The evening times., 1898-07-08

there Is no country the route to
which lies past Gibraltar which
cannot be reached by several other
different ways. The distinctive fea-
ture of Hawaii wherein 1t is unique
among the strategical points of the
world. Is that 1t lies at the center
of an area SO great that commercial
and military operations across 1t are
practically impossible. except by using
Hawaii as coal and supply station.
Eliminate Hawaii from the map and
there are scarcely any battleships in ex-
istence which can operate across the Pa
cific. by reason of the fact that they
cannot carry coal enough. and the prob
lem of coaling at sea has not yet been
solved
1T has been repeatedly and officially
pointed out by the naval authorities, not
only of the United States. but of the
world. that the transpaciic countries
and islands. with the exception of Ha-
wall are so far distant from the Ameri-
can continent that unless the ships of
such nations can recoaI at Hawaii 1t Is
practically impossible for them to get to
the Pacific coast for the purpose of con-
Quoting military operations there. The
most efficient ships could not get there
at ALL and those which do carry suffi-
-cient coal to cross would have no coal
with which to operate, much less to re-
turn to their base Of operations. In other
words 1t is impossible to maintain ma
val or military operations at a distance
of from $500 to $500 miles from a base of
operations. Under these conditions. it is
elementary strategy and logic that there
can be no surer defense to the Pacific
coast of the United States than to pre-
vent any other foreign country from get
ting possession or control of Hawaii.
notwithstanding the certainty of the
defense which would be afforded to the
Pacific coast by excluding n possible
enemy from Hawaii. IL would not be
policy for the United States to attempt
this method of defense by herself tax
ing possession of Hawaii. unless that
possession could be made effective st
reasonable expense.
whether this can be done is not
new question to American naval authori-
ties or statesmen.
'.As long ago as 1851 Congress. by
formal resolution. requested the Navy
and War Departments to report upon
the conditions and requirements of the
coast defenses of the United States. BY
instruc lions to the Navy Department,
Admiral Dupont drew up a report in re-
ply to this resolution, In which he said.
in connection with the defenses of the
Pacific coast:
IL Is lNpOSSiDle 10 eStlINdte 100 nlSn-
ly the value and Importance of the Sand
wich Islands. whether in a commercial
or military point of view. Should cir
cumstances ever place them in our hands.
they would be the most important acqui-
sition we could make in the whole Pa
cffic ocean-an acquisition intimately
connected with our commercial and naval
supremacy on those seas
This opinion has been fully approved
by the United States naval officers from
that day to this. That United States con-
troll of Hawaii can be made both effective
and economical. is demonstrated by a
brief examination of the facts.
although the Hawaiian Islands are
eight in number. and extend over a dis
tance Of about 400 miles. with the excep-
tion of Honolulu and Pearl HarbOr, its
ports are all open roadsteads In which /
are compelled to lie at distances
of approximately half a mile from shore,
obliged at all times to land and ship all
freight In small boats. hampered by the
restless swell of the ocean. and exposed
to constant interruptions by storms. The
port of Hilo could be partially protected