The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-02-04
THE KEY 70 THE PACIFIC
Chairman Hit on Hawaii S
Strategic Importance.
PROTECT OUR WEST COAST
Secretary Long Opens Bids for Pro
viding the Government With an
Armor Plant-Sixty-N Nine Received.

Secretary Long Opens Bids for Pro
viding the Government With al
Armor rPlant-Sixty-Nine Received.
Chicago, Feb. 1.-The POSTS Wash
ington correspondent sends this inter
view with Chairman Hit, of the hous
committee on foreign relations:
"The gist, In my opinion, in th'
whole Hawaiian situation lies in the
strategic position of the little group O.
islands as a basis of operations fol
guarding our west coast. There is
strong resemblance in this case to th
Bermudas. except that the Bermuda
are not so commanding. That is, ther'
are other islands to the south of then
which would, in case of conflict. t.
some extent take their place with Eu
ropean powers, even if they possessed
the Bermudas. In the possession o
the Hawaiian islands we would havt
what might be considered safety fol
our Western coast against the nava
powers, except Great Britain, whicl
could still get coal for her ships from
the British Columbia ports and use tina
base for naval operations. The subor
dinate features, the question of sugar
the character of the population, tho
mode of government, ETC., take up {
great deal of attention, but l thinl
they are of minor Importance.
"We have now by treaty certain ex
elusive rights, but that is terminabl
treaty. The Hawaiian republic is
theoretically, an independent nation
but is wholly incapable of defendin.
itself and preserving it's independence
and the moment that we come into :
conflict, any naval power presenting
itself will take possession. Once it il
possessed by power like Japan. Eng
land or Germany, it will be the story
of the Bermudas over again, only {
stronger and more effective Bermud:
on our Western coast. With coalinf
station 5000 miles out, we coult
double the time and length of effective
cruises of our warships going out from
San Francisco. Having no neighbor
ing islands, it leaves the immense ex
panse of the Northern Pacific utterl,
inhospitable to our opponents, if WI
hold it. It is thus of great value as
base for defense or for an enemy tt
operate against us.
81 have thought for many years tina
these islands were of essential import
ance to us. The impression that 1 GO
when in the state department in 1881
remains with me. When the question
Of extending the reciprocity treaty
was then under consideration, was
impressed with these facts. The sugar
question and its branches is matter
of competing interests. Once incor.
porated, they all go into the hopper to.
gether, as completely as the beet roo
of Nebraska and the cane of Louisiana. ,
Armor Plant Bids.
Washington, Feb. l. Proposals were
opened today in the office of Secretary
of the Navy Long for the construction
of government armor plant. There
were SO bids, covering every phase Of
the advertisement. There were only
two bids to furnish complete plant,
and only one of these named figure
The Hungtington, W. Va, chamber
of commerce offered to follow specifica
tions and build the complete plant fol
So, 1868
Another offer to supply complete
plant came from the John P. Holland
Company, of New York, but no figure
was named, the company simply offer.
ing to do this for a sum of money and
within period less than estimated by
the armor board in its report. The
bid was accompanied by the expression
of an opinion that armor should be ex-
cluded in the construction contracts OF
all vessels, by which policy congress
and the country would understand the
full cost of ships and their protection,
the price of armor would be reduced,
and its delivery expedited.
Another proposal that commanded
some attention was the bid of the
Readic Engineering Company, of Co
lumbus, o. This was very compli-
Gated proposal to supply each of the
numerous buildings. furnaces, etc., re-
quired. as we'll as $50 acres of land, at
sums specified in each case. A special
point of interest about the bid was an
accompanying offer from the chamber
of commerce of Columbus to donate
$500, 900 to the govern ment in the event
the bid should be accepted.
1t will take some time to schedule
all of the bids, but as soon as they can
be arranged they will be sent to con-
gress by Secretary Long for the intorma-
tion of that body in case it desires to
embark the government in the manu-
facture of armor.
Steamboat Inspection in Alaska.