The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-09-12

| The Army and Navy Journal has the
following from the pen OF its editor.
| Col. Church, who recently visited here:
A visiting statesman on his FIRST in
PRODUCTION to Hawaii confessed that he
had never taken any interest in these
| outlying possessions of the United
States for the reason that they were
only fiy-specks on the map, and did
not appeal to his American idea of the
relation between figures and geograph-
cal importance. Nearer acquaintance
with these islands. and a study of their
relation to the defense of our Pacific
coast and the control of the commerce
of the Pacific Ocean, changed this
gentleman's opinion and he expressed
the determination henceforth to include
the territory of Hawaii in the consid-
Grafton of American interests. The
fact that Secretary Taft durirfA his
recent visit of a day at Honolulu de-
cided to double the military force there
and give Major Robert G. Van Vliet
the command of a battalion instead of
two companies, shows that the Secre-
tary received a similar impression of
the Importance of these "hy-specks up
on the map.'
Not only has the military force sta
toned at Honolulu been inadequate,
but 1t has been shamefully neglected
In the matter of accommodations. The
accommodations for the enlisted men
are fair, but the officers, with the ex-
ception of the post commander, are
quartered in tents. Under the favora-
BILE conditions of climate this is no
great hardship, however considerable
the Inconvenience, and by another year
1t is hoped to have the new post ready.
1t is much better situated strategically
than the present post, which Is
leased ground. and being on the line
of the extension of one OF the street
railroads it will have easy access to
Honolulu. 1t is on the line between
the city and Pearl Harbor, where in
time we shall have not only a naval
station, but forts and troops to defend
II.
Nothing can be said In exaggeration
OF the Importance of Pearl Harbor. 1t
Is magnificent sheet of water, so
situated that 1t Is easily defended, and
now that We are in secure possession
OF 1t, and of the land required for the
naval stations and the forts, 1t is pro-
posed to defend the entrance to the
harbor. There should be no delay in
pushing forward the work. The Sec
retary of War, the chairman of the
House Naval Committee and other in
huential members of the two houses
OF Congress have recently had an op-
portunity of judging for themselves of
the Importance of Pearl Harbor and
of the Hawaiian Islands and we hope
that they will favor a proper appro-
priation by the next Congress for their
defense. If they can be made secure
In our possession they will greatly
simplify the work of defending our
Pacific coast They will in effect carry
these defenses two thousand miles out
into the ocean and place them In a
controlling position ON the flank of any
naval force advancing from the East.
Adequately defended and properly sup
piled they will furnish our naval ves-
sells patrolling the Pacific with a har-
Dor in which they can be refitted and
repaired and from which they can
proceed with clean bottoms and bunk
ers filled with coal to strike the ves-
sells of an enemy compelled to make
journey of between four and five thou
sand miles before he can be in posi-
tion to attack our Pacific harbors. Even
with great circle sailing Japanese men
of-war, for example, would have to
steam this distance TO reach San Fran
cisco or Seattle and nearly $500 miles
separates Yokohama from the Panama
Canal. In round figures the Hawai-
ians are 2100 miles from san Fran