The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-10-05
NAVY MUST Be INCREASED
HOW Tue WAR CLOUDS ARE
THREATENING AMERICA.


The September number of the to-
rum contains by what would appear
to he cnance rather than design, an
interesting symposium bearing upon
the future of the United States as re-
CARDS its foreign policy and the posi-
UlC acquisition of colonial possessions,
and upon its necessities for armament
and preparation for possible trouble.
The first of these article is ~ hlea
for the Navy" by IL. \. Herbert, for
mer Secretary of the Navy; the second
is on Hawaii and the Changing Front
of the World" by j. II. Proctor, pres
ident of the civil service commission,
and the third treats of american An
neNation and Armament" by Murat
Halstead the veteran editor. Thus
from variety of view points SUB
iect is treated that is of paramount in
terest to all citizens of the Union, and
the united verdict of these writer's is
that present necessity and manifest
destiny call upon the United States to
prepare to cope with the other pow
ers of the world. These three articles
should be summarized together.
EX-Secretary Herbert treats of the
naval situation as one who has had
official occasion to study the problems
of naval armament at close range. Af
ter going into details thoroughly, he
sums up the situation thus: First,
that we have more property on shore
aSsailable from the water than any
any other nation: that we have more
property (commerce) afloat and as
sailable by navies than any other ma
ton, and third, that excepting Great
Britain, we have more merchant YES
sells afloat than the five greatest ma
val powers of the world combined
The eX-secretary then reviews the
recent historical record of wars fore
ed upon rulers by popular opinion.
and hints at such Il condition arising
in Spain, growing out of the senti-
ment in this country favorable to the
Cuban insurgents. He shows by such
records the power of public senti-
ment even in monarchical countries.
and suggests a similar condition in
this country. "a spark, he says,
"can kindle a conflagration among us
at any moment" and he instances the
attitude of the people toward Presi-
dent Cleveland's Venezuelan message
and on the Cuban question.
This article would not be complete
without CHANGING at what is possible"
continues the Secretary, though it is
hoped not probable, a conflict with ia
pan, arising out of the conditions of
| Hawaii He goes on to compare the
two navies in some detail and shows
| that in view of the lack of trans-isth-
mian naval communication between
| the Atlantic and the Pacific. Japan
has a marked advantage over the Unit
ed States. eff we annex Hawaii he
says, ''we must add largely to our Pa
| citic feet. We cannot otherwise de-
fend this outpost. 1000 miles from our
present boundaries"
President Proctor of the civil SER
vice commission. in his article on "Ha-
wall and the Changing Front of the
World" declares that nothing has
been more noteworthy during the CEN
fury now closing than the wonderful
expansion of Great Britain, Russia
and the United States. The writer
reviews the efforts of Russia to reach
the open seas, indicating her vast adj
vantage today through her alliance
with China and her nearly completed
| trans-Siberian railroad, and he has
this to say of Hawaii:
| ne iluN dllun lSldIltlS, lHt HlOSt
strategic position in tine Pacific, are
today like a derelct flying flag of
distress in mid ocean. With a gov
eminent representing IA minority, in
! significant in nu,nber. liable to over
throw at any time from internal caus-
es, or from dangerous complications
growing out of the preponderance of
aliens, the situation in respect to these
| islands, i'm view of the tremendous
and far-reaching interests that are in
yolved, are such as to demand the i'm
mediate action of our government"
! Mr.. Proctor reviews the circumstan-
ces that give rise to the strategic i'm
portance of Hawaii, and urges that the
oriental nature of the present popu-
lation should not prevent or make I'M
desirable the scheme of annexation.
He reviews the historical records re-
lating to American achievement in the
line of territorial expansion, and, in
passing asserts that the question of
statehood need not complicate the sit
uation. 1.-THE government of the Dis
trict of Columbia" he says, with a
population greater than that of Ha-
wall. is an example of bow those Is
lands may be governed. | doubt if
any people are better satisfied with
their government that the citizens OF
the District of Columbia
Murat Halstead in his article car
ries out with more specific argument
the propositions of EX-Secretary Her.
bert, that war is not a thing of the
past land he reviews in an interesting
manner the history of recent strug-
giles between nations and empires.
He points out how the war between
Japan and China has disturbed the
balance of power in the Pacific. He
contipues:
Japan has become conquering
empire, and suddenly we find her en-
gagged in promoting questions of dis
pute with the Hawaiian government
and our own. She is anxious about
the treaty rights in Hawaii in case o.
the contamination of the annexation
and she is even troubled about aul
tariff. We must understand that sh,
is now in our neighborhood, and ha:
some advantages, if she cares to picl