Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-07-25
THE MIDWAY ISLANDS.
Small But Important Insular Posses
sion of America.


With the opening Of the Pacific ca
BILE, which directly connects the gov
ernment at Washington with the In
sular possessions Of the United States
to the west Of the national capital, at
tention Is called to the important part
which the first and the smallest insu-
lar possession" Of the country, the
Midway Islands, Is to play In bringing
Manila within a few minutes Of the
White House, says the washington
correspondent Of the New York Trib-
une. without this little groVp Of coral,
which pokes its nose out Of the brine
to the north and west of the Hawai-
ian Islands, the engineering features
of the Pacific cable would have been
entirely different, and negotiations for
a cable station on the Pacific possess
sion of some other government would
have been necessary.
The value to the government which
the first colonial possession has now
become can readily be realized when 1T
is said that without the Midway as
landing place for the cable its long
stretch from Honolulu to Guam could
not be broken, and instead Of being
able to send 20 words a minute, the
speed would have been reduced to six
words, and the service made propor-
tionately less satisfactory.
What benefit this isolated cable sta
ton In the center Of the Pacific may
prove from a 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 9TH
ers is shown by the determination OF
the navy department to fortify the
islands in the future for the protec-
'tion Of the cable station. The Islands
also afford a snug harbor, and IN an
emergency might be used as base or
naval operations.
Since their discovery in 1859 by Cap
tain N. c. Brooks, an American, SAIL
ing from Honolulu on sealing voyage
under the Hawaiian flag, and their re-
discovery and possession in the name
of the United States in 1857. The Is
lands have been more or less neglected.
but never to the extent OF being allow
ed to pass into the hands Of any other
government, although Japan has on
several occasions made inquiry or the
Hawaiian monarchy regarding their
title, with propositions to annex or
lease them. They were used for
time thirty years ago by the Pacihc
Mail Steamship company to the extent
of storing there huge pile OF COAL
The company left single man IN
charge Of the coal. After a years
lonesome sojourn on the Islands this
individual got tired Of albatrosses as
his only companions and abandoned
the coal for a passing craft. Later
when coal was high in San Francisco
an enterprising Norwegian, who kne"
of the unguarded pile, set sail In
bark and secured a full cargo, which
he sold to advantage in San Francisco.
The steamship company afterWard
learned of the theft, and brought suit
and secured damages.
The islands are both Of coral for
nation. One Of them, Sand Island
contains $50 acres, while the other,
Eastern Island, has 32s acres. A
quantity Of rich soil is to be carried
to the islands in order that the forces
who will have to take their turn In
manning the guns Of the fortihcations
may have some occupation to divert
their attention from sea and rock.
Naval officers who have visited the
islands say that the Midway harbor
constitutes the finest fishing ground
in the Pacific. The coral formation
incloses a lagoon Of depth enough for
anchorage, but more shallow than the
surrounding waters, and makes an at
tractive feeding ground for fish, seal
and turtle. The fish belong to the null
let, perch and mackerel families.
Many Of them Of brilliant colors seem
to belong to the dolphin family. The
fish attract the birds, and the islands
are covered with plumed tenants. Some
years ago a small band of Japanese
were left on the island for the purpose
of gathering birds feathers. Their
presence was made known to the navy
department and they were ordered to
depart.
Under the new order Of things, the
islands will be made to bloom with
fruit trees and vegetables will be rails
ed.