The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-04-26

TIE PRINCIPAL, and in fact the only really safe
harbor in this Kingdom-tbat Of Honolulu-is
much in need or improvement. This need Is i'm
perative. in view Of the rapidly increasing COM
merce, not only of these Islands, but of " the
island World OF the Pacific" and which will ere
long be still more stimulated by the laying of the
trans-Pacifc cable. There is ample water for
the largest ships that float, inside the barbor Of
Honolulu, but the bar at the entrance is COM
paratively shallow, showing, as near as we can
ascertain by inquiries of those who should know.
about twenty-four feet at high tide, and twenty
two at dead low water. This is In the ordinary
ship channel, and has not materially varied for
years but there are places on either side of the
entrance where less than twenty-five feet are
found at low water. Consequently whenever
there is anything of a swell on the bar, it is not
safe to attempt to take a vessel in or out of the
harboT that draws say twenty-five feet. The
average rise and fall cf the tides during the year
is twenty-one inches. In the case of the P. NJ.
steamship ALASKA, which recently repaired here
en- route for Hongkong, it is understood that the
master declined to take freight offering for the
reason that the ship already drew over twenty
one feet. The British iron-clad Triumph of
course could not enter the harbor, as she drew
twcnty-six feet. And during the past week the
p NJ. steamship City Of Sydney was detained
outside the harbor for several hours until the
tide rose, the master declining the risk of enter
ing before, for the reason that the ship drew
twenty-five feet Of water.
These are only a few instances out of quite a
number which occur every year, and in which
the trade and commerce Of the port is INSTRUCTED
by reason of the insufficient depth of water at the
entrance. 1t is true that the great majority of
the shi piping that visit US finds no difficulty in
entering or departing; but considering the largo
expansion OF commerce that we may reasonably
look for within the next ten years, we ought to
obtain at least thirty feet OF water at the en-
trance Of our principal harbOr.
The work of deepening the bar will probably
prove u somewhat difficult and expensive one
but to what extent Of difficulty or cost we shall
never know until the Government has taken the
matter in hand in T cal earnest and caused the
necessary investigation to be made. This can
only be done in a proper and satisfactory man.
ner by the employment OF a thoroughly qualified
engineer, and one who has had experience in
similar operations in other countries, upon the
conclusion of whose examination and report an
estimate may be predlcated OF the feaslDlllty ana
the cost. Thus prepared, the Government will
be in a position to consistently ask the next
Legislature for an appropriation with which to
carry on the work or, if it should be deemed
uuadvisable to undertake it, the reasons for ar
irving at that conclusion could be given.
We have heard various plans suggested where
by to clear out the deposit of silt and sand that
accumulates at the entrance of our harbor, but
We have not the hardihood, with our limited
knowledge on the subject, to offer a judgment
upon their value. And we have long since heard
the opinion expressed that the construction,
many years ago, Of the wall on the North-Wes
side of the harbor was a mistake, which has
tended materially to the accumulation of silt
brought down by the Nuuanu stream.
In concluding for the present our reference
to the subject of Iarbor Improvement, we will
add that we have every confidence that the pre-
sent Ministry will give it the careful attention
which its Importance demands.