The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-06-04
CUT PHILIPPINE FORTS
Continued from Page One }

abandonment. I recall that within a
short time after the acquisition of those
islands in a conversation with dis
tinguished officer of the German staff,
he stated that any great European
military power taking possession of
those islands would not think of MAX
ING large expenditures in the way Of
Notifications but would rely mainly
upon its fleet The policy which has
now been determined upon will dimin-
ish the expense, the risk and the ex-
posture of the United States in that far
distant country
Senator Gallinger. of New Hamp-
shire, first emphasized the decision not
to fortify in the Philippines and Sen
ator Lodge said he acquiesced in it as
"a wise abandonment.
The government has already spent,
in round numbers, something like
IS ,000,000 for the Notifications of the
Philippines, and if the plans Of army
officers had been followed the govern
ment would now be committed to much
larger expenditures there for fortifca-
tions. The so-called abandonment, "
however. does not mean that the ex-
penditure of money for f0rtifving Ma
Mia is to cease altogether. Enormous
defensive works and the best Of high
power modern guns have already been
put there. Only q few days ago an
estimate of $500 for the further
Notification Of the Philippines was for
warded to the house and a good por-
tion of it, if not all of it, viii prob
ably be voted at this session.
The "abandonment" applies more
strictly to the construction of naval
defenses and naval bases, and it was
decided some months ago that expendi-
lures for those purposes would cease in
the Philippines, and the government
would make its great naval base in the
Pacific at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The
debate in recent days has emphasized
that purpose, and senate and house at
this session have already shown their
assent to the expenditure of very large
sums there to further the erection of a
great naval station at that point. SEN
ator Lodge has Just pointed out that
Pearl Harbor viii be the Gibraltar of
the United States government in the
Pacific. 81 do not pretend to be a
naval expert said he. 'Ebut | am
quite certain that no hostile fleet would
dare come TO the Pacific Coast and leave
the American fleet behind it with a base
at Hawaii
With that end in view the senate
finally approved of a house provision
appropriating $l,5O0,OOO for dredging
the channel up to Pearl Harbor. instead
of 81 100000, and also approved of a
limit of $2,700,000 for the construction
there of drydock, which viii be one
of the largest and one of the best dry
docks in the world when completed
Very closely related with these mat
tiers of Notifications in the Philippines
and in the Hawaiian Islands is that Of
fortifying the Panama Canal, over
which a contest is raging in congress.
\ board Of military men has recon
mended certifying the canal at a cost
of several Millions of dollars These
Notifications once put in place. will
mean an expense of about 81 600 900
10 maintain. Quite a contingent of
members in the hOnse. headed by ex,
Speaker Keifer. of Ohio. is opposed to
voting this money for canal fortifica-
tj0ns. faVOring instead the neutraIiza-
ton of the canal in time of war
through the framing of treaties with
foreign nations. Such treaty now is
n force with Great Britain and il is
claimed that other treaties with the
powers Of the earth could easily be