The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1908-02-08

The growing commercial interest OF
the United States i'll the far east is
pressing home upon Americans who
appreciate the present and the future
| possibilities of such trade and the ne
cessity of proper safeguarding of these
interests, and the providing Of adc.
! quate security for our position in the
! Pacific ocean, which body Cr water is
now recognized by many as the prob
| able future center of the world
| greater activities.
1t may be said, briefly, that the Sc.
| curity of American interests in the
| Pacific depends upon command of the
sea, in comparison with any probable
| antagonist, and command of the sea
| in turn depends, in addition to marine
| ornaments, upon cOaling stations and
| naval bases. Naval ornaments are
practically useless in any locality with
| out convenient facilities for supply and
| repair Such facilities depend upon
| two elementS-natural and artificial
harbors and landing places, and the
| juncts.
The United States is already sup
piled with ample natural facilities in
| the Pacific. 1t remains, therefore, to
provide only the artificial element.
| The attributes required are dry docks
| for ships of all sizes, coal and Coaling
machinery, shops provided with ma
chinery and material to make repairs
to both ships and ornaments, and de-
| pots containing ample reserves Of all
needed supplies, such as food, ship
stores, arms and ammunition. Where
the natural conditions are favorable,
to provide all these things requires
only time and money.
The value Of American naval bases
in Asiatic waters may be said to apply
chiefly to a war between the United
States and an Asiatic power; for
while some European nations might
| conduct large naval operations in this
part of the world, the CruX of any con-
hict between America and another
western power will not be here, and
no naval force alone can wrest any of
our Pacific possessions from us. Only
armies can do this. and it is not now
feasible for any European power to
assemble in the far east and trans
port by sea a formidable army in the
face Of serious opposition.
or Asiatic nations which may con
ceivably come into collision with the
United States there are only two
China and Japan; so the proposition
Of the defense of our interests and
possessions in tAis locality seriously
involves only these two possibilities.
The internal situation and military un-
preparedness of China removes all
cause for apprehension from that
source for many years to come; so
estimation of the problem may be
predcated upon the comparative Situ-
alton of the United States and Japan
When the islands were acquired
from Spain we secured two SO-callcd
naval bases-thoSc at Cayitc and
OlongapO. These yards are hardly
worthy of the name In modern sense,
the facilities being limited to shops
where minor repGrs can be made.
There was then no dry dock at either
place, although at Cavite small craft
can be shored upon ways. Since their
acquisition the only important i'm
provements have been the erection OF
a coaling plant at Cavite, a similar
plant at Olongapo now nearly com
pleted, and the placing OF the floatlng
dock Dewey at Olongapo There have
been some additional quarters erected
at Olongapo for the accommodation OF
officers and marines. On the whole,
however, the work OF improving thes"
yards has stagnated, notwithstanding
that with each passing year tn" need
for proper facilities has become more
pressing and important.
There are several contributing rea-
sons for this condition. The failure OF
congress to make appropriations IS
one: but the real cause is the failure
of the war and navy departments to
agree upon a site Six years ago
naval board was ordered to examine
ana report upon Sll'S III lu' h'''b
pines. Quite number were exam
med, but none except Cayte and
Olongapo have ever been seriously
considered. The navy quickly decided
that Subig bay, where Olongapo IS sit.
uated, fulhlls to a remarkable degree
all the natural requirements de
manded Plans for an aborate base
at Olongapo were prepared and are
now waiting upon congressional ap-
| proval.
While congress has been somewhat
slow, perhaps reluctant to act in the
matter, owing to uncertainty abouto1r
policy in the Philippines eni faiIur"
fully to comprehend The Importance u
such 4 base, i is probable tAat NJ.
auo tlyn of site would have been .n
clIoI before no" anil ih" "orE o.a
nita.y begun hal not the military a
naya, export sre.l about j. I".t
factions sprung into existence cue Il