The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-01


the United States navy, has an Interest,"
Ing article in The North American Re-
view on 'our Future on the Pacific
What we Have There to Hold and Win"
--ln which he shows how the full
awakening Of the Pacific seems to have
come within the pas. decade among the
powers OF the world, and that the United
Steates seems to have alone stood aloof,
much to Its disadvantage. The outward
surge OF the nations. Gays the commo-
dore. so marked in Its effects upon the
African continent, has sent, as well,
waves Of unrest over the placid ocean,
which have broken on the shores OF the
uttermosts island" a speech delivered
by William H.. Seward dn the United
States senate. many years ago is recall
ed by Commodore Melville, in which the
great statesman, In speaking OF the COM
merce. politics, thought, and activities
OF Europe, said that they would ult-
mately sink in Importance. while the
Pacific ocean. Its shores, It's islands and
the vast regions beyond will become
the chief theatre OF events in the worlds
greatest hereafter.
In quoting this prophetic utterance OF
Mr.. Seward Commodore Melville APPLY
says:
Realization. more or less full OF this
On rpl ~, ha,, al a. . 4.
ern Pacific. In these recent years. a fever
ish hunger for island territory, whose
ravenous desire falls only with that on
which It feeds. In 1885 Germany--whose
greed for Samoa has been so open and
so strong-annexed the great Marshall
group. midway between the Australian
steamship lines from British Columbia and
the possible Asian lines Of the future from
the isthmus: France added to her large
possessions In New Caledonia and the So.
ciety Islands. by taking the Marquesns
Islands and the Low Archipelago; and
Great Britain has declared protectorates
over Island after island and group after
Sroup-the Gilbert. Ellice. Phoenix, and
many others-all on. or near and thanking,
her steam routes from British Columbia
10 Australia and New Zealand. Her flag
mus ioats over most OF the territory to
tho southern Pacific, and Is seen as far
Hawaii. li7'-7' X = 55-'''' ~ -''>'''s
While all this has been going on, the
commodore notes That the United States
has held aloot and permitted these for
eign powers to gain many vantage
points. and to acquire the territory in
these waters which covers and guards
the commerce of the coming years. He
thinks that while we have been talking
in our sleep about Hawaii" quoting an
other writer, England has occupied and
possessed a score OF Islands in the great
est OF the oceans"
It Is true that the acquiring OF new
territory outside the natural limits OF
the United States has been contrary TO
the traditions OF this country, and has
been generally regarded as unwlse and
the departure from policy Of hun
dred years standing, and the annexation
OF Hawaii is being opposed in some quar-.
tiers on this ground. Commodore Mel
Vile thinks, however, that the time may
yet come when the sons OF Greater
United States" may deplorc, as "slum-
oerous unwisdom," the policy Of to-day,
since "in commercial and strategic
sense. Ultima Thule itself seems to
have been seized in the South seas"
Commodore Melville looks at the pos
sible acquisition of Hawaii from COM
mero!al standpoint, and from the stand
point also of a naval authority who can
see the advantage to be gained in other
respects. and while all may not agree
with him on the deslrability OF Hawaiian
annexation his article is well worth the
reading for the instruction It affords.