Page 64 - The Interest of America in Sea Power Present and Future

Hawaii and our Future Sea Power. 45

siderations previously set forth, completes the
synopsis of facts which determine the value of
the group for conferring either commercial or
naval control.
Referring again to the map, it will be seen
that while the shortest routes from the Isthmus
to Australia and New Zealand, as well as those
to South America, go well clear of any prob*
able connection with or interference fron*
Hawaii, those directed toward China and
Japan pass either through the group or in
close proximity to it. Vessels from Central
America bound to the ports of North America
come, of course, within the influence of our
own coast. These circumstances, and the ex-
isting recognized distribution of political power
in the Pacific, point naturally to an interna-
tional acquiescence in certain defined spheres
of influence, for our own country and for
others, such as has been reached already
between Great Britain, Germany, and Holland
in the Southwestern Pacific, to avoid conflict
there between their respective claims. Though
artificial in form, such a recognition, in the
case here suggested, would depend upon per-
fectly natural as well as indisputable conditions.