The Key of the Pacific.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 278, 3 April 1894, Page 2

The Key of the Pacific.

[Communicated. j The Sandwich Islands are known to ill students of Mark Twain as the -egion where Mauna Lao delights to exercise himself. Bat for the past twelve months eruptions of another tiud have disturbed the islanders and attracted the world's attention. On January 30th, 1893, Queen LiliuoIcalani suddenly issued a decree which would have deprived the numerous Americans and all other foreigners of the franchise ; but the decree, like an ill-directed boomerang, turned upon the Queen herself, and she was hurled from her throne, whither she has not yet been able to return. The straggle lay really between those who lived in the heathen part, and who would sacrifice progress to misdirected, sentiment, and those who. carried on the internal and external trade of -the islands, and who were by their energy and foresight leading the natives from a decrepit past to a future of useful and beneficent toil. The party of progress gained a complete victory, and, es they are nearly all Americans, it was but natural that when they' bad overthrown the native dynasty they should turn to their own country for one to replace it. Commissioners were immediately sent asking the United States to annex the Islands ; and in the meantime Mr J. L. Stevens, the U.S. Minister at Honolulu, recognised the Provisional Government which had been set up. President Harrison approved of the annexation j but his successor, President Cleveland, withdrew somewhat from the policy of interference. Latterly, however, the Americans seem to bare again become active in the Islands, and the inactivity of the past six months was in all probability designed as a blind. There are many reasons for supposing the rumour that the Americans are about to establish a naval station at Hawaii to be more worthy of belief than the eable which was sent contradicting it. In the first place nearly all the foreign trade of the Islands is with the United States, and most of the trade and production is also due to American enterprise. Therefore, a state of anarchy in Hawaii destructive of commerce would be injurious to the United States, and thus it follows that that country would be almost certain to stop it to preserve law and order, as well as its own interests. In the second place these islands are beautifully situated to form a naval base, from which operations can be directed against the commerce of the Pacific The Sandwich. Islands are nearly in the centre of the Pacific; and though, as yet, this mighty ocean is not crossed by many lines of ships, in the future it will form a highway of commerce equalled only by the Atlantic. Already the trade of Australia nnd of New Zealand has been canvassed for by a line of steamships which will join these islands next year on their way to Canada. Then why should not the Eastern Archipelago | join Australia and send their rich and varied products over the Pacific t And I just imagine the teeming millions of China waking up from their long sleep and sending over their enormous supplies to meet the American demand, whose nucleus is now visible but whose immensity would be seen then ! And, lastly, the Pacific will have reached her full grandeur and importance when Bussia finds the time ripe, and the means at hand, to send forth and seek whatever fortune there may be for her here. At that time when Australasia, the Eastern Archipelago, enlightened China, and active Russia on the one shore, are engaged in a busy exchange with all America on the other shore, who would not fear to see a naval foe established on the Sandwich Islands f In twenty years' time a fleet, having for its base these Islands, will be able to inflict as great injury upon the world's shipping as any fleet to-day can do from Malta or from Toulon. Therefore, if the American's are annexing Hawaii they are acquiring what, from its worth, may well be called a "pearl." And we are the more disposed to credit this rumour when we call to mind the signs of the times, showing the anxiety of the Americans to become a great naval power, and more especially to surpass the British. The history of Texas and Alaska shows that the Union is not averse to aggrandisement ; and Behring Sea and Chili bear witness how anxious is the " Tank M to show and wield the power he may possess. American literature is full of " blow " concerning the victories von by their ships on Canadian waters before thp arrival, in the war of 1812, of the main body of the British fleet;! but American historians of the future will narrate a truer and more pregnant naval triumph when they shall record the acquisition of Hawaii, the key of the Pacific,