The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-12-16
CONTINUED from Page one)

members of the diplomatic corp In
Washington.
Later he wrote: 81 hope the French
viii not take possession but If they
do. they will be dislodged If my ad-
vice is taken, if the whole power OF
the Government is required TO do IL.
IMPORTANCE OF HAWAII.
Now. wherein consists the exceptional
naval and commercial Importance OF
Hawaii to the United Statesf An IN
speetion of the map is sufficient 10
show. Exhibiting map of Paclhe,
showing Hawaii in center with lines
radiating like spokes of a wheel to
principal Pacific ports Those ISLANDS
lie alone at the center of an expanse
of ocean having a radius of suostan-
tally their distance from the Pacific
Coast-2IOO miles. The nearest other
islands. now occupied by England, Ger
many and France. are about that dis
lance on the other side of Hawaii from
that coast. 1t is well understood that
a naval fleet can not carry sufficient
coal to cross such an expanse, do eff
feetive action and return IN safety.
With Hawaii as a base, if captured
bv a foreign power, such feet could
ern coast but to all American COM
meree on the Pacific But with Ha-
waii fortified and prepared as naval
base in the possession of the United
States. that coast would be practical
w free from liability to attack by
snv transpacific fleet No more effec-
tive insurance of the safety OF that
coast against foreign attack could be
IL. nE "a
trail and solitary location of Hawaii
that has given to her the title or the
HKev,' or the "Gibraltar of the North
Pacife.'' Its significance can be ap
preciated better by comparison with the
Atlantic. The vastness of the Pacific
is such that the distance from San
Francisco to Hongkong is greater than
that from San Francisco across both
the continent and the Atlantic to Lon
don. while that from Panama TO Hong
kong is equal to that from San Fran
cisco across the continent, the Atlantic,
the Mediterranean and on across Ara
ala. But that is not ALL In the At
laatie there are numerous islands, so
that, unlike the case Of HAWAII, the
possession OF one by the United States
would net prevent hostile operations
by nations In possession of others.
The unique position of Hawaii is
quite as marked from a commercial as
from a naval standpoint. The map
(this ia not a railroad or steamboat
map with distorted geography, but rs
drawn true to the faets) shows her at
the center of the great lines of COM
merce across the Pacific, the vastness
of which makes her position almost IN
dispensable as a halfway station. she
is now connected by cable with both
shores of the ocean, and is more ans
more resorted to as port of call for
orders, supplies and repairs. The large
steamers now taking possession OF that
ocean require her for replenishing their
supplies of fuel in order to avoid fill
i6g valuable freight space with the
amount of fuel that would otherwise
be necessary to carry them across the
ocean, The growing commerce of that
ocean requires her more and more Tor
drydoek facilities During single
month of last year three steamers, in
Guiding a United States army trans
port and TIVE of the largest passenger
and freight vessels, went ashore upon
her coasts, involving losses to the ex-
tent of perhaps two million dollars.
One of them after being foated was
grounded again to prevent capsizing,
and after being floated again had to
be lowed across the ocean for repairs.
Another was conveyed across the ocean
for the same purpose by United
States battleship. 1t is this striking
position of Hawaii commercially that
has won for her the title of the % HUB
or Halfway Station or 'Cross-
~1.lS nf ha paoifa -
HARBOR NECESSITIES.
In order, however, to reap the full
advantage of this extraordinary posi-
ton it is essential that there should
be a harbor both adequate and suitable
not only for a naval base and place
of refuge for the naval and merchant
marine in time of war but also for
wharf and drydock facilities in time
of peace.
The harbor of Honolulu, at present
the principal harbor of those islands,
can not serve these purposes. That
harbor Exhibiting eolored map OF
Honolulu harbor contains only about
one hundred acres. 1t is too small to
accommodate a feet of such a size
as would be required in time of war,
and has no available space for the
construction of drydocks; moreover,
owing to its open character and near
ness to deep water. it would be ex-
posed to bombardment by hostile yes
sels,-with danger of destruction not
only to the city, but to any fleet that
might be in the harbor and to the
drvdocks Just when they might be most
needed. That harbor, indeed, is scarce