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Appendix No. 4.
PACIFIC COALING
STATIONS.
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466
of shed, &c. More detailed estimates could be forwarded. In round numbers, the cost of the building would be about 1,0007,
I have, &c. (Signed)
A. A. COCHRANE, Rear-Admiral,
Commander-in-chief.
Inclosure 6 in No. 134.
Sir,
Admiralty to Commander-in-chief, Pacific.
Admirally, October 30, 1875.
REFERRING to your letter of the 13th ultimo,* suggesting the advisability of the erection of a coal depôt at Honolulu, and to your letter of the 30th ultimo,† forwarding an estimate of the cost of a coal store at that place, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that they are of opinion, looking to the small annual consumption of coal of Her Majesty's ships at Honolulu, that it is not necessary to go to the expense of establishing a coal depôt in the Sandwich Islands.
I am, &c. (Signed)
ROBERT HALL.
(Extract.)
Inclosure 7 in No. 134.
Commander-in-chief, Pacific, to Admiralty.
April 25, 1879.
13. THE subject of the annexation of the Sandwich Islands to the United States has long been talked of, and it is a question of much interest whether this will be the final result. I fancy it is indis- putable that the government of these islands must year by year be more wielded by white men, but it does not appear to follow that it should fall into the hands of the United States. At present I cannot learn that much desire exists, even on the part of United States' Members of the Government of Hawaii, to become a portion of the United States; and this may be readily understood, as their voca- tion would be gone, and as their present interests lie in independence. The native population are said to be decidedly averse to loss of independence. But the death or deposition of an unpopular King may at any time give rise to disorders. Should such occur the United States' popula- tion, and, possibly, some of the English, may consider their future welfare best secured under the United States' flag, which, once hoisted, will not be readily hauled down. I apprehend that such a result would be very contrary to the interests of Great Britain. Having renounced by Treaty the pos- session of the Sandwich Islands, of Tahiti, and of the independent islands, with their valuable harbours, near Tahiti, we have no place of refuge or coaling depôt on this vast station between Vancouver Island and the Falkland Islands, a grievous want, in my opinion, for a nation whose existence depends on her navy.
14. Finally, without desiring to press for instructions which may be difficult to give before the event occurs, it would be satisfactory to me to know the general views of Her Majesty's Government as to the course to be pursued in the event of the United States' flag being hoisted at the Sandwich Islands, or there being a probability of that occurrence. On searching the records, I find that Great Britain and France agreed to respect the independence of these islands, but that the United States refused to give any pledge on the subject. I imagine that Her Majesty's Government are most desirous to maintain the independence of the islands, but I have no instructions what course to adopt in case that independence should be threatened; nor, as far as I could gather from Her Majesty's Commissioner, has he any specific instructions. I cannot but think that a fixed policy in this respect, if made known to the United States, would be a safeguard against future complications. Telegraphic instructions, I need not remind their Lordships, can only be received at the Sandwich Islands, by steamer, once a month.
[Letter sent to Foreign Office. Nothing further done.]
Sir,
Inclosure 8 in No. 134.
Admiralty to Foreign Office.
Admiralty, June 11, 1879.
I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to forward to you, for the infor- mation of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, copy of a letter from the Commander-in-chief on the Pacific Station, dated the 25th April last, reporting his visit to the Sandwich Islands and the present state of affairs in them.
* Inclosure 4.
† Inclosure 5.
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I am, &c.
(Signed)
ROBERT HALL.
Inclosure 7.
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