Hawaii, Midway Island (balance lot). A fabulous lot of one cover franked with 2¢ Washington-Franklin tied by the very rare "Midway Island, H. Isls./Oahu" duplex cancel, a rare Commercial Cable Co. picture post card of the Cable Station, used in 1916 (stained), plus several Military Commemorative covers from the 1930's & 40's (one with 50¢ Zeppelin), one 1938 Pan-Am cover, etc., a great lot worth careful inspection, Very Fine, a wonderful lot worth careful inspection. Estimate  $750 - 1,000. In 1903, workers for the Commercial Pacific Cable Company took up residence on the Midway Island as part of the effort to lay a trans-Pacific telegraph cable. The cable, laid in portions from San Francisco to Honolulu to Midway to Guam to the Philippines, carried the first round-the-world message from President Theodore Roosevelt on July 4, 1903. He wished "a happy Independence Day to the U.S., its territories and properties…" After only a brief time at Midway, the Cable Station personnel realized that Japanese poachers landed on the atoll frequently to fish and collect bird feathers and eggs. President Teddy Roosevelt sent 21 Marines to stop the wanton destruction of birdlife, and to keep Midway safe as a U.S. possession.During the construction of the trans-Pacific telegraph cable, a branch of the Honolulu Postal System operated on the Island, commencing in 1906, which produced some of the rarest postmarks of the Territorial Period. $0 (Image)