Page 61 - The Interest of America in Sea Power Present and Future

42 Hawaii and our Future Sea Power.

numerous routes that can be traced upon the
surface of the globe between two points, con-
ditions of distance or convenience, of traffic or
of wind, do prescribe certain usual courses.
Where these pass near an ocean position, still
more where they use it, it has an influence
over them, and where several routes cross
near by that influence becomes very great,—
is commanding.
Let us now apply these considerations to
the Hawaiian group. To any one viewing a
map that shows the full extent of the Pacific
Ocean, with its shores on either side, two strik-
ing circumstances will be apparent immedi-
ately. He will see at a glance that the Sand-
wich Islands stand by themselves, in a state
of comparative isolation, amid a vast expanse of
sea ; and, again, that they form the centre of
a large circle whose radius is approximately —
—
and very closely - the distance from Hono-
lulu to San Francisco. The circumference of
this circle, if the trouble is taken to describe
it with compass upon the map, will be seen, on
the west and south, to pass through the outer
fringe of the system of archipelagoes which,
from Australia and New Zealand, extend to