The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-11-09
hoods EARNEST PLEA
FOR / PACIFIC CABLE
DECLARES UNITED STATES
MUST HAVE CABLE FOR
sXLF-PRoTEcTIoN.
Shows the Danger Of Depending
on Private Lines in Time
Of War-Government
Must Own II.

NEW YORK. Oct "a special 10
the Herald from Washington says:
| An earnest plea for government cable
across the Pacific ocean is made by Lieu
tenant John Hood of the navy. who per
! formed notable work in the survey which
definitely established a satisfactory route.
in al article published in the current
number of the proceedings of the naval
institute
| II We wish 70 secure ourselves against
all evenrualities. and be fully equipped
10 take our part successfully in the strug-
! gle of races that the Inevitable laws of
| evolution force US TO enter. let us" SAYS
Lieutenant Hood. mot only fortify our
| ports. build fleets and equip armies. but
let US by all means prepare the way 10
| render these fleets and armies efficient anil
| capable OF their utmost usefulness. BY
! supplying them with the safe. sure and
| prompt information so necessary 10 any
successful undertaking. The only way
TO attain this end with certainty and sue
cess is for the government to lay and
operate its own cables. and TO construct
/ equip and man its own cable ships. and
| the beginning of this great work cannot
/ pe made too soon.
Lieutenant Hood takes very pessi-
mistic view of the chances of cable legis-
| lation. For time. he says il seemed
I 4, Il, l.
now it may he safely said that all cable
legislation is dead for the present. and is
more than likely 10 remain dead for
long time to come. while merry fight
goes on between the opposing ideas OF
government and private ownership.
For sure defence" continues the
lieutenant. both for our own coasts and
of our island possessions. il is absolutely
necessary for the American fleet to have
perfect freedom of movement to all parts
of our coasts. To carry out any design
for the protection and extension of our
influence in our far distant possessions.
it is necessary 10 have absolutely sure
communication between our fleets and our
seat of government The former of these
objects can only be attained by the con-
struction of national inter-oceanic
canal. and the latter by national Pa
cific cable
Lieutenant Hood calls attention to the
fact that surety and secrecy can only be
attained by cabie owned. controlled and
worked by the government itself. by its
own agents.
Admiral Cervera's book he says.
shows how utterly impossible it is in
time of war TO preserve secrecy with pri-
vate cables. In spite of all the efforts of
this government TO isolate Cuba and sup
press all dispatches regarding the move
ments of our ships. we are astonshed 10
find how infinitely General Blanco and
Admiral Cervera We're informed of the
movements of our ships and squadrons
even on our own coasts.
From military point of view the
question of the nationality of the opera
tons is most important. No foreigner or
alien of any description should be allowed
TO have any connection with the line iii
any capacity whatever. Its direction and
operation should be American. pure and
simple, or betrayal of trust will surely
follow
The other great military advantage
of national over private cable is the
possession by the government of properly
equipped and manned cable ships. In the |
conflicts of the future the cable and cable |
ships are destined to play part hardly |
secondary to that of the army and navy. |
1t may be taken as an axiom in future |
wars between nations with outlying pos
sessions that a cable war will go on side |
by side with the military operations. and |
that the nation which has failed to pro-
vide itself with cables and cable laying |
and cutting appliances will be worsted."