The Hawaiian gazette., 1896-01-21

1ncapaclty. fIeslueut Doie onu II
advisers discovered this fact afte
spending 100000 on a crazy insur
rection that experts say ought not :
have cost half that amount.
Commanded by an American.
With a view to bringing order ou
of chaos, the Government invites
Robert Hamilton Mclean, late of th'
United States navy, to take command
of their troops, with the rank o
colonel. Judging by results 1t is saft
to say that Colonel Mclean is th,
right man in the right place. A native
of New Jersey, Mclean as boy was
so determined to be an officer in the
United States navy as to apprentice
himself before the mast in the naval
training ship Sabine, where he served
along the coast for year with An
napolis in view. At the end Of that
time twenty apprentices were sent up
for examination, ten of whom could
be selected by law. Out of these
twenty only six passed muster. Nc
Lean was at their head. He gradu-
ated fourth in his class. After twenty
years of active service in the navy
Mclean took years leave of absence
to visit Europe and then resigned to
become commandant of the Chelten-
ham Military Academy near Phila-
delphia. knowledge OF McLean's
special capacity in organization and
discipline led the Hawaiian Govern
ment to apply for his services as early
as June, 1894, but no positive action
was taken until the trouble of last
January convinced all supporters of
the Republic that there could be no
further delay in securing COM
mander.
Colonel Mclean assumed command
of the army last May. 1t consisted at
that time of two companies of sixty
men each and of four companies of
volunteers. Their condition was far
from satisfactory. Eighteen sentries
guarded the palace, now used as
government building, and twelve
pieces of artillery stood in the palace
grounds, with loaded muzzles pointed
toward the four streets surrounding it.
Instituted Some Reforms.
Colonel McLean's first reform was
to reduce the sentinels to four. The
timid were sure something would hap
pen, and nothing has happened since.
His next reform was to take off those
twelve guns, and thus remove source
of irritation to royalists and to nervous
omen and children, who felt that
they were being perpetually menaced.
Critics assured Colonel Mclean that
he was inviting revolution, but, as he
wished to silence the slur cast on the
III 0f 10, - <@f
and to Danish all signs of
war, he followed the dictates of COM
mon sense. Discipline and increased
vigilance have been excellent substi
tutes for loaded guns, and the people
are more content than they have been
for many months.
AS now organized, the Hawaiian
army consists of eight companies Of
700 men, fifty sharpshooters, a mount
ed reserve of forty young fellows who
ride with the ease of cowboys, twenty
four mounted police and thirty two
foot police. In addition is q valuable
citizens guard of 700 responsible resi-
dents of Honolulu, who wear no uni
forms, but are fully armed and equip
ped, aud whose duty it is to keep order
In town in the event of trouble. The
efficiency of this guard was tested last
January. In few minutes after the
alarm sounded every street corner had
it's armed sentinel and no one passed
a permit. II filibusters de-
scend upon this island of Oahu they
will have hard time getting into the
,ity and much harder time getting
)ut. To enter the harbor is bare
possibility. Three other possible land
ngs are feasible, not one of which but
would be known in half an hour
though every telegraph wire were cut.
No steamer could bring more than 500
Four times that number
could not cope with the government
troops. What interest will spend half
\ million in fitting out such an eXpe-
iition, against this republic?
Guns for Fflibusters.
Whoever comes will discover artil-
cry enough for division of infantry,
besides briggs Schroeder field guns
hat can sink any merchant vessel,
aud penetrate two inch steel plate
1t 1000 yards. If filibQsters land on
my other island they may plunder
vi 6W O0l IllC VIII
'afe. What Washington is to the
United States Honolulu is TO Hawaii.
envy no men who try to upset. the
status quo. Mark you, there isn't a
iecent harbor outside of this port in
I'll the islands, am told. How to
and, then, becomes a serious con-
'ideration after the why and where
ore have been settled.
To think that day of thanksgiving |
hould have inspired such warlike
Had you seen today's |
parade, however, the cause would be
apparent. 1 was proud of the troops |
because they were commanded by an
American skilled in his profession,
md because they showed what train !
ny means. OF the eight companies
me is German, one Portuguese, one
one Irish-American the |
,ther four are made up of Americans,
'ome OF whom belong to the Grand |
Army. Others are ex-soldiers OF our
'egular army who have been honor
IDLY discharged. Such material will
lot run away. The Hawaiians march |
we'll and look the peers OF all.
After President Dole reviewed the
roops from the terrace of the palace
he parade ended and we wended our
way to one of the many churches that
proclaim christianity in six different
O D0nonac Drnpainanf on,nnu thar,