The herald., 1895-01-10
THE LEASE OF NECKAR ISLAND
England After a Cable Station
in Hawaii.
The Correspondence Laid Before
congress.
Tho Line Would Prove of Advantage to
the United statss-What the
President Says.
By THE HERALD's Leased Wire.

| WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-Ine preeldent
today sent to congress another batch
of Hawaiian correspondence sup-
Elementary to the Walker report. This
chapter is full of interest inasmueh as
it reveals a notable difference OF opinion
between Admiral Walker and United
States Minister Willis, regarding the
necessity OF keeping United States war
ships at Honolulu as long as the British
government keeps q mansot-war there.
In the uecond place it diacloses that an
effort is being made by the British gov
eminent, with the consent OF the Ha-
waiian authorities to secure the lease OF
ON island of the Hawaiian group TO be
used az a cable station.
In the message which accompanies
the correspondence President Cleveland
outlines in a general way the substance
OF the letters between the governments.
He says: II submit here with certain
dispatches from our minister at Hawaii.
and documents which accompanied the
same. They disclose the tact that the
Hawaiian government desires to loaae
to Great Britain ono of the uninhabited
islands belonging to Ha wall "a station
for submarine telegraph cable to be
laid from British Columbia to Australia
with connection bstween the island
leaeed and Honolulu. Both the governs
mont Of Hawaii and Representatives OF
Great Britain in this negotiation
concede that their proposed lease cannot
be effected without tho consent of the
United States, for the reason that in
our reciprocity treaty with the king of
Hawaii he agreed that as long as the
same treaty remained in force ne would
not leaee or otherwise dispose OF or Gre
ate any lien upon any port, harbor or
other territory in his dominion, or grant
any special privilege or right OF use
therein to any other state or govern
ment.
CONGRESS TO DETERMINE.
Sat the request of the Hawaiian gov
eminent this subject is laid before con.
gress for its determination upon the
question of 80 modifying the treaty
agreement above recited as to permit of
the proposed Lease. Ii will be seen that
the correspondence which is submitted,
between Hawaii and the British nego-
tiators negatives the existence on the
part of Hawaii of any suspicion of Brit
ish friendliness or fear OF British agrees
sion. Tbs attention of congress- is di-
rectsd to the following statement, con-
tanned in communication addressed to
the Hawaiian government by the repre-
sentstivea ef Great Britain.
We propose to inform the Britishgov-
eminent of your inquiry whether they
will accept the sovereignty of Neckar
Island, or some other uninhabited
island, on condition that no subsidy is
required from you. AS we explained,
we have not felt at liberty to entertain
that question ourselves, as we were def
initely instructed not to ask for sov-
ereignty of any Island. but only for q
lease, simply for the purpose of q cable.
A LEASE ONLY WANTED.
"Some OF the dispatches from our min.
lister which are submittedsnot only refer
to the project for leasing the uninhsbit-
cd island belonging to Hawaii. but con-
tain interesting Information concerning
recent occurrences in that country and
its political and social condition. This
information is valuable, because it ia
based upon observation and knowledge
necessarily within the scope of diplo.
matte duties, which are entrusted
solely to the charge of this
intelligent diplomatic officer, reps
resenting the United States
government at Hawaii. l hope con-
gress will see liz to grant the request OF
the Hawaiian government and our con-
sent to the proposed Lease be accorded.
1t seems that we ought not by refusal
of the request stand in the way OF the
advantages to be gained by isolated
cation with the rest of the world, and
especially in view of the fact that our
own communication with that country
would thereby be so benefited without
apparent detriment to any legitimate
American interests."