New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
HAWAII AND HAWA1IANS
EX-SECRETARYFO FOSTERS VIEW
COMMERCIAL AND STRATEGIC lMPOR-
LANCE OF THE ISLANDS.

RrFoRE THE AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL So
c1ErY-TuB RESULTS OF HIS PERSONAL
OBSERVATION AND STUDY.
John W. Foster eX-Secretary OF State, de-
Nvered an address Friday evening before the
American Geographical Society, at its annual
meeting in Washington. Mr.. Foster is probably
the best informed American to-day on the SUD-
feet of Hawaiian affairs. the history, politics.
business situation and present needs and pros
nects of the islands He spoke with the author
nv and knowledge OF the trained diplomat, ana
the light he shed on Hawaiian affairs was such
as to illuminate and put into their proper re'a-
tions the facts in regard to them. Mr. roster
address was as follows:
A few months ago it was my privilese 10 mars
q visit 10 the Hawaiian Islands. ana the pape'
which am to read tonight Is. in the MAN. '"e "
euIt Of my observation and study during that Vs'
The tonic TO be considered has intimate coiec'io"
Nth fact of vast moment 10 the future interests
Of the United States | refer 10 the ch"hseu ~
lat,on OF the Pacific Ocean 10 the wor.o ana"
which in great measure has occurred oui'ns 'ie
nresent generation and Of which we nave Oeeh '"e
witnesses Within our recollection the great EN-
pire OF China practically closed 10 loreis" III
,arcourse. Japan was Theoretically sealed from III
trusion by the outside world; the continent OIL Aus
tralia had hardly emerged from the cohul'on VI
convict colony: Polynesia was yet In oaroar's"'
and the WnOle CodSs oA -'OAN'"NNN
tanned but a few thousand inhabitants
our dav has wrought great change throughout
tho broad expanse Of the Pacific and It's shores
The Anglo-Saxon race has leaped tho barrier VI NV
Rocky Mountains network or trahscoh''0"'"'
RAILWAYS has followed in It's train: teeming popu-
iation and nourishing cities. the seats OF sie"'
80, commerce have arisen like magic in Us
snacious har'bors; great States. both American anu
fsr,,ish have there come into existence; ana our
country has added 10 its possessions thousN"os o'
miles OF seacoast stretching to the Norui olo
Australia has become a great State, with such aii
nr-oous volume OF products as TO disturb the
economIc conditions OF the world. Polynesia mas
been made the theatre o: colonial competition DC
tween the three great maritime natiohS Oh H1"i oPo
Tho fleets and armies OF England and france haNe
opened ali the ports and forced an entrance 10 INC
canital o, China Commodore Perry, with our own
Nsvv nv more peaceful methods broke down the
barriers in Japan and the development OF that
people has been not only the marvel OF TINS sche'
ation but has made II an important FACTOR IN INC
worlds affairs Since the war with emma ana 'ne
rand Increase of the Japanese Navy and nercahuie
marine new and dlstufDihs eleiiei''' az
I'm these waters.
General Grant writing from Picking IN lS's spoke
Of the wonderful shrewdness industry anu conr
,oercal spiris OF the Chinese foresaw the influences
which would eventually overcome their conserVa-
tisro and made the prediction that IN less IMAM
a half century Europe Will DO complaining or the
100 rapid advance Of China The remaining l"o'o'
TO be noticed in the changed condluoh OK ,ne
Pacific Is the notable development OF 'he RUSSIAN
nossessions on the North Asiato coast win an
.. open-water port and fortified naval station on
f'binese territory ana transasiatio railway
. rearhinr back 10 a military population OF one nun
\dred Millions must reckon with announcer I'M
bortar. element IN the political ana conlHerclai
Concerns o. the Pacific. In view Of these events so
briefly noted we may well admire the 1oresigh' OF
Mr. seward who half century ago uttered thes4
prophetic words The Pacific Ocean. It's shores
its islands and the vast regions beyond. VIII De-
come the chief theatre Of events In inc WORTH
great hereafter" If tho prophecy OF this great
statesman IL TO be fully realized there may be
those in nv hearing who will 1.-Two 10 see the pres
emf predominatng interests Of our Atlantic sea
hoard sink into insgnlfcance before the grea. and
far-reachng commerce of our Pacific coast
A UNIQUE AND ISOLATED POSITION.
The Hawaiian Islands the subject Of this even
nc's lecture are situated just within the northern
tropic between IS degrees "a minutes. ana u de-
grees Is minutes north latitude). and 2oSo miles
southwest of San Francisco (between 1H degrees
20 minutes and l6O degrees 30 minutes longitude
west from Greenwich. They are substantially the
same distance from the other important island
group in the Pacific. They thus occupy an isolated
and UNIQUE position In that broad ocean This. with
the other fact that they were out Of the track of
the early commerce of the sixteenth and seven
teenth centuries. Is the reason why they were so
late in being brought to the knowledge OF the RESI-
N
and successful English navigator. Captain Cook.
IN 177s on his third voyage into the Pacific
and received from him the name of the Sandwich
Islands honor of the First Lord of the Admiralty
under whose auspices his voyages were made BY
this name the islands were for q long time best
known in Europe and America, but even In these
continents It has been supplanted by the proper
title the Hawaiian Islands derived from the larg-
est Of the group and after which tho people take
their name 1t is claimed that these islands were
visited by the Spaniards at much earlier period
than Cooks discovery. and there is some evidence
20 sustain that claim; but If such was the case
their existence carefully concealed from the
rest OF the world
II IS an accepted fact that several centuries be-
fore these islands were known TO Europeans their
Inhabitants were accustomed to make voyages OF
thousands of miles TO Samoa and other distant In
habited islands OF Polynesia In the folklore OF the
Hawaiians found many songs and narratives
Of these daring voyages. made apparently IN large
canoes built up Of planks and decked over, with
capacity Of carrying considerable crew. with
stores and live stock sufficient for su-h extended
voyages. This intercourse seems to have ceased
some time before the visit OF Europeans but even
then the Inhabitants were daring mariners. main
tanning frequent communication between the dif
ferent islands and trips were made. with only ths
sun and guides in their large canoes on the
open ocean between the two extreme islands q
distance OF over three hundred miles.
In treating my topic am somewhat embarrassed
by tho fact that 1t Is trite theme. abou. which |
much has been written and with which you arc al ,
ready familiar. Nevertheless IL will doubtless be
expected that should make reference to the |
topography. climate. soil and the aborigines
The Inhabited islands eight in number. COM
prsing Of nearly 1000 square miles. run
ming from northwest 10 southeast. distance OF !
$50 miles, with various outlying uninhabed islands |
extending some hundreds Of miles away from the |
main group. They of volcanic origin very |
mountainous. the peaks being the highest in Poly |
nesia. and the cultivated and inhabitable portions
mainly belt around each island on the lowlands |
though there some fertile portions extending up
the mountain valleys and on the tabe-land. While |
IA Volcanic OF hn 10