Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-27
MEANING WAS PLAIN
American Vessels Needed at the Honolulu
Station
Admiral Walker Thought Naval Force
Should he Maintained So Long as
English Ships Remained.

A most ingenious effort has been made to
show, through an alleged error of a clerk
in transcribing the original documents,
that Admiral Walker in his report on the
political situation In Hawaii, instead of
having advised that a United States war
ship be kept at Honolulu, actually advo-
Gated a contrary course. 1t Is said that
the report as corrected indicates that the
administration knew what 1t was about,
and had the support of the new Hawaiian
government, in withdrawing warships." In
support of this theory 1t Is argued that the
presence of American warships at Honolulu
had been used by the royalists as an argu-
ment with the natives that the United
States was going to restore the queen and
that the administration wished to dispel
this Illusion: and also that in Withdrawing
its naval force from Honolulu the admin
istration had a clear understanding with
Great Britain that her forces would not eX-
tend aid to the Hawaiian royalsts in the
event of an uprising, which understanding,
diplomatic arrangement, had not been
confided to Admiral Walker.
AS a matter Of fact, the so-called cor
rection to which so much significance is
attached is really of no material value in
asmuch as it only strengthened what had
been already clearly shown in the copies
originally furnished the press, to wit: That
Admiral Walker firmly believed tho gov
ernment of Hawaii fully able to maintain
itself against the opposition or royahst
faction, without any support, nominal CT
actual, from any outside source" and cen
sequently that the proposed departure OF
both the U. S. S. Philadelphia and II. NJ. s..
Champion would, at the time he wrote,
mot be unfavorable to order and security
in the islands," This particular portion CT
the report is now put forth in defense of
the action of the administration In with
drawing its naval forces from Honolulu,
regardless Of the fact, clearly established
by the report itself, that Admiral Walker
regarded such a course as extremely dam
gerous to the interests of the United States
unless the British government also with
drew it's naval forces at the same time.
The main point Of his argument was that.
as that government had positively refused
to do this, 1t was absolutely necessary fer
the United States to keep a warship there
too. He expressed the belief that the pres
ence of British warship, in command of
an officer of known royalist sympathies,
and the absence of American representa-
tion, might encourage a state Of affairs
that would give the British government an
unwarranted supremacy in the future gov
ernment of the islands He therefore rec
commended that the United States have at
least one, IL not two, warshlps on that
station so long the British government
did the same, and that our naval strength
on that station should always be common
surate with that of Great Britain.
Meaning, Plain.
There was no possibility of mistal<ing his
meaning. His investigation had satisfied
him that Great Britainf would accept the
first opportunity of securing a foothold on
Hawaiian territory, and he argued that If
this government really desired to prevent
the accomplishment OF such a design 1t
must be In position to do SO by proper
naval representation on the spot 1nas-
much as the necessity of having American
warships at Honolulu was the main text
and theme of his report to tho Navy De-
partment. 1t is regarded as almost ncredi-
BILE that a slight clerical error made in
copying 1t for the benefit of the Senate
should be used as an argument in support
Of the action of the administration IN pur-
suing precisely contrary course.
Pacific Fleet.
Plans are now being prepared ct the
Navy Department for active service by the
ships composing the Pacific feet. 1t is
said they are being considered especially
with a view Of giving the administration a
reasonable pretext for not sonding vessel
to either Hawaii or Samoa. Congress will
undoubtedly ask for an explanation on
this point, and it is said the department
desires to be prepared to make plausible
response. The six vessels in commission
on that station have done no cruising since
September last Secretary Herbert has de-
cided that they must 20 to sea with the
least possible delay, in order that the off,
GERS and men may be properly exercised
in their duties. and the interests of the
country in the different ports on the sta
ton looked after mora closely. Hawaii
and Samoa are said to be omitted entirely
from these considerations. According to
one authority, the administration has de-
cided to ignore American interests in those
countries altogether, under existing condi-
tions, and, he added, that It will take moth
ing less than an act of Congress to secure
the presence Of an American warslip at
either place for some time to come.
The Pacific fleet now consists of the flag
ship Philadelphia, the Monterey, the Ben
nington, the Alert, the Ranger and the Mo-
hican. The Monterey is at Astoria. All
the others are near San Francisco. They
were all reported ready for sea several
weeks ago, but so far sailing orders
have been issued to any of them. The pro-
gram said to be under consId Grafton, is to
dispatch one or more of these vessels to
the coast Of Peru, and to send the others
on a short cruise for target practice and
general exercise. There is no special de-
mand for naval representation at any OF
the South American ports at present, but
1t may be deemed necessary to send at
least one ship to the west coast Of Central
America, where revolutions are always te
be expected The cruiser Olympia, the
cruiser Boston and the cruiser Marion will
also De duueu 10 inc aNdildDle ilSt Ol NeS-
sells on the Pacific station very soon, The
fact that there are six idle ships, ready for
sea, and that no steps have been taken to
send any Of them to Hawaii, is generally
accepted in naval circles as a clear indica-
ton that the administrator proposes to
wholly ignore Admiral Walkers patriotic
plea in that respect. Congress, however,
may order otherwise, but it is said to be
improbable that that body as at present
constituted will undertake to interfere with
the policy Of the executive in this matter.