven out Of eight of the routes
were to touch somewhere in Hawaii.
1t may be embarrassing to the British
submarine project to learn that Hawaii is
averse to making any grant of land to it.
With that archipelago, the most important
midocean station for cable it would be
strange to leave it out OF the enter
prise altogether. Presumably Hawaii herself
would regret to be passed by, especially
should there be no prospect of an American
cable to Honolulu. But IL the news Of
her Governments position is correct, Great
Britain will either have to abandon the
project Of touching at one Of these islands or
must accept such qualified right as will
yield no concession of territory or involve
exclusive control
But the point Of immediate interest is the
fidelity Of Hawaii to her treaty stipulations
with the United States, and to the various
interests which bind her to us and will
doubtless one day make her an integral part
OF our Union. 1t is a fact that the treaty we
have with her provides that she shall make
no grant of lands to other countries, with
out the consent Of the United States. Mr..
BAYARD, writing in 1888 to the British
Minister in Washington in regard to
Pearl Harbor, observed that 1.-THE ex-
isting treaties Of the United States and
Hawaii create, as you are aware, special
and important reciprocities, to which the
present material prosperity of Hawaii may
be said to owe its existence, and by one of
the articles the cession Of any part of the
Hawaiian territory to any other Government
without the consent Of the United States is
inhibited" Doubtless, therefore, the British
Government is aware Of the obstacles Of this
sort which cable project would encounter.
But even IL no direct treaty prohibitions
existed, Hawaii would probably refuse to
grant territory to Great Britain. She I'M
derstands her destiny too well to cucumber
herself in any such way. She will come into
the Union wholly free from foreign control
or entanglements, and perhaps she also
counts on having then an American cable to
her shores, whatever the route taken by the
British cable now.