The morning call., 1895-01-10

"Hu sno odugers resulting tHeTeIfoh " Aineii-
can citlZens cannot confirm either from per.
sohai knowledge or reliable Information. III
caiied upon 10 express an opinion, should be
constrained to say that during the past six
months, and especially since the proclamation
OF the republic, the presence or absence OF the
british war vessels here ought 10 have been re-
garoed with Indifference by our Government,
as II is now By this Government.
Inc petition of citizens" referred to by the
aomlrai Gid not receive until the day after our
conversation. The conditions here for many
monihs mad been extremely orderly ana peace
ful. AS stated by the petition itself, there was
no reason to doubt the ability of the Govern
ment OF the Republic of Hawaii to support and
sustain Itself and furnish full protection 10 the
llVeS ana properly of all residents In It's terri
Tory. In this opinion even the enemies OF the
government concurred. Furthermore, on the
Gay aIter receiving the petition, Mr.. Hatch, the
minister OF Foreign Affairs expressed TO me
MS regret that It had been sent, as those he rep.
resented welcomed the opportunity TO prove to-
the world that they were able to take care OF
themselves. These / deemed sufficient reasons
for not forwarding the pc ition.
ALBERT S. WILLIS.
The projected lease of the Haw allan
island as cable station is explained by
Minister Willis in several letters begin
ming October 13 In the first letter Mr..
Wills says that during the past negotia-
lions had been pending between the Ha-
wallan Government and representatives OF
Great Britain in regard to an ocean cable
between Canada and Australia, touching
at Nacker Island or at Honolulu. he did
not think that an agreement would be
reached at present, owing to the clause IN
our treaty with Hawaii prohibiting the
cession of any of the islands to any foreign
Government. He noted that the registra-
ton just closed sho wed an increase on the
island OF Oahu to 1929. as against 1735 at
the May elections. The financial state
ment showed a loss of revenue for the
year as compared with 1898 of S96941. but
as the expenditures were decreased by
S121.483 there was a net gain OF S24.542
On October 10 the Minister writes as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Fleming of Canada and Mr.. Mercer OF
the Colonial Office. London, In company with
a. r. Halves, the British Commissioner, re-
turned on the 9Th inst. from Bird Island. which
they had visited on the Hyacinthe in The In
terest of the proposed cable. They leave to-
day for home via Washington, where they Will
probably submit to the President and yourself
some proposition relating 10 their mission here.
On the 18th inst. Mr.. Veriaye the French
commissioner. requested that your attention
be called to the fact that his countrymen had
Just completed cable 10 New Caledonia and
would probably desire to extend 1t 10 Tahiti.
the Hawaiian Islands and the United States.
For this reason be hoped that our Government
would not be nasty In the matter.
On November % the Minister tells of
the success OF the ticket Of the American
tpi nd If
the arrival of 900 japanese immigrants to
labor on the sugar plantations under con-
tract.
On December the cable proposition
seems TO have taken full shape. for on that
date Mr.. Willis writes concerning his
former reference to the subject, and stat
ing that the Hawaiian Government Is of
the opinion that it Is stopped from con-
sidering the proposition OF the British
Commissioners by article 4 of the reci-
procity treaty between Hawaii and our
Government. He adds:
This matter is now. therefore, at the request
of this Government submitted TO the cOnsidera-
tion of our Government upon the question Of
It's Willingness 10 nulllfy the treaty of reel.
procty by exemptlng Neckar Island, French
Frigate Shoals OF Nihoa Bird Island) from the
operation of article of the treaty, which reads
as follows:
cit is agreed on the part of his Hawaiian
Majesty that as long as tbis treaty should re-
main in force he will not lease nor otherwise
dispose OF. nor create any lien upon any port,
harbor or other territory in his cominions. nor
grant any special privileges or rights of use
therein to any other power, state or govern
ment."
In this connection / incose copies OF the
note OF Mr.. Hatch, Minister OF Foreign Affairs,
and of correspondence between him and the
commissioners.
In the note to which Mr.. Willis refers
from Mr.. Hatch, the latter explains that
the British propositions involve the use OF
one of the uninhabited islands belonging
to the republic, viz: Neckar Island, French
Frigate Shoals or Nihoa bird Island, as a
cable station, in consideration of such use
and of such subsidy as might be agreed
upon. and the connection of Honolulu with
the main line by branch to the island
which might be selected. The Minister
expatiates at great length upon the i'm
portance of the proposed cable to Hawaii,
and recites the TACT that the Government
has in times past offered considerable sub
sides, in one case amounting to $4,000
per annum and the exclusive right for fiji
teen years to secure such a cable. The
opportunity now offered, be says, Is one to
which his country caLpot be Indifferent, il
it can be taken up consistently 10 the
treaty obligations and ii no more desirable
scheme is presented.
AS the proposition is one in which the
British Government is directly or indirectly
interested, Mr.. Hatch says the Hawaiian
Government feels itself stopped by our
reciprocity treaty from considering it until
the views Of our Government can be ascer-
tanned.
Enclosed in Mr.. Hatch's note is a letter
from Messrs. Fleming and MERCER. the
Canadian and British Commissioners.
transmitting copy of the memorandum
of agreement touching the cable. These
gentlemen say they presume Mr.. Hatch
will bring the proposed agreement to the
attention of the United States Govern
ment and ascertain whether 1t will give
its consent. They hope that the Wash
ington Government will be able to do this
upon proper representations. They en-
deayor to show the advantages that would
accrue to the United States from direct
cable communication with Honolulu and