The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-09-29

reached nearly w OOU,OoV ana imports
about s33.0O0,O0O Trade with the Ha-
waiian Islands has doubled. too. in that
time.
While in the last ten years. according
to commercial statistics. Americas ex-
ports to Europe and to South America
have been Increased SO per cent, they
have increased 200 per cent to the
Orient.
Commercial supremacy. then. is the
battle in which the leading nations of
the world are engaged.
Manufacturing enterprises in Amer
lea, England, Germany, France and
other countries have so expanded that
the home markets are no longer able
to take care of the production.
Present fields OF trade must be cul-
tivated and enlarged and new ones
constantly added
All the world is looking to the coun-
! tries whose shores are washed by the
waters of the Pacific.
Suppose the next great Titanic strug-
/ gle is waged upon the Pacific, and the
| United States, willingly or not, is
drawn into the conflict?
The Philippines may be successfully
| defended, or they may fall OF far
| greater Importance is a successful de-
fense of the Pacific coast.
Coming back to the first proposition,
| then, the key to the situation is the
Hawaiian group. 1t is the strategical
point of advantage in the entire ocean.
Aggressive operations against the
| shores of California, Oregon or Wash
1ngton-unless they come from British
| Columbia by land-must be made by
| fleets. These fleets must have COM
paratively convenient base from which
| to operate.
| With the exception of Tahiti 5000
miles away, the nearest foreign bases
are nearly 5000 miles distant. Battle
ships of greatest coal capacity might
! steam that far, but, even with the aid
of accompanying golfers, could not
come to the American coast, conduct
| aggressive operations and then return
| to their far-away bases.
| OF necessity, then, the first object of
attack by any hostile fleet would be
the Hawaiian Islands.
These secured as a base, operations
against the American coast would not
only be possible. but probable of COM
| plete success.
Honolulu is 2089 miles from San Fran
cisco. From Japan to Honolulu is S445
miles; from Hongkong to Honolulu,
| 1861 miles, and from Australia to Ho-
nolulu, something over 1900 miles.
About 1000 miles long Is the Pacific
coast line of the United States. With
this line as a base, the Hawaiian Is
lands form the apex of the most i'm
portant strategic triangle Of the west
ern seas.
From them the entire basic coast
l're would be open to attack in FIVE OF
six days.
When the Panama Canal is finished
the fleets of the Atlantic coast will be
that much nearer Pacific ports in time
of need. but now they are separated
from that point of probable attack by
the 15,OO0-mile journey around Cape
Horn.
There is no assurance that other yes
sells could duplicate the wonderful feat
of the Oregon and finish that tremen
dous run in fit condition for battle
Suppose, for instance, Japan sudden
ly declared war upon the United States
Her fleets could be rushed across tn,
Pacific in far less time than our pres
ent defenders of the western coas
could be reinforced from the Atlantic
1t Is not probable that the Philippin,
station would be weakened for the pur
pose.
A hostile fleet, however, would not b,
likely to attack the Pacific coast S,
long as Hawaii remained in American
hands, heavily fortified.
With ample Notifications establishe,
| at Hawaii fharn ha
keeping protected armorclads there
and the ships of the navy could devot
their attention to the protection O
shipping and ports at home.