The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-01-30
coNrnoL on rHE pAc1FIc.
Preparations Should Begin for the
Creation OF a Large Naval
Force at Once.

NEW 1Olfk, Jan. 70 Command
Of the sea on our North Pacific coast
and the waters Of the western basin
OF the North Pacific should be In our
hands In peace and war lime. This
can only be effected by readiness Of a
proper and sufficient naval force either
on the spot or 10 be furnished from
the Atlantic through an untrammeled
canal In addition 10 this, and ready
for combining. should be the available
forces normally attached to the Phil
ippines and the waters about China,
japan and Corea. In other words, the
Pacific ocean from Samoa northward
should be within our control"
These observations are made by Cap
tain c, n Stockton, president Of the
Naval War College, IN an article in the
proceedings Of the naval institute,
dealing with the commercial naval and
political conditions Of an inter-ocean
canal across the Central american
isthnius Referring to the Clayton
Bulwer treaty. Captain Stockton says:
II is safe to say that II is practl-
caIly the opinion OF an Americans that
this treaty should either be abrogated
Nr very materially modified. The
change Of conditions since the signing
Of this treaty, due TO our West Indian
acquisitions and more especially to the
great developments Of our Pacific coast
territory should cause Great Brit
ain also to see the desirability, If not
the necessity for this action.
The proposition for a canal exclu-
sly ely owned or controlled by the Unit
ed States In war and in peace means
the uirect or indirect purchase of con-
struction OF the canal by the govern
inent of the United States In time |
of war 1t would mean a navy OF sufii- |
cient size and strength to maintain the |
canal open against an exterior attack |
from any power or alliance of powers
with the force they can spare from !
European waters.
The first thing that presents itself |
in connection with the canal and the
naval profession is the necessity for a 1
strong naval force for the United |
States. Separated, as the canal and
its Immediate adjacent territory is,
FROM the territory OF the United States
by Mexico, the approaches to the canal
require naval protection in order to
give us the status here that Great
Britain enjoys at Suez. Nothing would
cOnduce more to the safety ami pro-
lection OF these canals and the benef-
icient flow of commerce therein than
the control of the Suez canal by Great
Britain and the control of the Ameri-
can canal by the United States.
1T has been said that the changes
forced upon us by the canal will be so
great that Il would be better Tor us
ie NO canal we've 10 be built. I don't
believe 1t to ne so, but it does not mat
Ter; the canal is Inc ,itabie and its ,
eventual opening is but Il question Of
ime." I
In connection with the construction I
# the canal, Captain stockton reviews /
he naval situation in the Pacific,
"A predominancc, both maritime and I
laval, in the North Pacific ocean," he /
declares, lis an essential matter for I
he United states in regard to the in
er-ocean canal AS the want of such t
naval predomlnlnce in the Caribbean 7
would deny us access to the canal m
ha; side in war time, so similar want
" predominance in the Pacific will v
prevent our ships gaining access to a
he canal from those waters. The S
predominance in the North i
Pacific, though contested, is still ours,
md to this should be added the naval {
which, II It does not pre- q
EIDE the maritime predominance, '
hould at least accompany it,