Excerpt from Hawaiian Annexation: Speech of Hon. Robert R. Hitt, of Illinois, in the House of Representatives, Saturday, June 11, 1898

They sit facing our western coast - that long stretch confronting the great Pacific Ocean, the most extensive body of water in the world, stretching away for six, seven, eight thousand miles-and they are the nearest point to our coast, and far, very far, removed from any other point in that vast sea. They are miles away from us. That seems a very considerable distance, but the im mense stretch beyond them to the other portions of the earth is so much greater that they seem comparatively near and are a part of our own system.

With the great change in the construction of fighting ships, all of which are now moved by steam, coal has become an essential of maritime war, as much so as powder or guns, and across that wide ocean any vessel of war coming to attack the United States must stop for coal and supplies at the Hawaiian Islands before it can attack us. NO ship can be constructed, no battle ship exists in the world, which can make the trip from the other side of that wide sea to our shores, conduct any Operation of hostility against us, and ever get back unless it has its supply of coal renewed.

Mr. Kelley. Will the gentleman permit an interruption? I simply want to call the gentleman's attention to the map.

Mr. Hitt. We are all pretty familiar with the map - the re markable position Of these islands and the routes that ships are accustomed to follow. I do not suppose that my personal opin ion is worth more than that of the average Of mankind who are not specially qualified as commanders and mariners, nor that any member of the House is so presumptious as to consider his own personal Opinion itself an important fact.

But we have on this critical and central question, which is not one of common judgment, the opinions of the most distinguished, specially expert. And able men of the age, the greatest commanders of our armies and our. fleets who are living. It is an impressive and convincing fact that all have given the same Opinion. There has been no divergence. Everyone has stated that the possession of those islands was to us of great importance, many of them say indispensable; that it will diminish, not increase, the necessity for naval force. Economize ships of war and not require more; that in the possession of an enemy, if we shall so foolishly and unwisely act as to refuse annexation and permit them to pass into the hands of an enemy, they will furnish a secure base for active operations to harass and destroy the cities of our western coast; that in our possession, duly fortified, tho'se islands will paralyze any fleet, however strong, however superior to our own naval force in the Pacific, before it can attack our coast.

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