Evening star., 1898-09-20
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
Their Strategic Importance Described by
Ensign Hayden.
Favors Retention by the United Stat>s
of the Control of the
Entire Group.

Ensign Everett Hayden, U. S. N. retired.
has prepared a paper giving history and
description of the Philippine Islands, show
ing their great strategic Importance. The
paper was prepared at the instance of the
American peace commission and copies of
it were printed for the benefit of the mem
bers. 1t received the approval Of Capt. j.
R. Bartlett, retired, chief of the office of
naval intelligence.
"Strategically the Philippines are admir-
ably located" says Ensign Hayden, for
commercial and naval operations, in peace
or in war, but every consideration of Often
sive or defensive war. we'll as the pres
ervation of peace, seems to me to require
that the entire group shall be the property
of single power. Indeed, it were far bet
ter for that power to own also what is now
British North Borneo, bounding the SUlu
sea to the southwark.
THE Philippines are very nearly as large
in area as the British Isles. They are larger
than New Zealand, and as large as Italy,
with her own Sicily and Sardinia and
French Corsica and British Malta added.
Indeed, the eastern archipelago may be
roughly compared to beautiful. fertile, vol
cantc Italy, only more so, and the strategic
Importance of the archipelago in peace or
war is clearly manifest.
"One might think from a casual glance at
the map that the defense of this great in
land sea, with its intricate channels ard
numerous islands, exits and entrances.
would be difficult, if not impossible. A
closer examination of a chart however
shows but seven clear channels four on the
east (San Berpardino, Surigao Basilian and
Slbuta) and three on the west (Verde, Min
DORA and Baiabac). Good harbors, timber,
iron and coal are prolific even now when
the ultimate resources OF the islands are
not even estimated.
Hemp, the best in the world. is the prod
ma r n-n nnl1 ~f
the entire material of modern naval war
fare is at hand, awaiting only the person.
mel to utilize it. Coal, the very life of mod
eIn commerce and naval war. is abundant
cur in all
The ownership of such resources, so
rear at hand. by a commercial rival and
posslDie enemy, and the establishment close
yards, would not tend toward the preserva-
tion or peace or the successful finish OF a
prospective war
1T is not, probably. either desirable or
necessary me- to go into details here regarding
the strategic value Of the various islands,
harbors and channels better shown on
charts than in type. nor to discuss the rela-
tive value of each. In fact all are So in
tlmateiy related that 1t is practically i'm
possible to disassociate them in any scheme
OF oHenSe or defense.
Control of the GrouD,
'It will be better for the welfare of tho
native Inhabitants. for the commercial in
terests of all nations and for the peace of
the world if the control of the entire eroun
OF the Philippine Islands remains perma-
nentiy In the hands of the United States
The more one studies the subject in tho
hght OF past history. and the certainty of
vast future expansion of our trade with
Shlna and Australia, the more convinced
does he become that sovereignty over the
entire group, from the little islam Is north
OF LuZon to the further coral reefs that
stretch tow ard the equator from Fe.;aw:n
ana the Sulu Islands, is essential to ou-
future potential energy in the tar east
Even the wild and unexplored Palawan
"hlch forms a natural breakwater for 300
miles against the sweep of the south vest
monsoon is capable, If occupied, developed
and fortified during long years of peace of
becoming a formidable base of operations
in time of war
The Importance of Manila is due largely
10 It's being for centuries the capital of the
archipelago and the reservoir of its produc-
tons and supplies. Divide the group ard
you cut OF streams of wealth that help fill
the reservoir With rival established at
Iacloban. lloilo, Cebu or even Ulugan, the
enormous resources of the EiSayas and
Mindanao might, and probably would, be
diverted to build up a metropolis that would
Surpass Manila in wealth and Importance
Strategicaly the Philippines SEEM like our
Union, to be ''one inseparable'
The great inland sea Sulu or Mindoro
sea, II once well charted, it's channels light
ed and buoyed, its Malay pirates suppress
ed, its fertile islands cultivated, and their
mineral wealth explored. must become the
scene of an enormous commerce, composed
not merely of the vessels of local coast
ing trade but of the seagoing ships and
steamers of every nation engaged in the
Asiatic, East Indian and Australian trade.
Effect of the Nicaraguan Canal
THE completion of the Nicaraguan canal
may result in the establishment of an euua-
toria1 steamship line whose vessels will cir
cumnavigate the globe on schedule trips in
eighty days, and the great circle route from
Brito, Nicaragua, to Singapore via Honolulu
and Guam Island passes diagonally through
500 miles of the Sulu sea, from Surigao
strait to Balabac.
Similarly. the shortest route from Hong
Kong to all Australian and New Zealand
pCrts. from Tonquin to New Caledonia from
the Yellow sea to eastern Japan, Lelebes
and West Australia, and from the entire
North Pacific ocean to the straits of Sunda
and Singapore is by way of the channels of
the Philippine archipelago and it's great in
land sea.
1T seems safe to predict that with the
opening of the Ncara guam canal the dawn
of a new and glorious era of prosperity will
succeed the long night of nearly four CEN
turies of Spanish domination