The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-22

now before this House for consider
alton, and ! hope for passage, Is H. K.
1920 which bin provides for the es-
tnbllRhmont Of naval station NJ Pear.
llnrbor, Hawaii THIS bill appropriatos
100000 and practically authorizes the
expenditure Of u further sum Of 81
10000 While this seems like large
sum Of money, In reality the amount
IN insignificant In comparison with the
benefits when IN my judgment. our
country will reap from the passage OF
this bill | regard this measure as one
Of the most important that VIII come
before this Congress for determination.
This bill does not mercy Contem-
plate tho establishment Of an or
binary naval station In Hawaii, but
u great naval base for the American
Navy including adequate dry-dock
facilities, vast coal depot, and such
small amount Of dredging as shall be
necessary to make the entrance to this
harbor easy and safe.
This bill " designed, In my Judge
mont to save the American people hui
initiation II not defeat some time In
the future.
Mr. Weeks Mr. Speaker, this bill
has been correctly described as one or
! the most important bills before the
! House, II " the most important milf
! tnry measure which Congress has to
consider at this session, In my opinion.
The morcst tyrO in military or naval
strategy must see the Importance OF
maintaining u proper base on the lIG-
wnllan Islands, not only as protection
for our own CONT but as a preventive
Of that base falling into the hands Of
an enemy IL Is IN almost exactly n
similar position to Malta In the Me-
ditorranean Sea England has spent
tens Of millions Of dollars in construct
Ing proper Notifications on Malta for
oxnctly the same purpose tnat we
should spend tens Of millions Of dollras
for the proper protection Of this great
naval base
It Is not only mn important matter
Itself but In my Judgment, while II
VIII not prevent the necessity Of erect
Ing Notifications on the Pacific coast
II Will prevent the necessity Of making
expenditures 80 large compared with
what II Will require TO fortIfy Hawaii
! that they Will seem TO be lmmeasur.
able. For every reason-and am
glnd to see the House Is In favor OF
! this measure, baslng my opinion on
what has been sald--fOr every reason
, this appropriation ought TO be passed
: and ! Wish II was much larger tnan the
amount which has been reported by tn,
7 committee. NpplauseJ
o Mr.. Fitzgerald. Mr. Speaker some
! years ago Congress appropriated $Gi5.
. 900, with which site was acquired a
= Pearl HarbOr for u naval station Sine
10 that time Congress has provided prac
20 tlcally al the guns required for tn,
= defense Of Pearl HarbOr and Of tn,
70 proposed naval station. and yet 30 in
u harmonious has been the plan upo
y which the Government has prOccede
II that today II II impossible for large
u vessel than gOod-sized tug to entC
that harbOr n any criticism could b
+ made Of the proposed bill, II Is that IN
D., amounts carried are insufficient fC
., the purposes proposed.
- Mr. Dawson. Mr.. Speaker, as ha
=, been 80 frequently said here this after
J. noon, this bill takes the first step I
y one Of the most important milltar
r. movements under the government.
o hope that great speed will occur I
f. for hast I'm acting fayoraby on thi
II bill has not been stated but tn
IT fact remains that those islands {
n llawnllh the key 10 the Pacific, tn
II crossroads Of the Pacific lie there no
I practically derenBcless. II was state
10 before the Committee on Naval Affair
=. that single hostile battle ship coul
a como 10 those Islands and In ha
10 u day could capture them, occupy then
1- and hold them. ApplauseJ
n wish 10 call the attention Of tn
~ House 10 what q disadvantage II woul
n be-, taking mp the line Of argument {
n the gentleman who preceded me,
= some hostile fleet or some hostile ba
rs tie ship should take possession {
Ie Pearl lIarbOr and Of the Hawaila
Is Islands, 10 have q Coaling station {
10 u possible maritime enemy within 2
y 100 miles Of our coast, and, on tn
y other hand, what an advantage It
J. that now they must traverse 400
10 miles there and 1000 miles back agai
rs from Coallng base. Any martin
X enemy would think twice before al
m proaChing our coast under such COZ
10 dltlonB, especially when our feet cou
~ coal and repair N this almost perfe
D. harb0r at Honolulu, namely, Pea
ri llarbOr call for vote
lg - -
" II takes wise guy 10 make good
1p tho selection Of an arrangement ring