New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-07-03
THE MIDWAY ISLANDS.
Il Small but Important I1SuIar
Possession.
TFRoM THE TRIBUNE BuREAU.l

Washington July with the opening Of the
Pacific cable, which directly connects the govern
nent at Washington with the insuar possessions
of the United States to the west of the national
capital attention is called to the important part
which the first and smallest "insuar possession OF
the country the Midway Islands. is to play m
bringing Manila within a few minutes of the White
House. without this little group of coral. which
pokes it's nose out of the brine to the north and
west of the Hawaiian Islands, the engineering feat
ures of the Pacific cable would have been entirely
different and negotiations for cable station on
the Pacific possession of some other government
would have been necessary.
With the era Of expansion which has swept the
United States into the company Of the world
powers" the official words of Captain William
Reynolds of the navy who. under orders from this
government took possession of the Midway Islands
in 1867, seem prophetic.
1T is exceedingly gratifying TO me-" Captain
Reynolds reported after he had planted the Ameri-
can flag on the Midways Ito have been thus con-
cerned in taking possession of the first island ever
added the domain of the United States beyond
our own shores, and sincerely hope that this in
stance will by no means be the last of our insuar
annexa TONS
The value to the government which this first
colonial possession has now become can readily be
realized when it Is said that without the Midway
a landing place fer the cable It's long stretch from
Honolulu to Guam could not be broken. and in
stead of being able to send twenty words min
the service made proportonately less satisfactory
What benefit this isolated cable station in the
centre Of the Pacific may prove from strategic
point Of view may be demonstrated some day by
timely orders TO a fleet of battleships. That the
station is considered valuable from this point of
view and many others is shown by the determine
ton of Navy Department to fortify the islands
in the future for the protection of the cable sta
ton The islands also afford a snug harbor. and in
an emergency might be used as a base of naval
operations
Since their discovery in 1859 by Captain N. c.
Brooks an American sailing from Honolulu on a
sealing voyage under the Hawaiian flag. and their
rediscovery and possession in the name of the
United States in 1861 as related above, the Midway
Islands have been more or less neglected by this
government but to the extent Of being al
lowed to pass into the hands of any other govern
ment although Japan has, on several occasions
made inquiry of the Hawaiian monarchy regarding
their title. with propositions to annex or lease
them They used for a time. thirty years ago,
by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company TO the ex-
tent of storing there huge pile of coal The COM
pany left a single in charge of the coal. After
a years lonesome sojourn the islands this tnd-
vidual got tired of the albatross as his only COM
panons and abandoned the coal for passing
craft. Later. when coal high in San Fran
cisco. an enterprsing Norwegian, who knew of the
unguarded coal pile. set sail in a bark and secured
a full cargo which he sold to advantage in San
Francisco. The steamship company afterward
learned or the inert, ana brought suit secured
damages.
1t is to Rear Admiral r. b Bradford that credit
IS due for discovering the utility of the Midway
Islands as a cable station, and to his representa-
lions that the two tiny specks on the map of the
Pacific were transferred from the jurisdiction Of the
Interior Department to possession of the navy of
the United States. The Pacific Cable Company
secured the right TO break its long stretch of cable
and land one Of the two islands The United
States will fortify this island sufficiently protect
the cable station and hereafter there will never be
a question as TO who is the rightful owner
The islands are both of coral formation. One of
them. Sand Island. contains $50 acres. while the
other, Eastern Island. has 32S A quantity of
rich soil is to De carried to the islands order that
the forces who will have to take their turn in
some occupation TO divert their attention from sea
Naval officers who have visited the islands say
that the Midway harbor constitutes the finest fish
ing ground in the Pacific. The coral formation in
closes lagoon Of depth enough for anchorage, but
more shallow than the surrounding waters. and
makes an attractive feeding ground for fish, seal
and turtle The fish belong to the mullet, perch and
mackerel families Many of them of brilliant coors
seem to belong to the dolphin family The fish at
tract the birds, and the Islands are covered with
Japanese were left on the island for the purpose Of
gathering birds feathers. Their presence was made
known to the navy. and they were ordered to de-
Under the new order of things the islands will be
made to bloom with fruit trees. vegetables will be
raised. and with the ideal climate, the sheltered
with the world by cable; the cable operators and
FORCES VINO man the guns VIII have an assignment
vice.
What the Improvement is to be in the cable ser
vice between the United States and the Philippines
may be seen by comparison of the present route
and cost Of message from Manila to Washington.
The tolls will be reduced from 81 Sc to so cents a
word BY the old route message leaving Manila
for Washington goes first to Hong Kong China: TO
Labuan BOrneo TO Singapore. Malay Peninsula; to
Penang. to Madras, to Bombay TO Alden Arabia; 10
Suez. to Port Said. 10 Alexandria. Egypt: to Malta
TO Morocco, to Penzance. to Nalentia on the Irish
coast; to Nova Scotia, TO Canso, to New-York. The
total distance by this is fourteen thOusa Ia
miles. BY the new cable the distance will be only
eight thousand miles The cable tolls paid by the
government alone for year in its communica tOns
with the Philippines amounted to 100000. Under tha
rate at least twothirds of this amount will be