The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-07-04

..S.[S.S..>.cl.c.:.... c-.tc,.<s,..S.-s
tramp ships carry the bulk,of the low
grade freights.
The effect upon our commerce of
these imperial westward steps has been
commensurate. During the year pre-
ceding the outbreak of the Spanish war,
our exports to the Philippines were less
than 100000, and our imports little
more than 1000, 900. In six years after
the close of that war our exports had
increased TO nearly $30,00O.00O and our
imports to nearly s35,OOO.O0O, not in
cluding the carrying of government
supplies. Similarly with the Hawaiian
Islands, in 1897 our exports were a
little more than s4.500,0O0 and our i'm
ports little over s13,50O,000. Six years
saw our trade doubled, our exports hav-
ing reached nearly Sl1 100000 and our
imports more than s26,O0O,000. On the
Pacific slope our commercial Increase
owing to the extension of our influence
to the far east. has been almost phe-
lnomenal, quite so In certain Instances,
such as Tacoma, where the exports
have multiplied six times in seven
years, and during that period the activ-
tiles of the Puget Sound district have
Increased from IS, SOC. COO to over s32, ,500,-
900 annually. In the past decade our
| exports to Europe have increased 81 per
cent; to South America, so per cent;
to North American countries, 100 per
cent; but to the orient 200 per cent
NAVAL STRENGTH THE BASIS OF
COMMERCIAL SUPREMACY.
| This country can not afford, there
| fore,-even II so inclined-to neglect
| the care of these great and growing
interests; nor is It expected that any
other of the nations that are aligned
| in this race for commercial supremacy
will abate in the least their efforts to
capture and control the rich markets
of the east. In the situation are all the
elements of Jealous rivalry that have
led. and probably always will lead, to
the final issue of trial Of strength.
Captain A. T. Mahan, In his widely
read Influence of Sea Power" has
made 1t too clear to require further
argument that upon nations naval
power rests it's commercial supremacy.
With at least six great powers con-
| fronting each other on the Pacific, each
reaching out for the richest commercial
prize yet offered to the world, 1t Is
rather more than altruistlc to believe
that the day will never come when
the. dominance of this ocean and its
trade will not be settled by the force
OF naval and military power. In such
an event the advantage lies with the
United States through the holding OF
Hawaii, which may properly be called
the key to the Pacific. 1t has already
been called "the Gibraltar of the Pacif-
ic," and, just as the holding of that
famed fortress by England has been an
immense factor for peace and for Eng
lands commercial supremacy. so must
the Hawaiian Islands, occupying as
lthey do the commanding position in the
Pacific, be large determining factor
in any conflict of nations which may
arise through desire to dominate thai
ocean, provided always that We are
able to hold them.
No such unique situation. strategical
ly, exists elsewhere as that held by
the Hawaiian group. By a glance a
the accompanying chart it Will be seer
that these islands occupy a central po
sition in a vast expense of sea, an out
Lpost to our Pacific coast. Using then
as a center. as a base for naval opera
tions, a 25OO-mile radius touches ou
Alaskan territories. our entire Pacifi
coast line, and equally the Frencl
sta ~. 49,. anti, .Ae Ser,..n ~. ses
sio . az rhe Marshall group, snc tn
Bri lsh pFotectorate over the Gilbert Is
Ian ig. 3ney lie directly In the sea
, ira e routes from British Coldmh, {
. Au .sralls, Kew Zealand, and the FIJI
ISL ldE, and, IN the future thsY us
lie >..~A..-,' ..,.1e .o~,vs ..o." tn
Panama Canal to Yokohama, Shanghai
and Hong Kong. Directly south Q
Alaska and southwest from California
they stand sentinel to our coast, soil
tary and alone, with no vantage poin
beyond them TO afford an enemy
foothold or a refuge. In the entire ex
lpanse of the Pacific Ocean north of tn
equator there Is no other spot where
ton of coal can be obtained a loaf 0
bread or gallon of water. Were ther
, no Hawaii, no war fleet, save that @
Great Britain, could successful
, operate against our Pacific coast. TIL
! nearest foreign station is Tahiti $3.50
! miles distant, The others are from 4
, 900 to 5000 miles away. When II is cor
: sidered that battleships of modern cor
. Istruction have a coal endurance at te
: knots of but 5000 miles, it will be see
: that the physical condition OF fleet o
$ reaching our coast, without touching {
A Hawaii for coaling, would be such this
4 extended operations would be difficu
: and retreat impossible.
c But the Hawaiian Islands exist. o.
i possession Of them in time of peace
n undisputed. In time of war that POI
: session would be challenged at ono
: for they become an imperative necel
lsity as base for an enemy from whic