Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-16
VALUE OF A CABLE
Lieut.. Commander Clover's Views as
Expressed in 1891.
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS ARE THE KEY
To Naval ard Commercial Suprem-
acy Of the Pacific.
PROMPT ACTION ADVIS E D

In 1891. when the House committee on
foreign affairs of the Fifty-first Congress
was considering the Senate bill for the in
corporation of tbs Pacific Cable Com
pany. it sought all sources of informa-
ton on the subject. AS already stated in
The Star, il found that Presidents Harri-
son and Cleveland and Secretaries Bayard,
Blaine and Tracy were ardent supporters
OF that project for the establishment OF
Geographic communication between the
United States and the Hawaiian Islands.
provided such lire was controlled in the
interests of the United States. The COM
mittee also requested the views of Lieu
tenant Commander Richardson Clover of
the navy, who was then ill charge or the
photographic office of the Navy Depart
ment. That officer had made a special
study of the question and was generally
regarded as an authority on the subject.
His view expressed to the committee
have a special application to the present
situation. especially they voice the pa
triotic sentiments of all naval officers con-
yerSaEt with the subject and at the same
time show now irjudicious and impolitic
il would be to allow Great Britain to have
an advantage over the United States in
this particular.
United states Permission Necessary.
The S.Lator quoted III yesterdays Star
was in error when he said that the propos-
ed British cable could be landed at HOMO
lulu with the corsent of the Hawaiian gov
eminent, without regard to the terms of
the reciprocity treaty between the United
States and iIaH ali, for the very good rel-
son that section of that treaty expressly
provided that the Hawaiian government
would not lease OF otherwise dispose o.
or create a lien upon any port, harbor or
other territory in his (the king OF ma
waiIsD dominion, or grant any special prlVl-
lege or right of use therein, to any
other power, state or government than
that of the United States. In view OF this
comprehensive provision 1T IS argued that
the Hawaiian government has no more
right TO allow the landing of a cable at
Honolulu without the assent or the United
States than at any point in the Hawaiian
Islands. The selection Oh NeCker lSIdiiu
as station by the British company was
made. il Is said, not so much With respect
to it's desirablity, as 1T was TO the Delle1
that il could be obtained with decidedly
less opposition. 1t is an uninhabited Island
from which communication can easily DE
established with Honolulu. thereby making
the same commercial ard military adVan-
teges as though the cable connection was
direct with the Hawaiian capital
Commander CiOver's Report.
Lieut.. Commander Clover'S response to
the House committee, which is specially
pertinent at this time, now that President
Cleveland has come out in favor OF the
British scheme. is as follows:
II understand that it is the desire of this
committee that 1 lay before them some Of
the facts and reasons why it is urgent that
there be cable connection between the
United States and Honolulu l will nrst
state that the Sandwich lSlandS are tue
kew to naval and commercial supremacy OF
the Pacific. Looking on Snomonic chart Oh
the Pacific. where straight lines are routes
of great circle and consequently the snort
est distance between two points, you Cd
serve that Honolulu lies directly on the
line between San Francisco and sydney,
Australia Now draw a line from NaIpar-
also to Yokohama and again you cross Hon
olulu. Not only are these the shortest
routes, but the most advantageous In all
respects and are used today by both steam
and sailing vessels.
the importance of Honolulu will be much
enhanced, for il lies directly in the route of
all vessels bound to ports of Asia, though
vessels from the China or Japan coast to
the canal will find a better route farther
north Lay a straight line, from point Gil
the Pacific end of the Nicaragua canal, on
YOUR gnomouic charts to Yokohama, ana
you will no doubt be surprised 10 see that
This line or the great circle course runs di-
reotly up the west coast, passes about oup
miles from san Francisco, and skirts the
Aleutian Islands Along this route, De
tween japan and our own coast, the great
Japanese or Kuro-swo current, analogous
to our Gulf stream. flows to our shores. and
the prevailing winds are in the same dlrec-
ton; past Honolulu, on the contrary, there
is a westerly current, and westerly winds
prevail.
Must Have Direct Connection.
ain the long voyages necessary in the
Pacific these facts are not ignored by even
high-powered steamers. The consequence
will be that between the Nicaragua canal
and Yokohama vessels will naturally pass
via Honolulu. and when making the pas
sage this way will touch at San Fran
cisco. Under such conditions can We afford
to be without direct cable connection with
Honolulu? England is keenly alive to the
situation, she always Is, where COM
mercial advantage and national honor are
at stake For the past three years she
has had war vessel sounding for suita-
BILE route for cable from Auckland to
Honolulu and thence to Victoria, Canada,
and unless take immediate action an
other year may see cable from Victoria
to Honolulu. practically supported by the
English government. followed by an eX-
tension to Australasia.
THE political protection and commercial
control of the Sandwich Islands belong to
the United States by natural right-no
ration is now disposed to question these
rights, but. If neglected. or rights may
be questioned. and We may have to fight
to assert them. Are We not negiecting
these rights. If we hesitate to join these
islands TO out territory even by a slen-
der wire which We see an alien preparing
to do before our very door?
AT the further end of the extension of
this line lies Australasia a world in itself
the prosperity and growth Of which will
one day rival that of our own country. by
position the bulk of Australasia's COM
merce should flow between its ports and
those of the west coast of the United
States, and if a great commerce does not
grow up between these countries and our
own it will be our owp fault Sydney. Aus
tIalia, is over 600 miles nearer San Fran
cisco than it is to the proposed Pacific end
of the Nicaragua canal. and is about halt
the distance to any European port, to say
nothing of bad weather and climate or
canal dues and delays.
From, "a Naval Standpoint.
There IS another eide 20 this subject
that appeals more earnestly to me than the
commercial siic. and that is the naval side.
but. as you know, gentlemen. the two go
hand In hand. We are building navy. We
shoulI consider how we will coal and direct
the movements Of our feet when away
from our own shores 1t l. interesting to
look at a map published by the Office of