The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-02-12
TAFT'S NOTE
ON DEFENSES
Urgency of War Secre-
tary to Safeguard
Honolulu.

WASHINGTON, January 30.-"There
is every reason why the Notifications
at Hawaii should be made ready"
Secretary Taft thus expressed him.
self today in an urgent letter to Sen
ator Allison, chairman of the Commit
tee of Appropriations, regarding his re-
quest for an additional appropriation
of $S50,OO0 for the purose of fortifying
Pearl Harbor. Hawaii.
Late yesterday the Senate passed an
appropriation bill for Notifications
which contained an allowance of but
s1O0, 900, which is $250,000 less than the
Secretary asked for. There is now
$3.50. 900 available under last years ap-
preparation, and it is said to be the
Secretary's desire to expend about $780,
900 for fortifications in Hawaii.
The text of Secretary Taft's letter to
Senator Allison is as follows: i write
TO urge on you that the appropriation
for Pearl Harbor be made S35O,0OO IN
stead of $l00,00O We can certainly
expend this in the next year, and there
is every reason why the fortihcations
of Hawaii should be made ready. VIII
YOU not bring this to the attention or
Your committee and the Senate? The
inclosed statement from the Nationai
Coast Defense Board, recently appoint
ed. shows the facts. / send it to you
at the suggestion of Senator Perkins.
The report of the National Coast De-
fense Board, referred to by the Sec
retary, was made to the President and
tv him transmitted to Congress a year
ago In sending it the President him.
self strongly indorsed the boards rec
ommenda tions, which included a sweep
ing revision of the plans of the old
Endicott Board designed to apply mod
ssrn methods to the Coast Defense plans.
The board makes a strong argument
for the construction of fourteen-lnch
guns, a type now unknown in the SER
vice, instead of the twelve-inch guns,
for the fortification of these points, In
view of the wide channels to be pro-
tected.
The defense scheme for Pearl Harbor
and Honolulu, as finally submitted, is
upon the basis of the existing types
of ordinances and the board has asked
for these items:
Six 12-inch guns, four 6-inch guns,
sixteen 12-inch mortars, costing with
their carriages, altogether $2,544, $3.50;
submarine mines, S225,260; power plants,
S34. .469 for the central and $34,459 for
the reserves: s95 900 for searchlights;
fl e control. by which is meant an
elaborate system of electrical commu-
nication enabling the commanding Of
ficer to control the fire of all the bat
teries with precision from one point,
sS2O.656, making the total of the esti-
mates submitted s3,254,440.
The defense board says: Pearl Har-
bor is of such strategic, and Honolulu
of such material, Importance that the
National Coast Defense Board ar
ranges for such a first-ciass defense,
stating that these places can not be
held unless fortified before the outbreak
of war. Today not a gun is mounted
to defend either. They are related in
such a way that the fall of one involves
the loss of the other. Defenses should
be Immediately installed at both
places"
THE CHRONICLES COMMENT.
San Francisco Chronicles: The only
objection TO large appropriations for
fortification of both Hawaii and the
Philippines is the absurd speculations
OF the Eastern and foreign press on the |
possibility of war between the United /
States and Japan. With a people so
sensitive as the Japanese appear 1" I've /
we do not wish to appear TO be raising /
our bristies just at this particular time. |
and without regard to
the possibility os trouble with any par
ticular country, so far as we nave
outlying possessions we should get rid
OF them or make them impreSnable.
We are not likely 10 ever get rid OF
Hawaii and IL is TO be feared that we
can not shake of the Philippines. Con-
seQuently we must fortify them. So
ong as they remain undefended they
are an invitation to war with any
naval power which may at any time
happen 10 be disgruntled with us. The
possession of the Philippines is our
greatest source OF national weakness,
md 10 make that archipelago in any
way otherwise will involve an expendi-
ure which VIII be startling. We can
Tot do il and shall not try. but we
should at least properly fortify the
principal ports
The talk of universal peace is de- I
ightful. General disarmament may in
lue time become a universal economic
lecesSity. But there are no signs of IL I
-et-or at least of its being recognized I
IS an economic necessity. While all
courteously respond to
proposals. for a general peace confer :
nee and the establishment of tribunals
Z arbitration. not one, except the
-nited States. fails to simultaneously
evote the last dollar it can raise with
ut riots to preparations for war. So
ong as we were content with the conti- c
entaI limits which for a century sat-
CONTINUED on Page Seven.)