The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-09-30
SATURDAY, SEPT. 80, 1893.
A MAN WHO is LAUGHED AT.

would be as amusing as ARENAS
Wards kangaroo, and it is not diSap- |
pointed. Mr.. Spreckels began to talk
to the reporters as soon as they came
within range, and the more he ran at
the mouth the more he increased the
harmless gaiety of the press and OF the
American lawmakers. "Ghere is .
great TODD over the occupation and
Improvement Of Pearl Harbor," said
this engaging gabbler, ''and there seems
to be a total lack of appreciation of
the nature of that harbor" AS If this
was not enough to touch the risb'es of
men whose Government had sent its
most accomplished naval, army and
engineer officers here to survey that
harbor, and who knew more about it
than Spreckels in his native ignorance
ever dreamed of, the grotesque com
mentator had to GO on and say: EN-
trance to the harbor will have to be
blasted through coral reef at great
expense. If vessels of the United
States should try to emerge from the
harbor in face of single formidable
ironclad they would probably be ham
mered to pieces"
Excuse these smiles The United
States have the authority of one of
their admrals and two of their generals.
including the present commander OF
the American army; and the evidence
of their engineers, to show that Pearl
Harbor could be made, by mere trie
of expenditure, one Of the most perfect
ports in the world. 1t is completely
land-locked so that a coaing and
military station could be readily de
Tended, and is spacious enough for the
navies of Europe and America com
bined; while the removal Of the narrow
strip of coral at the entrance would be
boys play to a dredger and to man
with mild explosives. Touching the
absurdity of American vessels being
hammered to pieces in trying to get
out OF the entrance channel, somebody
should tell Mr. Spreckes that our nava
forces would not be caught napplng
inland in time of war, but would have
patrol ships on duty outside Of all
threatened ports; that the appearance
Of hostile vessel on the horizon would
be the signal for our fleet to cast loose;
and that harbor entrances are usually
defended by guns heavy enough to
keep a maritime enemy at a distance
Spreckels apparently has never heard
of such things, and is in sad need of a
primer of the defensive arts, a work
which some military or naval man at
Washington should hasten to put at his
disposal with an alphabet to read it BY
The funniest thing in Mr.. Spreckels'
weird talk, however, is contained in the
following =
= Now if proteCtorate is established
| will use all my influence to secure for
the United States a coallng station at
the entrance of the harbor Of Honolulu,
commanding the city and superior to
any other location IN the whole Isl
ands. 1t can be made available at an
expenditure of no more than $4,000,
and the United States shall have fee
simple of it if | have to purchase 1t
and make it present to the Govern
ment.
As Spreckels has bought W all the
obtainable land about the lines of
Honolulu harbor, as well as about the
harbor of Hilo, and as he h;s been
unable to get control of the Pearl Har-
Dor waterfront, the African in the wood
pile is painfully prominent The
scheming monopoliSt wants to beat
Pearl Harbor and have the station near
his own property thereby, as lago
told the other fellow, "putting money
in his purse" To do this he presumes
to inform the War and Navy Depart
ments that their Government works
should be put on the extreme edge of
the coast, beside a most contracted and
inadequate harbor not at all land
locked and in a situation which all
naval officers who have been detailed
TO investigate have reported against,
and one which the Hawaiian Govern
ment has not rendered. With his
usual assurance he vetoes every recon-
mendstion that the American engineers
, have made.
And this is why We laugh No doubt
the American statesmen who are com
PEELED to listen to the speculative and
hebetudinous garrulity of the rich
peasant laugh also. Indeed, why
shouldn't they, knowing the Hawaiian