The evening times., 1899-04-24
AMERICAS new
NAVAL STATIONS
Facilities Surpassed Only by
Great Britain.
Several Points Acquired by Con-
quest From Spain.
Establishments to Be Located In
Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii, Sa-
mOa, and Manila.

mOa, and Manila.
The United States was practically with
out outlying naval coaling depots and bases
Of supplies for ships before its conflict with
Spain. However in less than year this
country has attained high rank, and is
second to none but England in such
facilities beyond the seas. Most Of these
were acquired by conquest from Spain.
The government has already proceeded to
a point in Cuba; at Pearl Harbor. Hawaii;
at Guam. Pago Pago. Samoa. and at Cavite,
near Manila, besides coal piles at La Paz.
Mexico and in Alaska. The United States
occupies a more commanding position in
the Pacific than any power, SO far as the
distribution of its naval stations is con-
Pacific stations.
In the Pacific a number of outlying ma
val coaling stations are now being estab-
lished. AS yet only tentative plans have
been prepared for the creation OF great
depot of supplies at Pearl Harbor. Homo
lulu, where ample docking and berthing
facilities will be provided for the most
advanced type of warships Pearl harbor is
recognized to be one of the best-suited To-
calities for station that could possibly
have been secured at any point in the Pa
cific and there is perhaps no harbor more
readily suited for safe anchorage and pro-
lection from sea attack than this. 1t Is
here that this government Will place It's
most important outlying naval station.
Hawaii has for years been recognized
by the powers of the world as one of the
most valuable points at which naval sta
ton can be provided, formidably protected
for a reasonable sum, and maintained at
comparatively slight cost. A hostile fleet
designed to operate against our Pacihc
Coast would not attack US successfully
without a base OF supplies near by, at
which safety might be sought in the event
Of defeat or serious reverses. 1t has.
therefore, been recognized by the abiest
and most far-seeing naval strategists, in
Guiding Captain Mahan, that the Hawaiian
Islands in time of war are almost menace
to this Government in the opportunities
they afford for an enemy's fleet to secure
supplies and safe anchorage. For this
reason ii has always been contended by
naval tacticians that the American navy
should maintain at some point in these
islands strongly defended naval station.
An Ocean Chain.
II is not upon Hawaii alone. however,
that the American navy must now depend
for a coaling station for with the acquisi-
tion OF Guam and the determination to To-
cate at Pago Pago, Samoa, another station.
The service will have within a year chain
of stations at convenient distances from
San Francisco across the broad Pacific.
hat at ita
will never be in the same category with
the stations to be established at Pearl
Harbor San Juan. and possibly at some
point later to be selected in Cuba. Its
topography permits of a coaling station
rather than a navy yard or repair station,
such as. in time. will be available in other
of our recently acquired colonial possess
sions.
Less than one year ago Guam was prac-
tically unknown to the people of this coun-
try. Now il has an American naval gov
ernor on the way TO assume charge of its
affairs. accompanied by staff and suffi-
cient force to preserve order. Pans have
been drawn and contracts awarded for the
building of piers, warehouses and coal
sheds, and thousands of tons of coal will
soon be on the high seas destined for that
island. An immense iron pier, all the ma
terial OF which has to be shipped direct
from this country. will soon be In place
alongside which the most powerful war
ships may ride and have their bunkers
filled. Modern, well-constructed sheds will
house thousands of tons shipped there
from Baltimore and Newport News and
loaded at third the price that Ameri-
can naval ships in previous years have
had to pay for coal when on distant sta
tions. II is not SO much the strategical
advantage of possessing naval coaling
station at Guam as it is the economy with
which fuel may be supplied to our ships
when bound across the Pacific.
A station at Samoa.
From this island the next step in the
of coaling stations in the
Pacific is toward the East, where we have
Pago Pago, Samoa, not many miles from
the scene OF slaughter Of American and
British officers and sailors this month
Like the cession secured at Pearl harbor.
Pago Pago has long been available by the
United States as site held in perpetuity
for a coaling station. Congress, during
President Cleveland's first Administration,
voted an appropriation of $250,000 for the
of sheds and the erection of q
pier there, but no use was ever made OF
the money beyond an expenditure Of a
has since been used by ships stationed at
Apia. Last December the Navy Depart
ment executed contract for the building
Of a large iron pier and the erection Of
necessary buildings on shore, SO that
Pago Pago might become suitable naval
coaling depot, and the work has SO far
progressed that by the early autumn the
project will have been finished. Ship
loads of coal will soon be on their way to
the new station.
Proceeding still further east the navy
finds now at Cavite. near Manila, an ad-
mirable site not only for a naval station,
but a coal yard as well. Cavite has al
ready become an important coaling centre
for ships of the navy attached to the Asiat-
ic station. Forty thousand tons Of coal
have arrived, OF are now on the seas
bound there. not only for the use Of Ad-
miral Dewey's squadron, but to be held
available for the ships OF the navy that
hereafter may be attached to the squadron
on this station. An arsenal is already
there, a dock yard can be established at
little cost, and In time one will unQues-
be put there where ships may be
docked and overhauled instead Of at Hong
kong, under British contracts, as has here
tofore been the practice. Thus, within less
than a year, the United States has taken
formal possession Of sites for important
naval coaling stations In the Pacific and
work is in progress upon them.
Germany controls an unimportant little
coaling station on one OF the islands, but
no attempt has been made to take ad-
vantage of the opportunities presented
Germany is, in fact, as destitute Of sta
tions as the United States was twelve
ago Frances position Is no bet
ter, and Great Britain and Russia. aside