Evening star., 1898-11-19
Why UnIan is Needed.

why Is -NScuSu'
In recent interview. Mr.. Bayles of the
Pacific Cable Company explained why the
United States needed ITALIAN for a cable
station in the following Words
I'm laying q cable across the Pacific the
route is from San Francisco to Honolulu,
thence to Guam, Of the Ladrone group and
from the latter to Manila. SO far all is
under the American flag, Honolulu, Guam
and Manila being ours The difficulty comes
in the stretch between Honolulu and Guam.
Here is a distance of $40 knots
"Of the cables at present in existence the
longest is the one recently laid down from
Brest, France, to Cape Cod. It's length is
3167 knots. The AngIo-American cable
from Brest to Saint Pierre, which was laid
in 1863, is 2,711.62 knots.
THE French cable from Brest to Cape
Cod which was laid In 1898 is so heavy
that experts have expressed grave doubts
as to whether it can be raised and repaired
if break occurs in deep water. 1t contains
600 pounds OF copper and i50 pounds of gut
ia percha to the knot.
IF the weight Of this cable measuring
g. 167 knots. in perls It's safety, as experts
believe, cable for the longer distance of
3,674 knots, from Honolulu to Guam, would
be out of the question. 1t would of neces
sity have to be heavier than the French
cable, ard in view of past experience at is
held that it would be absolutely impossible
to lay and maintain 1t.
1T is therefore apparent that there must
be a landing for the cable between Honolu-
III ana tOam, so as to shorten the sections.
This landing, to carry out the purpose of
communication under exclusive American
control, can be on no other than territory
owned by the United States.
This country already owns Midway Is
land, northwest of Honolulu which at first
thought might seem to answer the requisite
for an intermediate cable station without
looking elsewhere for landing, but
knowledge of that island shows its utter
unftness for the purpose.
TT is a barren coral island, composed only
of sand, without vegetation, and uninhab-
tied. There is nothing on it to sustain life.
To maintain a cable station there a ship
would be required to make regular trips
with supplies for the operators and attend
ants.
Only Minor Objections.
"These objections only minor ones
however. Chief Of all is the natural forma-
ton of the island itself Surrounded by
| coral reefs, it has only one harbor This is
on the western side, ridged it's entire length
and width by coral reefs which rise fire.
quently nearly to the surface. while not
far from the mouth stretches shallow,
rock-pointed bar which runs from shore
to shore
The harbor is constantly beaten by a
high surf which is driven into it by cease
less western winds.
with the constant action of the surf
wearing against the edged reefs, the double
lires of cable in and out of the harbor
would be frequently destroyed. In fact, it
is considered unlikely that they could
stand the strain any time.
Breaks in cables can only be repaired in
calm weather. AS such condition is rare
off Midway harbor, there is no telling how
long it would be before break there could
be attended to, ard meanwhile all COM
munication would be suspended. Such a
break in critical national times might have
grave consequences
Just as Midway Island Is undesirable
for a cable station, so Ualan is desirable.
1t is about 2.245 knots from Honolulu and
1.21O from Guam. Its fertility has given it
the name Gem of the Pacific 1t has
two accessible harbors one on the east
side and another on the west, with a road
connecting them. Far from being fiat and
saEdy, like Midway, it has mountains ris-
ing to height Of more than 1000 feet. Its
climate is delightful, it's vegetation varied.
although Ualan was discovered by
Spain, she did not assert authority over it
until 1885. Meantime, in 1852, missionaries
eommiesioners een, eus ny for foreign missions Of
the Congregational Church located on
the island and converted and civilized
the natives inns hhssion mas oesn
maintained ever since, and each year the
good ship Morning Star, the missionary
society's vessel visits the island. Two
missionaries and their Families and three
unmarried women, all Americans, now live
there. pe pe,..
eral wears ago, and as a result the dispute
was submitted to the pope. He decided IN
1885 that Spain hadthe right to the ISLANDS.
Two years later Spain sent Warship, with
sixty soldiers, six 9Romah aCthoic priests
and twenty-five convicts from Manila to
the Island Ponape, near Ualan, but did
not attempt to exercise any direct authority
over the latter, and only once since 1887
rss Snanish warship appeared at that
place"