The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-12-20
GOVERNOR FREAR'S CHIEF
ADDRESS AT MUSKOGEE

could only end in rendering the is
! lands and their government prey {,
4 the stronger commercial nations of tn,
! world
, "It can not be expected that tn,
| Government OF the United States corlC
look ON = course Of things leading Il
such result with indifference. Tn,
Hawaiian Islands are ten times nearer
; to the United States than to any OF
fthe powers of Europe. Nve-sixths OF
all their commercial intercourse is with
the United States. and these considers-
tions. together with others Of more
general character. have fixed the course
which the Government Of the United
States will pursue in regard to them
IL can never consent TO see
those islands taken possession of BY
either of the great commercial powers
of Europe.
! Copies Of this were sent to all the
members of the diplomatic eerp in
Washington
Later he wrote: ~ hope the French
will not take possession but if they
do. they will be dislodgei if my sd-
vice is taken, if the whole power of
the Government is required to do ii. -
IMPORTANCE OF HAWAII.
Now, wherein consists the exceptional
naval znd commercial importance of
Hawaii TO the United Ststesi An in
/ speetion Of the map is sufficient TO
show. Exhibiting map OF Pacific,
showing Hawaii in center with lines
radi2ting like spokes OF 3 wheel to
principal Pacific ports Those islands
lie alone st the center of an exp2nse
OF ocean having radius of suhstsn-
! tiSlly their distance from the Pacific
CcSSt-s1Oa miles. The nearest other
islands, now Oeeuuied by England, Ger
many and France, are about that dis
t2nee On the other side Of Hawaii from
that e0SSt II is well understood that
= naval iest can not carry sufficient
eoSl 10 cross such an expanse, do eff
fsetive action and return in safety.
With Hawaii as S base, If captured
by 8 foreign power. such a fleet could
do untold damage not only TO our west
ern coast but 10 sll American com
meree on the Pacific. But with Ha-
wSii fortified and prepared as q naval
bSse. In the possession OF the United
States, thSt eoasV would be practical
~ free. from liability 10 attack by
any tranSp2eife fleet. No more effee-
tive insurance OF the safety of that
eoSst against foreign attack could be
devised. II Is this feature of the cen
trzl and solitary location OF Hawaii
that has given 70 her the title of the
Key or the s'6ibraltar OF the North
Pacific Its significance can be sp-
preeiztei 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 70 that from San Fran
cisco Sercss the continent, the Atlantic,
the Mediterranean and on across Ara
hiz- But that IS not all. In the At
lsntie there are numerous islands, so I
that, unlike the case OF Hawaii. the /
possession Of one by the United States 1
would not prevent hostile operations /
by nations IN possession Of others
The unique position of Hawaii is |
quite IS marked from a commercial as
(rhis Is not railroad or steamboat 4
map with distorted geography. but is /
drawn true 10 the faets) shows her ar 4
the center OF the great lines of com
meree across the Pacific. the vastness
Of which makes her position almost in
as 4 halfway station She |
Is ROW connected by cable with both
shores Of the ocean, and Is more and /
more reS0rte1 10 as 3 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 10 avoid I'LL
ing valuable freight space with the
amount Of fuel that would otherwise
be necessary 10 carry them across the
ocean The growing commerce Of that
ocean reCCires her more and more for
drydoek facilities During 8 single
month Of last year three steamers. in
GLIDING = United States army trans
port and two OF the largest passenger
and freight vessels. went ashore upon
her coasts Involving losses 70 the ex-
tent Of perhaps two million dollars
One Of them after being d0sted was
grounded again TO prevent capsizing.
and after being aozred again had TO
oe towed across the ocean for repairs
Another was convoTed across the ocean
for the sane pzrpose BY 3 United
States bz1tleship- II Is this striking
position Of Hawaii commercially that
azs WOE for her the title OF the - Hub"
u Halfway Station or .sCross-
-oeds Of the Pacific"
HRpop NHrrSc
Ii Ordsr, however, 10 reap the full
zdTz11zge OF this extraordinary posi-
ii0a 1t Is ESSENTIAL that there should
b kzrbor 10th adequate and suitable
-0- Only f0E : naval bzse and . place
II refuge for the naval and merchant
II tiEe 0t war but also for
zkzrf and drydoek facilities IN time
4 Pezes
TIE hzrbor Of HoaOlulu. st present
tie principal hzrbOr Of those Islands,
IN 1at serve these purposes Ihztt
-zruor Exhibiting eolored nap Of .
aorO-ulu hzrbor contains only about
ne hUn1rEd zeEeS II Is too snail to !
scc0ZEe1z1s feet of sch = size /
: E0ald be required II rins OF var, !
md has .zo available space for the !
50zs1yzsri01 Of drTd0eks; moreover .
wing 70 us open character and near /
zess 70 deep Eztsr- Il world Be ex-l
1ose1 70 bczhzrdzert By hostile YES !
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