New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-08
paCTFJC COALING STATIONS.

Nm. nronortv NJ Page Page. In Samoa, is AZ
Inc, 90 ho imnroved That is the decision which
the President has wisely made, and upon which
Immediate action will he taken. The Announce
mont is welcome In itself. and Significant as Il
part of the Nations general policy l. 'hui-
Gates that, partly as a result. partly as simple
seouence. of the war with Spain. lopgl'i'
wont-to use that hackncyed phrases 10 pe
filled The United States is 70 have ut least a
working supply of coallng stations III Inc Ia
cjfic Ocean At least four are now secured. VI
these one has been acquired by voluntary an
nexation a process not at all dependent upon
but no doubt somewhat expedited by the war,
One was acquired by treaty and purchase many
wears ago but has lain neglected. and Is now
10 be improved under the impulse of the les
SONS of the war. The other two are fruits OF
conquest in this war; quite unexpected and un-
hopctl- for six months back.
II would be difficult to select on the map OF
the Pacific four points more desirably placed
than these whether for commercial or for mill
tary use The first of course, is on Oahu, in
our Hawaiian territory. 1000 miles from 'he
Californian coast. but much nearer TO it than
any other outlying land. The next IS on lutn-
ila. one of the Samoan Islands. little more
from San Francisco. exactly on the route 10
Australia and New-Zealand. being 1000 miles
from Auckland and 5000 miles from sydney.
The third is Guam, one OF the Marianne Isl
ands. n little more than $500 miles from Samoa
and less than $500 miles from Honolulu direct
" on the way TO Hong Kong, Singapore and all
the ports of Southeastern Asia. little more
than 1000 miles from Hong Kong and only
h.,
probably Manila. 1000 miles from Guam ana
only 700 miles from Hong Kong. Thus no one
of these stations is more than $500 miles from
some other and OH all the great trade OF cr'lis-
ing routes from San Francisco TO Ncw-Iealand,
TO Australia TO the Malacca Straits. TO CHINA.
to Corca TO Japan. an American ship necd
never be more than 1000 miles rom an Ameri-
can port Thus is the vast cxpanse OF the Ia
cihc divided and conquered for our uses.
The United States will have. in the posses
sion of these stations. a great advantage over
all other Powers In the Pacific. France has
no station in that ocean nearer than the Mar
Uuesas Islands, more than 300 miles from san
Francisco Germany's nearest Is more than
twice as far as ours from our shores. and the
same NAV be said of Great BrltainS, unless
some of the islets between Hawaii and Samoa
NAV be utilized This Is as it should be. be-
cause with the single exception OF the British
Empire the United States is naturally designed
TO be by far the greatest commercial Power
In the Pacific Being thar, it mus. also he the
foremost naval Power. To maxi it such, the
acquisition of these coalins stations Is an all
important step. 1t will doubtless b. followed
by Improvement and fertilization OF the har-
bors. and ultimately by connection Of them
with each other and with this continent by
telegraphic cables. Then. with Nicaragua
Canal under American control, our place In
the Pacific will be secure.