Will Hawaii Go British?

Great Britain’s attempt to obtain a military telegraphic-cable station deserves attention at this point.

Continuing USA Acquires Hawaii,
our selection from America in Hawaii: A History of United States Influence in the Hawaiian Islands by Edmund James Carpenter published in 1899. The selection is presented in five easy 5 minute installments. For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

Previously in USA Acquires Hawaii.

Time: August 12, 1898
Place: Hawaii

The unquestioned interest taken by Great Britain in the islands during this period, and her attempt to get a foothold upon them for a telegraphic-cable station, added to the interest in the Hawaiian question, and called forth a resolution in the Senate to the effect that any inteference of a foreign Power with the Hawaiian Islands would be regarded as an act of unfriendliness toward the United States. Last of all, an effort on the part of Japan to gain political control of the islands through colonization, and the bold refusal of the Hawaiian Government to allow a large number of Japanese immigrants to land, called attention to another phase of the already complicated question, and seemed to increase in both countries the growing public sentiment in favor of annexation.

Great Britain’s attempt to obtain a military telegraphic-cable station deserves attention at this point. Late in the year 1894, when apprehensions of the coming revolt were felt in Honolulu, a request was presented to the Government of the Hawaiian Islands by the British Minister that the British Government be allowed to lease either Neckar Island, French Frigate Shoal, or Bird Island, for the purpose of establishing thereon a station for a submarine telegraphic cable. The proposed cable was to have its termini at Vancouver and at some point on the Australian coast. On account of the extraordinary distance between these two points, this midocean station was needed; and from it Great Britain proposed to lay a connecting spur to Honolulu. The proposition was tempting to the Hawaiian Government, for in its isolated position there could be no greater boon than a connection with the world by submarine cable. But the Government was debarred from granting directly the request of Great Britain by the terms of the Hawaiian-American Treaty. By this instrument Hawaii had agreed to allow no nation to land a telegraphic cable upon its shores without the consent of the United States. Accordingly, reply was made that the request would be sub mitted to the consideration of the Government of the United States; but in the submission of the matter to the United States no expression of opinion as to the desirability of granting the request of Great Britain was made.

On January 9, 1895, President Cleveland sent a message to Congress in these words:

I submit herewith certain dispatches from our Minister at Hawaii and the documents which accompany the same. They disclose the fact that the Hawaiian Government desires to lease to Great Britain one of the uninhabited islands belonging to Hawaii as a station for a submarine-telegraph cable to be laid from Canada to Australia, with a connection between the island leased and Honolulu. I hope the Congress will see fit to grant the re quest of the Hawaiian Government, and that our consent to the proposed lease will be promptly accorded.”

The three islands included in this request lie to the northwest of the inhabited islands of the Hawaiian group. They are bold, barren rocks, without harbors, and unapproachable except in small boats in the calmest of weather. Of the three, French Frig ate Shoal and Bird Island have for years been regarded as Hawaiian territory. The latter is frequently visited by Hawaiians to gather the eggs of the sea-fowl, who come to the island in myriads. Neckar Island, on the other hand, although geographIcally included in the archipelago, never had been formally claimed as Hawaiian soil —- a fact which at this time was probably unknown to the British Government.

The recommendation of President Cleveland did not meet with the approval of Congress. It was pointed out that the documents showed that the Hawaiian Government had not, as stated by Mr. Cleveland, requested permission to lease an island to Great Britain, but had merely referred the request of Great Britain to our Government, as in duty bound under the treaty, without any recommendation or suggestion designed to influence the action of Congress. It was believed that the intent of Great Britain was to establish the proposed cable mainly for military purposes, the accomplishment of which could be only a menace to our country. It was pointed out also that England has a naval station at the Bermudas, off our eastern coast, with telegraphic communication with Halifax; that she has a naval depot at the latter port, and another at Esquimault on the Pacific coast, the two being connected by telegraph and by a well-equipped military railroad. With telegraphic communication between Esquimault and the Hawaiian Islands, and the possible future addition of a naval station in the islands, it was said that she would be in a position of great superiority over the United States in case of war. Congress, therefore, adopting this view, promptly declined to grant Mr. Cleveland’s request.

This failure of Great Britain was followed by an attempt to compass the same result by a coup de main. As already seen, the Hawaiian Government had never formally claimed Neckar Island, the rock being utterly valueless save for such a purpose as the establishment of a cable station or a lighthouse. A few months after the rejection of England’s overtures, two men appeared in Honolulu, who were, it was afterward believed, emissaries of the British Government, charged with the collection of information in regard to Neckar Island, its exact status in relation to the Hawaiian Government, and its availability as a cable station. The persistence of these men in pushing their inquiries attracted the attention of the Hawaiian Government, which began to suspect a plan to seize the island for Great Britain. A counter-plan was therefore formed.

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