The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-01
AMERICAS OPPORTUNITY.

Occasionally from the Legislative
halls, as from the press of the United
States come notes of discomfort that
Great Britain should maintain "A fort
ress right off the coast of the Atlantic
States. The Bermudas are in the same
longitude as Halifax with which they
are connected by cable. Both are in
the North Atlantic station of the Eng
lish feet, and they are between two
and three days steaming apart. Either
is about the same distance from sew
eral populous and wealthy maritime
cities of the United States, which lie
between them at an angle. With the
aid of the cable laid for stretegic use,
they could, within two days, throw
their details of cruisers together mid
way, to cooperate either as a block
aiding or an attacking squadron. 1t is
no wonder that the United States is
somewhat conscious, when any seem
ing cause of irritation looms up be-
tween the two countries, that, in
counting the cost of possible war, one
item will have to be the coun- eracting
of Britain's advantage in possessing
Bermuda. That insular fact in the At
lantic would at the very least add i'm
mensely to the expense both of prepar-
ing for and of carrying on struggle.
1t is a fact, though, of too long
standing to be cause of dispute in it.
self today. The islands are Britain's by
prescriptive right. 1t is valuable
auxiliary TO her defenses of British
America on the one hand, and of her
West Indian possessions on the other.
Above all it is consistent part of her
system of naval outposts, scattered all
over the watery portion of the globe,
established for the safe~"nr1'~~ of
her vast maritime commerce.
British craftsmanship would never
go so wild as to abandon this Atlantic
position, even if perpetual peace with
the United States were guaranteed di-
rect from heaven. British ownership
of the islands cannot be deemed men
ace to the United States in time of
peace, although worth a goodly price
for her to buy, and all the expense
necessary to keep efficient, perpetual
ly, for the same purposes as those of
its present owners.
Suppose, however, that the Ber
mudas had been neutral territory until
now. Would not the United States
consider it a menace to her if any
other nation proposed to occupy the
group? Nothing in the world is more
certain than that she would resist it TO
the utmost. She would not brook the
proposal even on the pretext that the
islands were wanted for a cable sta
ton, or for a fishing station. Infinite
ly less would she see another flag than
her own raised there by any Power
known to be casting about for naval
stations.
But suppose again that a civilized
colony existed in the group, its nue.
leus and its commanding influences
petitioned to be taken under the pro-
tecting folds of the American flag. Its
commerce also was american, and it's
resources offered q rich field for the
extension of American enterprise, both
in local industry and foreign trade.
Would the United States-in full view,
moreover, of the value of the position
as strategic point both for protecting
the nations commerce and defending
the nations coasts-disdain to heed
the petition of that colony to be
placed under her flag? Surely, on the
contrary, that great nation would
come more than halfway to grant the
prayer, by Offering terms of incorpora-
ton into the Union more generous,
even, than the suppliant would have
presumed to request.
Transform the foregoing SUPPOSE
tions by changing the theater from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, shifting
the scene to show Hawaii instead of
Bermuda, and multiplying the sub
stantial considerations appealing to
the patriotic heart of the United
States-in all save really slight mat
ter of maritime dlstances-and the
reader ought to perceive, without fur
ther imaginative effort, Americas
present opportunity, as well as the
hope of the Hawaiian Islands.