Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-17
A N N { X HAW Al |
House Foreign Affairs Committee
Report Submitted.
THE ISLANDS STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE
The Risk in Delaying Action Set
Forth.
NO NE W Icy

The report of the House committee on
resolution was submitted to the House to-
day. The report in full is as follows:
Tine joint resolution Oh. Res go pro-
vides for the annexation of the Hawaiian
Islands to the United States. The PROPOSE
tion is not new either to the government OF
the little commonwealth in the Pacific. to
the United States TO other nations. 1t
has been apparent for more than fifty years
that so small and feeble government
could not maintain its independence and
that it must ultimately be merged into
greater power. 1t has been repea teddy seiz-
ed and Honolulu occupied, and has repeat
edly made overtures to the United States to
be united with US. In 1879 the French
commander, Laplace. seized Honolulu and
held it for awhile. after forcing upon the
government a harsh treaty. In 1912 IL was
seized by the British commander. Lord
Pawlet. but subsequently, released by Great
Britain upon the remonstrances Of other
powers. II was again seized by the French
in 1919 and held for a considerable time,
but was evacuated after diplomatic pressure
from England and the United States.
In ISL the king, pressed by his perplex-
tiles with France and England, delivered
to our commissioner deed of ceSSiOl of
the islands to the United States. to be held
until satisfactory adjustment had been
reached with rance. ana failing lnSht. per-
manently. In 1854 Secretary CT STATE.
Mr. Marcy, authorized the negotiation OF an
annexation treaty The king made a draft
satisfactory to him and modifying the one
proposed but before the conclusion was
reached he died. In 1Sr; treaty was ne
gotiated between our government and that
of the Hawaiian Islands for the annexation
of the islands to the United States. No
word of protest was uttered by any other
government. This treaty. while pending be
fore the Senate, was withdrawn by the
President, q change of administration hav-
ing taken place. Again, June 16, 1877, a
treaty of annexation. similar in pro 'isions
to the joint resolution now proposed. was
agreed to by the government of Hawaii and
duly ratified by their sonata
There is. therefore, no undue pressure
on the part of the United States as
greater power; no surprise of any one; no
possibility of objections by other govern
ments. 1t is simply the obvious result of
the natural course of events through a long
period of years thus completed with the
cordial consent of the sovereign powers OF
both governments. The only question in
yolved is whether the proposed possession
of the Hawaiian Islands would be advan-
tageous to the United States.
Their Strategic Importance.
Recent events in the existing war with
Spain have called public attention TO what
has long been discussed by military and
naval authorities-the inestimable import
ance to the United States of possessing the
Hawaiian Islands in case of war with any
strong naval power. They lie facing our
Pacific coast. Their strategic Importance is
vastly increased by the fact that they
are separated by thousands of miles from
any other and more distant group in the
northern Pacific ocean and are the only
group facing our coast In the possession
OF an enemy they would serve as Il secure
base fer attacking any and all of our Pa
Cihc coast cities. In our possession they
would deprive the euemy's feet of all ia
cilties for coaling, supplies or repairs, and
speedily ParalyZe all his naval operations.
The first object of an enemy attacking us
on that side of the republic would be TO
secure these islands. and in their present
condition their possession would fall to the
stronger naval power.
The leading nations-Englaud. France.
Germany, Japan, Spain and the United
States-have each Pacific squadron. Every
one of these squadrons is stronger than
ours. save that of Spain, which is the
weakest
Had the war in which we are now en-
gagged been with any of the other powers
they might have wOrstcd our fleet and
seized the Hawaiian Islands. which are not
now defended by any fertilization or can
non, thus exactly reversing our recent good
fortune at Manila They would then have
had Il convenient base for supplies, coal
and repairs. from which 10 actively harry
and devastate our coast. But We're in
complete possession Of the Hawaiian Is
lands. and they properly prepared for de-
Tense (which eminent officers of the army
and navy stated TO the committee could be
done a a cost of $4,000, our fleet, even
IL pressed by a greatly superior power.
would have an impregn able refuge al Pearl
HarbCr. backed by a friendly population
and militia, with all the resources of the
large city Of Honolulu and a small but
fruitful country. Holding this all-imDort-
ant strategic point. the enemy could not
remain in that part of the Pacific, thous-
ands Of miles from any base. without run