The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-03-09

Pacific. High authority has declared
that with Guam and Pearl Harbor well
fortified and equipped as naval sta
lions we need not concern ourselves
about the Philippines or our own Pa
cific coast in case of war. Some OF
our gifted strategists tell us that so
long as we hold Pearl Harbor and
Guam and are prepared to operate
effectively from those bases there can
be no danger of the landing of an enc
my in force in any of our possessions.
Our first acquaintance with Guam
was made through the medium o. the
most delightful bit of opera bouife 1t
has ever been our fortune to expert
ence. Commander Glass, U. S. MI
was taking the second-class cruiser
Charleston to Manila, shortly after its
occupation by Admiral Dewey, in May,
1898. Passing Guam and seeing the
Spanish coLors still afoat Commander
Glass fiercely drew near and proceed
ed to lombard. After an hour or so
of this devastating turbulence the
lookout on the Charleston's bridge saw
a steam launch put out from shore,
freighted with Spanish officers and
suggesting every overture of friendly
hospitality The firing ceased, the
launch drew near, and soon bedizen-
ed official was thanking Commander
Glass for his courteous salute to the
flag and deploring the fact that, being
destitute of powder, the island could
not return the compliment. He offer
ed to borrow powder from the Charles
ton, but Glass hadn't the heart to pur-
sue the matter. He sailed away ana
left the Spaniards to their fate. They
had not had a visit for six months
disaster in Cavite harbor. But Glass
continued to wonder where those
shells went while he was bombarding.
Not so very long afterward Guam
was surrendered to our authorities,
and among others Captain Richard
Leary, U. S. N, took command of the
station. Once more the widest dreams
of Offenbach and Lecocq were put to
shame. 1t wasn't so much that Leary
objected to the natives rearing fami
lies without legal or religious authors
ty. The remedy for that was easy
Leary engaged a clergyman, blew 6
horn, and ordered the whole lot o.
them to come up and get married. Il
didn't cost them a cent, and instead
of Directing to the ceremony the!
rather liked it. They wore tn il
best clothes, gossiped with thei
neighbors, strutted, paraded and alto
gether had nice, cosy little time
free Of expense.
Not until Leary issued his cow anC
poultry order did they begin to TAX,
things seriously. He thought that fam
lilies ought to have chickens, hogs ant
! cows according to their size and pros
poets, and made his proclamation &C
CCdoCu. IL
the majority it was much easier to pul
a rooster from neighbours fence thai
to bother with raising him; and sur
reptiously to milk friends COW wa
both frugal and convenient. So tn
Leary regime staggered to its fall, an
when a subsequent commandant los
a barrel of whisky out of his store
and began to submerge the Navy d.
partment with indignant communici
tions, merriment resumed its throne
Now, suddenly, it seems, Guar
energies from it's humorous ambus
into more important things. If W
are to defend our Pacific possession
to say nothing of our own Pacif
Coast, Guam, we are told, is Of su
passing consequence. With fortihcs
lions there and at Pearl Harbor, an
fleets at our disposal for offence an
defence, there is no need of ''frow
ing bastions" at Cavite, or San Fra
cisco. If we are to have strength
all we need it there, so we are assn
ed, and woe be to the enemy that a
E9roaches us in the fullness of prepar
tion! The proposition may take us
surprise Let us say that it does, fl
Guam has not heretofore ventured OF
side the line of vaudeville.
The following from the Congre
sional Record shows that Admir-
Hobson, the war scare man. Co
gresham from Alabama, intends
try 10 have a naval station at Guam
Mr. Hobson. Mr.. Chairman, wa
to bring to the attention Of the col