The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-11-24
PEARL HARBOR PIVOT
OF PACIFIC DEFENSE
PRESIDENT TAFT eide EXTENSIVE FOR
NAVAL observation-disclosures WILL BE sPENT-FURTHER DE-
TAILS IMPORTANT INFORM RECEIVED
RECBNTLY-EURoPE SITS UP AND TAKES NOTICE

WASHINGTON, November 11-Presi-
dent Taft, in conference yesterday with
Secretary Meyer, decided that Pearl
Harbor shall be the key to the Pacific.
This means that Pearl Harbor shall
be the radial point for offense and de-
Tense of the United States operations
in the East. 1t is evident that this new
and striking move on the international
chess board gives the United States the
of the Pacific ocean.
Inasmuch as the President himself
has determined upon this move it is a
fair, indisputable evidence that battle
ships must be transferred to Pearl Har-
Dor, which will be the greatest naval
base in the Western hemisphere.
PEARL HARBOR DEFENSES.
Pearl Harbor is having magnificent
dry dock built. 1t already HIS en-
placements for 100 mortars and is
guarded gy post of 5000 troops which
will eventually be stationed there. This
naval base will be fortified by the new
fourteen-inch guns. 1t will be on the
highway of the seas between the West
ern terminus of the Panama canal,
which is also to be fully fortified, and
Manila.
This announcement by Secretary
Meyer for President Taft, read between
the lines, means that the work of the
State department will henceforth be an
easy matter when dealing with the enc
mics of the United States in the Orient.
1t is the most important move made
by the United States since the Philip
pines came into this country's posses
sion. 1t apparently settles in advance
the international issues.
ARMY TO DEFEND PHILIPPINES.
Equally important is the determine
ton of the President that the army
must defend the Philippines.
The necessary corollary of this prop
osition is that Manila is to yield its
place as the Pacific base for offense and
defense.
Manila is fairly we'll fortified now.
Olongapo, which was favored against
Manila by Admiral Dewey as the rea
base, if one were necessary in The
Philippines, is to be continued as &
limited naval base. This justifies the
judgment of Admiral Dewey.
The administration has plainly de
termined that Manila is not the proper
place for the base. 1t retains OlongapC
as the real local naval base in thu
Philippines The great steel dry docl
is there. 1t is fairly well guarded by
guns which were unshipped in emerg
ency from naval vessels and placed il
position.
SAN FRANCISCO CONSIDERED.
The estimate now is that from 5000,
600 to 100000 only will be necessary t.
perfect the scheme of defense at Dion
gapo and establish it as a port of cal
fer the ships of the navly cruising
away from the base at Pearl Harbor
The nearest adjunct for the Pear
Harbor base is San Francisco. TIL,
closest relations are therefore estab
lished between San FRANCISCO AM
the key of the Pacific. San Francisc'
will be the home port necessarily o
all ships sailing the Pacific.
The fact that San Francisco is forti
fed according TO the views of Genera
Murray, chief of artillery, in a frs
class manner, makes it certain tina
ships of an enemy will never wande
by the Pearl Harbor base toward tn
Pacific coast of the United States
AS has been already announced, tn
Pacific coast will be equipped with
torpedo station.
MAKES EUROPE PONDER.
The practical abandonment Of tn
scheme to spend millions of money a
Manila means more millions for Peal
Harbor and the Pacific coast
President Taft's conference yestel
day with Secretary Meyer has furnish
! ed the European chancellories some
thing to think about. The scheme here