The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-05-24
TO ENGLAND.
A Story that Hawaii May Turn That
Way.

A Narrative Suggestive of Bit of Fic-
tion-Reciprocity and Arbitration Both
In 1t.
San Francisco, May 22.-Mail advices
received from Honolulu say:
1t has leaked out that the proposed
visit of Hon. S. M. Damon and Major
Iaukea to London, has far deeper
significance than the bearing OF the con-
CALCULATIONS of the Hawaiian government
on the occasion of the Queens jubilee. 1t
seems to be an undisguised fact that the
movements at the United States Capitol
at Washington is connection with the
sugar schedule of the tariff bill are in
tended to abrogate the Hawaiian reclpro-
city treaty, and the greatest CONSERVATION
is felt in the islands.
The outcome of this agitation for the
practical, if not the actual abrogation Of
the treaty, has an interest not wholly de-
void of meaning, and the Hawaiian gov
eminent has for weeks past maintained
careful and intelligent agents near the
seat OF the American government These
agents are wholly apart from the Hawaii
an legation, occupy quarters at consider
able distance from the legation and hold
little or no communication with Minister
Hatch.
At this agency the action of the United
States officials are noted closely, and it
is now stated in certain circles in this
city that the true mission of Minister
Damon and Major Iaukea to London is,
in the event of the success of the attempts
to overthrow reciprocity, to proceed at
once to the negotiation of a treaty OF
cession of the Hawaiian islands to Great
Britain.
1t is stated, however, that no step to-
ward this end will be made unless the
abrogation of the reciprocity treaty
should become fixed fact. In this event
the Hawaiian agents at Washington have
instructions to convey the intelligence at
once by cable under cipher, to the en-
voys at London, who will proceed Instant
ly to execute their true commission.
LII ttllo COllllcGUlOA IL ID HO1loSN cdo otop
notwithstanding the repeated denials by
the japanese legations, both at Honolulu
and at Washington, the prospect OF
japanese aggressions in the islands is
very real. The temper of the Japanese
population in the islands and the
tone of the japanese native press
ares.proofs of this, and on the event of the
abrogation of the treaty with the United
| States the situation would at once re-
solve itself into a question of japanese
or British domination, and there coul6
| be but one choice.
On the other hand Great Britain il
ready and eager to absorb these islands
| into the empire, and but the slightes
hint coming from the Hawaiian govern
ment that such procedure would be &C
ceptable to it, would be instantly acte6
upon. This, it is believed, explains
| England's anxiety concerning the ar
bitration treaty, since such a treaty il
force between Great Britain and the
United States would render nugatory tn,
Senate resolve concerning the Hawaiian
| islands, passed when the American flag
was ordered by President Cleveland to be
removed from the government buildings
at Honolulu, to the effect that the inter
ference of any foreign power with Hawai-
would be regarded as an act of unfriend
illness to the United States, and if Grea
Britain should manifest disposition tx
take in Hawaii, the United States would
have to resort, but to submit the matter
to arbitration; and the result of such ar
bitration would be but a foregone con
clusion, in view of an abrogation of ths
Hawaiian reciprocity treaty by the Unit
ed States.
| The European powers would not, it il
believed, consent that the government
at Washington should play "dog in the
Manager act always. But with the treaty
rejected, it is urged here that the U nitec
| States would be practically forced to ar,
| bitration, in the event of a cession of the
| islands to the British empire.
| The navy of Great Britain in the Pacific
| is vastly superior to that of the United
States, and the threat of war with Eng
naval station of Great Britain in Van
couver is vastly superior to that of the
| United States at Mare island, and there
are half dozen British naval station.
within few days sail at the southwest
of the island.
| In short, the belief is general here thai
England and Hawaii hold the trump
cards in the Pacific, and should the re
ciprocity treaty be overthrown at Wash
ington, it is believed that within "a hours
thereafter formal tender of a cession O.
the island to Great Britain would b,
made at London by Minister Damon ant
Ma jor Iaukea.
| While the personal sympathies of Ha
wall as well as her present commercial
interests are bound up in the American
republic, in this event she would have nj
choice as japanese domination in tn,
| islands would have to be prove nted at al