Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-03-19
Communicated.
The Marine Railway.

The Adrerfise, and Ga=eHe although usually far
as the poles asunder upon general topics, seem
to have united i'll throwing cold water upon the
Marine Railway project. The gist of the Adoey
Gse,'s last article upon the subject is contained i'll
the following sentences:
Honolulu will become the heart of the Pacific
and Asatic commercial enterprise. And ere long
we may wisely spend half million more for
facilities for the handling of great ships; and yet
it may be doubtful policy to spend hundred
thousand dollars inadequate structure
Now just think of it. Here is the idea clearly
thrown out, that perhaps we had better not spend
100000 in Marine Railway now, inasmuch as
this port will ere long become the heart Of The Pa.
cjfc aud 4siatic commercial enterprise! When we
may wisely spend half a Million for facilities for
the handling of great ships.
In the name of common sense and of all that is
reasonable, what is the prospect now, shortly or
ever, of Honolulu becoming the heart of Pa
ciic and Asiatic commercial enterprise 2" Or of
any state of affairs arising here to which any such
language could be in the least degree applicable
No We may safely look upon this gralidlloquent
enthusiast another of those specimens of clap
trap, with which the editor of the Advertiser has
systematically attempted to impose upon this COM
munity for years back.
Although the Gazette makes use of no such ex-
aggerated language as this, it has evidently
been inoculated by similar idea, but exhibits 1t
in a milder form. Ii observes in leader on this
subject of the Marine Railway "Of course when
the Panama Canal is opened matters will be very
different. we snail then be n convenient resting
place of the worlds great highways, and 1t
will behove to provide fitting accommo dation
for the vessels that will then rsH vessels that
will pour golden stream into our Golfers" Is
that SO Ii is only necessary to glance at the map
of the world, to that all the vast steam traffic
between Europe and the East that now finds Its
way through the Suez Canal will continue to use
that route after the opening of the Panama
Canal for it is some thousands of mile neare fson
the Landsend to Hongkong via Suez than via Pa
mama. From New York and the Eastern States
steamers would probably prefer the route to Hong
kong via the Panama Canal, although San Fran
cisco And the Pacific Railroad will be at hand u
compete for their share Of this traffic 1t Is not n
all clear that ten years hence steamers piyinl
between New York and China via Panama woul'
want 20 stop at Honolulu and if they don't, from
and to what ports the steamer or vessels stop
ping here to be expected. The general ports o
the East Indies are out of the question, for {.
those it il nearer both from the Eastern States a
well from Europe via the Suez Canal. Sailini
vessels to the East little likely to use tn
Panama Canal AS the Suez Canal. Is it not the
merely visionary to expect that upon the opening
of the Panama Canal we shall bel "convenieI
resting place OF the worlds highwaysy
We shall not be ON one of the worlds highways
and If were, there will probably he little niece.
sity for any vessels To stop here. 1t IL certainl
visionary TO defer our Marine Railway till we q