Evening star., 1896-12-21

each way every two weeks or oftener
touching at Honolulu. The China which
takes this mail came in yesterday in nine
days from Yokohama, 3,4iO miles. There
is, besides a strong line of Empress
boats, greyhounds. running direct between
Vancouver and Yokohama. connecting with
the Canadian Pacific railway. We also hear
of prospective Japanese lines to San Diego
and to Mexico, which will touch at Homo
lulu.
All this is only the beginning of an i'm
mense commerce now in its infancy. To
supply the necessities of that commerce.
the laying of cables. not one only, but
doubtless many, is merely matter of
time. The most. if not all, of such cables
must land at Honolulu. The alternative
route is via Alaska. with the Aleutian and
Kurile Islands forming frequent interme-
diate stations. but in a most inclement and
tempestuous region. The severity of the
climate Is greatly adverse to that route
There Is also an exceptionally deep chasm
in the ocean bed on the northeast coast of
Japan. which is highly unfavorable to lay
ing and maintaining a cable in that direc-
tlon. all which facts make il probable that
all cables between America and the Asiatic
empires will land near Honolulu. Beyond
Hawaii to the westward are frequent sue
cessive groups of islands with many good
harbors. in the region known Micronesia.
These islands are mostly inha oited by re-
Gently savage. but now Christianized tribes.
who are under European control so that
good order is secured. These groups con-
meet with short intervals with Japan and
China, by way of the Ladrone and BONN
from California to Honolulu would be the
longest one on the route. The entire cost
of the line from California 10 Yokohama
has been reliably estimated at s7,J00,OoO.
Traffic Of China.
An illustration of the enormous resources
of trade in the Chinese empire as con-
tributing to such d cable, is found in the
fact recently stated that the annual de-
partures of steamers from the single port
of Shanghai exceed 1900 Of course half
or tWo-thirds of such departures are on
coasting trips of a very few days in length.
as. for example, at Honolulu there are at
least $40 departures of coaSting steamers in
year. though only 40 are foreign bound
sun Shanghai must have more than ten
times the number of ocean steamers that
Honolulu entertains, and nearly half
enough to make paying traffic for an
tSthmian canal. Ard yet the great bulk or
the s"arming and very productive Chinese
populati are substantially cut off from
foreign commerce by the absence of rail-
ways and other means of rapid or cheap
transportation, although there is consider
able river traffic. A majority of the inland
provinces are confined mainly to a narrow
local commerce. At some not distant day
II Hung Chang's policy will be carried out
OF covering the empire with a network of
railways. a system Indispensable to holding
1t together under military control or hand
ling its vast forces against foreign aggres-
nous trade with other countries will neces-
sarily extend, much of which must cross
the Pacific. Here. then is an element pro-
phesying an early and unlimited expansion
of trans-Pacific commerce, and uses for
cable Ielegraphy.
Japan the Starting Point.
By reason of it's great and active enter
prise, as well as of its position in front of
Asia on the Pacific, Japan will be the start
in Mi nj fNr off ,t1a
the chief center for Atlantic cables In our
little Honolulu conference on the l4th very
emphatic reference was made to the sup
posed attitude of the japanese government
in the matter. 1t was felt to be improbable
that they would grant large powers to any
foreign company. Certain prominent Ha-
" allan officials who had lately been in ia
pan spoke OF having learned from an au
ttoritative source that the government was
likely itself soon to lay cable across the
Pacific, being well known to be of inde-
Iendent and ambitious spirit. They GER
tainly would grant no concessions to any
foreign corporation, but only to a Japanese
company, with japanese capital. Nor
would 1t be prudent to grant any monopoly
restricting the use of Hawaiian shores
against any Japanese cable.
Hawaii certainly has a brilliant future in
prospect as great cable and steamship
center iE the North Pacific, midway be-
tw cen your thriving Pacific coast and tbe
enormous and skillful populations of Asia
Much prudence is needed in preparing for
this future. Should, We sanguinely hope
the United States assume the responsibility
of so providing by speedily annexing Ha-
wall, there will be abundant use for wise
statesnanship in making the best use of
our central position, SO to serve as well
as dominate over this great commerce A
most serious danger which America cannot |
too soon obvlate Is the increasing influx of
Japanese, who tend soon to constitute |
majority of the population. Annexation
will check this. and will at once direct |
hither that white immigration which one
feels to be destined to occupy and possess |
this important outpost of American ciyili- |
zation. AS 1t now stands. awaiting annexa-
ton. 1t hangs In the balance whether Ha-
wall shall become japanese or American.
KAMEHAMEHA.