But the great point made is that this treaty will give us a naval station on the Pacific coast. The treaty will not give us any such thing. for it contains no stipulation to that effect. I have tried to call attention to the fact that by the ordinary rnles of human action we may expect that the effect of such a treaty as this will be to make that an Asiatic and not an American colony. and therefore we need hardly expect the result which is claimed. If we could obtain the possession of those islands. and suech possession is not provided for by this treaty. and. in my judgment. it can hardly be considered the legitimate outgrowth of the policy of the treatyif we could obtain possession of those islands. it would involve the necessity of fortifying. of going to an enormous expense to build fortifications and naval stations. and to man this outpost far out in the Pacific Ocean. I concede that in the case of a war with a great maritime power it may be to our interest to hold these islands if we can.