The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-02-17

u1hou lorf nus NfuNlu10 TOT every gun
that has been stated would be required
for the Hawaiian Islands.
81 have expressly stated that. touch
ing the seacoast foftifcationB- de-
Tense hgainat sea attack--the Hawaiian
Islands defense u practically complete,
and when ! say complete mean in
the sense that the guns are mounted,
the ammunition IL on hand and the
troops have charge Of those fortified.
tons, and are in position to properly
repel an attack from the sea.
Land Defsnses.
"There has, however, been presented
\ to this committee, and there is recon.
mended in this bill. provision looking
20 the land defense Of the Hawaiian
Islands. TWAS represented to the com.
mfttee that we had expended something
over e12,000,O 900 IN the fofti6cati0n Of
the Hawaiian Islands and In the crea-
tion of a naval base at Pearl Harbor;
| that the idea that II would be impos-
sible 70 land troops upon the island Of
Oahu except in a few stated places was
n mistaken idea; that IL was possible
that there might arise conditions under
which there would be found hostile
force now on those Islands and capable
OF being turned into an efficient fight.
lingo In the event Of a loss Of con-
af0lltJy sea, and that therefore Il was
desirable to defend Honolulu, Pearl
Harbor and the seacoast defenses by
certain land defenses. We have accord
ingly carried IN this bill not only the
fhtmcatfon Of the transfer Of certain
guns that were taken from continental
United States, from forts that no long
en- needed the armament, and piaced in
the Hawaiian Islands, together with
the ammunition for those guns, but we
also recommend an appropriation Of
some $457 900 for the purpose Of con.
atncting certain emplacements for
guns In connection with this land de.
Tense. II is believed that the topog
raphy Of that island 10 such as 70 per
init Of an inner line Of defense IN the
form Of what might be called . cres-
cent that would embrace within its
two points Honolulu, Pearl Herbor and
all Of the. seacoast defenses, and the
project was one that appealed to the
Judgment Of the committee and we
have recommended all Of the moneys
that are asked in that regard.
HBut even without regard TO the ex-
penditure Of this money there are now
certain defenses, land defenses, i'm
provised there that would make the
taking Of the Hawaiian Islands, even
after the destrnetion Of our feet,
matter Of considerable difienlty, and
not the easy matter that is represented
in various tales that are printed from
time TO time in the newspapers. j
81 make this statement-and make
IL with emphasis because do not feel
that Il Is fair either to The Army or to
the Navy, or fair to the congress Of
the united States, that an impression
should 60 abroad that we are totally
unprepared for war and for any contin-
gency, no matter how slight, that might
arise = rs. t
''If It were true that the condition
was as deplorable as Is sometimes dep
resented, IL would be tremendous in
dietmeht not only of congress hut of
the Army and Of the Navy, for In the
ten years that / have been in congress
we have expended for the Army over /
thousand million dollars and for the
Navy a sum in excess Of that In 9th,
err words, we have expended over
$1,000, 100000 for the Army and the
Navy in the past ten years; and II now
at the end Of that time we are In as
deplorable a condition as IL sometimes
represented, then certainly an indict.
ment lies Mt the door both Of the Army
and OF the Navy, as well as Of the con-
gress of the United States.o 20 Ft
"ME Cline. want to inquire
whether the gentleman understood
from the testimony given In the Naval
Committee yesterday by Admiral vree-
land, that he based our unpreparedness
in any way upon our insnffieieney of
Notifications, and II II did not 20 TO
another point in our military and naval
defensesf ttf9sf
"Mr. Sherley. I expressly declined
to hold Admiral Vreeland responsible
for what saw In the paper, because
very greatly suspect that II did not
accurately state the testimony of Ad-
mfral Vreeland. But this do desire TO
repeat, irrespective of the testimony
that may have been given, that the for
tiheations Of the Hawaiian Islands and
the Philippines are In such state as
not to cause anyone to have any undue
alarm touching those Notifications. 1
do not pretend 10 say, and no man
would say that conditions might not
arise under which those Notifications
would be taken; but Il Is one Of the
curious facts in connection with mod
ern warfare that there has been no
recent instance Of the taking Of for
ti6cation by sea attack.
No Cheese PAIRING.
In considering the items in the bill,
the attitude of the committee was fur.
Their shown, the Congressional Record
saying;
1.-THE clerk read as follows:
For land defenses in the Hawaii
an Islands, including the procure
ment and installation Of search
lights, and the acquisition Of land
and rights Of war, $4510O0.
"Mr. Calder Mr.. Chairman, / move
TO strike out the last word. The gen.
tleman m charge Of the bill (Mr. Sher-
ley) discussed this paragraph quite
fully in his speech at the beginning OF
the consideration of the bill this morn.
ling. The war department has advised
the committee that the entire appro.
nrtatfon fhau will uaad. g. A. =. - 4 \