The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-12-27
Menace alaska 5 SAFETY
HAWAITS STRAGETIC STRENGTH
Is INCREASED.
With the Growing Importance of Alas
l<a, the Value of the Islands as a Ma
val Station is Much Enhanced.


to the Washington Evening Star, over
the signature of Kamehameha:
Honolulu, December "a, 1897.
The present and coming rush TO
Alaska places in "a new and impress
sive light the strategic necessity of
Hawaii to the United States. That
necessity for the proper defence of the
Pacific Coast has already been abun- |
dainty demonstrated by Captain Ma
han and others. 1t now appears also
that immediate provision has got 10
be made for the protection of your
line of communication with Alaska,
which will be fatally flanked by any
enemy in possession of Hawaii. The
enemy in such possession, as you
have already seen, would be in posi-
ton to push his well coaled armament
against California ports. Without
such possession he would have no
practical basis of operations, there be-
ing no possible coaling station within
available distances. With this subject
you are already familiar.
The occupying of the Yukon valley
by large colony of Americans Gre
ates new problem of defense to be
provided for, which had not been an
ticipated as calling for present atten-
ton. An immense stream of Ameri-
can ocean traffic now suddenly springs
into existence, whose protection must
be well provided for Upon the safe
ty of that line of traffic depends the
vital interests of the supply of the
great Yukon colony with the neces-
sares of life, and of the transporta
ton of the reinforcing armies push
ing thither. Should an enemy, in
case of war, be able to interrupt and
break up that crowded line of commu-
nicaton with Alaska. the towns and
placers of the Yukon valley would be
condemned to starvation, and the at
present hopeful colonization of that
important territory would be disas-
trously interrupted. The United
States are manifestly bound to pro-
tect themselves at point where so in
sidious an attack might be made by
any enemy occupying Hawaii in force.
This subject is a new one and does
not appear to have received much con
sideration. although Senator Morgan
| lately made a brief alusiun to il,
which awakened the writer's attention
| as Il novel idea. Perhaps even the
| Senator had not been led to consider
| the enormous dimensions of the line
| of ocean traffic which will have to be
| protected. The result of a little use
of plain figures upon the subject 5
| simply astounding. \ recent official
estimate appeared at Washington that
| 100000 men were preparing to go 10
| the Yukon and Klondike in the sum
| lner of 1898. Guesses of the probable
number have been published ranging
| as high as 100000 or even 100000, fig
ures manifestlY far beyond possibility
of transportation and supply, and be-
| yond any possible resources of capt
tai to move them. | should regard cv-
en- 10000 rs an impracticable number.
| But consider what is meant by talk
| ing $4,000 emigrants to the Yukon in
one summer.
The larger class of ocean steamers
on the Pacific might be fitted up to
carry 500 passengers apiece, besides
the 500 tons of supplies necessary for
years sojourn on the Yukon, togeth-
er with the coal for the round trip
from Seattle to st. MichaeHs, a dis
lance. of 2500 miles. Thus to transport
$4,000 men would occupy sixty trips of
such steamers. Only eighteen weeks
of next summer would be available,
say from the middle of May to the
middle of September. Five trips of
your weeks each might be made In
that time by each boat. Then line
OF twelve large steamers would be re-
| CURED, boat leaving Seattle every
other day, and seven ships being at
sea all the time upon the route OF
$500 miles. What enormous havoc a
| couple of active British, japanese OF
Russian cruisers could make with suah
| line of steamers, with a coaling sta
ton at Honolulu to fall back upon.
This, however. is only part of the
| story. The emigrants have to be ia
| ken up the river another $500 miles.
The round trip will occupy eight full
weeks, or twice as long as the ocean
passage. Each river boat may carry
| 100 men and their supplies, thus call
ing for sixteen times as many as the
twelve ocean steamers, or nearly 200
stern-wheelers of lightest possible
draft. These 200 boats will all have
to be built in sections and transported
from Seattle and other Coast cities to
st. MichaeFs, and there put together.
Each boat will require, say 200 tons IF
coal for the round trip, or for the $50
trips. 100000 tons, all of which must
be delivered at st. Michael's by coal
ships sent for that purpose, amount
ing to fifty arrivals or large steamers
or their equivalent tonnage of sailing
ships, making another ocean feet al
most equal to the former passenger
ships named.
But there is still more figuring to
do. In addition to the ton apiece Of
necessary provisions and blankets for
each emigrant, he must have housing
and fuel provided to carry him all
through the fearful rigors of the Are
tic winter. The sparse timber of the
Yukon valley will fail to suffice for
those purposes. One ton of coal and
500 feet of lumber will be necessary
for each man, forming cargoes for 100
more sailing ships, or fifty steamers
arriving at st. Michael's.
| Our figures then amount to the