New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-01
INTERESTS IN THE PACIFIC.

The prediction that the coming century VIII
ace the bulk OF the worlds commerce on the Pa
c,Ac Ocean may not be realized. There are facts
connected with race and climate and disposition
TINT seem TO mark the shores OF the North At
lontic az the abiding seat OF supreme empire.
For two thousand yeas they have been so, and
there are as yet no symptoms Of decay. On the
contrary. the strongest vitality and most triunl-
phant energy are still centred there, with a
nromise of long remaining. Nevertheless, the
commerce of the Pacific is increasing enormous
". and bids fair to continue SO TO do. and there
Is no room for doubt that the mercantile and
political Importance Of that ocean and its shores
Will henceforth be incomparably greater than
ever before IN the known history Of the world.
There Is on all hands steady pushing thllher.
Great Britain has built q railroad across the
North American continent for the express pur'
pose Of promoting Pacific trade. Russia Is
building one across Siberia for the same pur-
pose The chief efforts Of European Powers for
months have been to open new ports and gain
new points of vantage on the Pacific Coast OF
Asia. Germany has entered the competition.
France is making all possible efforts for the up
building Of ter empire on the Pacific. The Won
deriand of. Japan is advancing by leaps and
bounds To-day more than half of the worlds
population is dwelling In the lands which look
upon the Pacific Ocean. What possibilities Of
commercial development are there!
And of all nations directly bordering upon the
Pacific this is by far the greatest. Other great
nations have colonies there; we have our own
home domain Great Britain has vast colonies
upon It's shores and islands. but she herself is
thousands Of miles from Pacific waters. So IL
France. SO ~ Germany. Russia Is connected
with that ocean only by thousands Of miles Of
half-settled Md half-inhabitable country. But
we abut directly upon It with some of our rich
est home territory. There is natures warrant
for declaring that this should be the foremost OF
nil Pacific Ocean Powers.
And now comes an unequalled opportunity for
confirming our title Hawaii, the central key Of
the whole ocenn. is freely offered to us We
have only to say Yes to get it for our own.
without reproach before the law OF nations The
Philippines are already ours, needing only n
strong holding on to what has been gained
Under the laws of war and of nations the Caro-
lines. Ladrones and Pelews. may likewise he
ours. Should we take advantage OF the oppor-
tunity, we should have the unique and unap-
proachable benefit OF a chain OF possessions
reaching clear across tHe racine with not n
break as wide as the Atlantic. From British
Columbia to the nearest British port in Asia or
Polynesia or Australasia ls close TO six thousand
miles, But we should have ports all the way
across the Pacific not half that distance apart
A ship could go from San Francisco to Hong
Kong or Singapore and never be more than IF
teen hundred miles from United States port
A British cable across the Pacific will have to
make at least one clear span of over three thou
sand Ave hundred miles But we can lay one
with none longer than two thousand six hun