The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-05-03
THE A LOCHS.

Few schemes involving enterprise and expert
ment are started without q discussion, more excl
ted than thorough, of the probable prospects Of
failure and success. 1t would seem as though u
certain amount of d~ecrying on the one part, and
of undue and too ~sanguine estimate on the other,
were n necessary accompaniment of every such
discussion. This has been particularly true in
the matter of Pearl IIarbor, and its availability
or non-ayailability as Il naval station.
One cannot traverse the winding channels Of
the piece Of water known as Pearl Harbor with
out feeling as if there were some important use
intended in tho existence of so much land-locked
depth Of sea- This impression is heightened
on landing at the north shore, and exploring the
rich bits of Arcadian attractiveness and fertility
that skirt that side of the lake. axe area Lau-
Ecc PuulOG''-. The labyrinth harbor of Pun
Ioa," is the title bestowed in an ancient nlehe on
this interesting piece of marino-terrestria land
scape. y careful exploration reveals the fact that
in addition to its beauty as a part of the natural
scenery of the islands, it has capacities IN a COM
mercinl point of view, furnishing as it might an
chorage ground and wharf-room for the largest
fleet that could be concentrated at any point in
this ocean.
In accommodating, 4 land point of view may
perhaps be most adapted to our present purpose.
About four miles to the we stward of Honolulu,
one travelling the government road passes the
near limit Of an amphitheatre-shaped section of
country formed by the eastern slope of the Wal
amaze range OF mountains and the western slope of
the Konahuanui range. l~nnumerable converging
rayines descend from the surrounding slopes,
which arc in the main fertile at their base, barren
enough in the middle elevation, and again form
fine grazing country in the interior of the island.
At the bottom of this amphitheatre, receiving
of course the drainage from all sides is the Loeb,
as we shall now call it, generally spoken Of now
a-days as Pearl Harbor. 1t is Il most peculiar
formation a combined resultant of marine de-
pOsit, volcanic upheayal and volcanic subsistence.
Huge cakes Of ice or ice-foes. may perhaps illus
trate the shapes of the old coral reef that has
risen and fallen alternately to give form to the
coasts and islands. Four main divisions of the
Loeb finally converge to a deep and narrow pas
sage leading through q break in the low fat that
lies near the coast, and which is mainly an an
cient coral reef elevated from FIVE to fifteen feet
above the sea level. Seward again from the
belt of coral plain, is a sand plain covered with
DIaHienie grass, level as a floor for miles along
either side OF the passage. On the right, IN the
centre of this sand grass fat, are the Puuloa Salt
Pans. The passage of course finally opens out
upon the present coral reef, forming a bar and
entrance much like that of Honolulu harbor, and,
according to the British admiralty chart, just five
miles to the westward of the latter entrance. The
Salt WORKS are eight miles in n straight line
from the centre of Honolulu.
The Honolulu harbOr is the result of the Nuu-
anu valley. This, the main gorge in the noun
tain, furnishes a large stream Of water. 1t is q
well-known fact that . current of fresh water
always prevents the growth of coral, and forms q
passage generally propOrtioned in depth to the
amount of such fresh water. The largest valley in
the mountains of course naturally gives the deepest
entrance of the coast.
Pearl Harbor entrance is 4 ike result of the
converging streams of the amphitheatre spoken of
above. \ large amount If fresh water also comes