The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-19
HILO AND IT'S HARBOR.
SOMETHING ABOUT A GOOD
TOWN.
"a. B. L." Gives his Views About the
Capital Of the Island Of Hawaii
and its Future.

ton of Hawaii, not only in respect to
American commerce and American in
huence, but further the far-reaching
importance of securing foothod at its
very gates on an ocean where already
almost every other Government but
ours has long since secured one. Given
some such place where large and
growing navy could seek shelter, an.
chorng in its own bays and mo ring in
its own harbors, and any enemy intent
on depredating on our shores could
easily be repealed. Let this station
moreover be located at some inter
mediate or terminal point of an ocean
cable, railroad rendering trib t ry to
it, extensive tracts of land suit b e
all the varied purposes of agrc ltur-
and we have combined Def re us
elements which not alone cunstit L.
great naval station but form the nucleIs
of great city.
Nature has endowed the several ISL
ands of the group with great natural
resources whose possibilities are only
limited by their prescribed area. One
drawback, however, among many others
has been the limited number of harbors
and anchorages throughout the group,
Nearly all fall short in some way or
another either as to location, size in
accessibility or other reasons that render
them practically unavailable at various
seasons Of the year. Honolulu, Peal
Harbor and Hilo Bay are about the
only ones which stand out more in re-
lief possessing more of the advantages
and less of the disadvantages, but even
Honolulu and Pearl Harbor considered
in the sense of great harbors must re-
cede in the discussion before the I'M
questionable precedence of Hilo Bay.
The harbor of Honolulu is alto
gether too restricted 1t could hardly
accommodate more than 600 tons
Of shipping; the harbor and bar would
require constant dredging and deepen
ing, and the so-called kona storms would
frequently oblige vessels to remove from
their moorings. The town is one Of
narrow environments, and there is little
back country to feed upon. Its su.
premacy as a port has thus far beer
artihcially maintained by the traffic
from the other islands and the prestige
of being the seat of government.
The claims and advantages of Pear
Harbor to consideration as a nava
and coaling station have already been
ably presented by Serene Bishop in hs
interesting article in the ReVieao o.
ReOieaOs, to which the reader is re
ferred, and it is with no desire to de
tract from his forcible arguments tha
we must acknowledge to a feeling o
surprise at his total ignoring of the
merits of Hilo Bay, which is as i'm
measurably superior to Pearl Harbor a,
the latter is to Honolulu.
Hilo, situated on the east coast o
Hawaii and Tapped by the w,ters f it
bay, possesses without doubt the safes
and largest harbor in the group, anc
with very little improvement coulc
easily be made the best 1t is cap
cious and deep enough t. fit Il til,
shipping of the Pacific. Access t.
is obtained through wide end dee.
channel, across which there is uo nar
The construction of brea t. at
the rock and coral reaf, W lch extcod
north and west from Cocoanut lsiauu
or a less inexpensive one extendln
west over and beyond the shoal whlc
makes out from Cocoanut Island
could easily be accomplished, thereb
creating complete harbor, secure fror
any storm that could blow, and null
fying the effect of swells which no'
prevent vessels from laying alongside c
a wharf This latter objection, how
ever, does not exist on the east side {
the harbor, where, as rule, there
little, if any, swell, and where for tn
stretch of half mile vessels DRAWN
from twelve to twenty four feet {
water could easily lay alongside tn
wharf within 900 feet of the preser
shore line. Hio requires no dredgin
and never fills.
From a strategcal point of view Hill
possesses the only harbor suitable ft
a naval rendezvous, and could east
be made the Key-West of the Pacih
1t would make the typical naval an
coaling station. The entrance is abb
three. quarters of mile in width, an
vessels to enter would be obliged
pass under the high bluffs to the we
and north of the town, which, with Il
Halai hills to the back, could easily
converted into impregnable forteresse
protecting the harbor and repeIling al
invader. 1t can easily accommoda
the largest war feet. 1t is capacio
enough to admit of squadron evol
tons, and being open on one side, gre
gun practice could be carried on u
disturbed and with safety The harb
is entirely free from gales and t
anchorages are excellent, vessels see
ing shelter here when it is impossit