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.


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, as well as the pres
ervation of peace, seems to me to require
that the entire group shall be the property
of a single power. Indeed it were far bet
ter for that power to own also what is now
British North Borneo, bounding the Sulu
sea tQz&e southward.
zilippines are very nearly as large
in arr the British Isles. They are larger
than New Zealand, and as large 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
can1C Italy, only more So and the strategic
importance of the archipelago in peace or
war is clearly manifest.
'One might think from casual glance at
the map that the defense of this great in
land sea, with it's intricate channels ard
numerous islands, exits and entrances,
would be difficult, if not impossible A
closer examination of chart, however,
shows but seven clear channels, four on the
east (San Berpardno, Surigao, BasilIan and
SIbuta) and three on the west (Verde Min
dora and Balabac). Good harbors timber
iron and coal prolific even now, when
the ultimate resources of the islands are
not even estimated.
Hemp. the best in the world is the prod
uct par excellence of this region. In fact,
the entire material of modern naval war
fare is at hand, awaiting only the person.
no ifo
e1n commerce and naval war, is abundant
in many islands of the group, and may oc-
cur in all
THE ownership of such resources. so
near at hand, by a commercial rival and
possible enemy, and the establishment close
pS OF naval coaling stations and dock
yards, would not tend toward the preserva-
ton of peace or the successful finish OF a
prospective war.
1T is not. probably, either desirable or
necessary 10 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 rs,a.
1--WE value of each. In fact all are SO in
timately related that 1t is practically i'm
possible to disassociate them in any scheme
OF offense or defense.
Control of the Group.
1t VIII be better for the welfare of the
native inhabitants, for the commercial in
terests OF all nations and for the peace of
the world II the control of the entire group
OF the Philippine Islands remains perma-
hehtiy IN the hands of the United States
The more one studies the subject in the
light of past history and the certaintv of
vast future expansion of our trade with
emma and Australia, the more convinced
does he become that sovereignty over the
entire group. from the little is.an Ia north
or LuZon TO the further coral reefs that
SretCn toward the equator from F4;aWan
ana the Sulu Islands is essential to our
luture re potential energy in the TAR east.
Even the wild and unexplored PaIaWan
which forms "a natural breakwater for 800
miles against the sweep of the southwest
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
to its being for centuries the capital of the
archipelago and the reservoir of its produc-
tons and supplies. Divide the group and
you cut off streams of wealth that help fill
the reservoir. With a rival established at
Tacloban. 1loilO. Cebu or even J-lugan the
Mindanao might. and probably would be
diverted to build up metropolis that would
surpass Manila in wealth and importance
Strategically the Philippines seem, like our
Union, to be 'one inseparabe
The great inland sea. Sulu or Mindoro
sea, If once well charted, its 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 a 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 al eaua-
torial 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
800 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, rom
the Yellow sea to eastern Japan, LeIebes
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 its great in
land sea.
1T seems safe to predict that with the
opening of the Nicara guam canal the dawn
of a new and glorious era of prosperity will
succeed the long night of nearly four CEN
turies of Spanish domnation.'