The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-05-28

WHAT ~ nLIND DOSE ~ TnE
uNH ny JN,LE SAM.
Eleven Horiugs ~ Date No Corai Rock
struck-work WIN Close In Two
Weeks More.

weeks More.
a representative Of the STAR visited
Pearl luchs yesterday for the purpose of
inspecting the work in progress on the
bar off the mouth Of the channel lie was
most cordially received by the officers
Of the expedition, and in charge of
Ensign G. NJ. Knepper, was taken
over the scene of operations and ac-
corded all information desired. The
cruise was made in the Philadelphia
steam launch. manned by four sturdy
members of the Pearl river detail.
The first point visited was the OBJ
structing bar, the base of operations
being the spot where the borings are
now being made. Let it be remembered
that this bar is not Immediately across
the mouth of Pearl harbor, as is gener-
ally supposed, but is full mile away.
straight ont to sea. From the mouth of
the harbor out to this bar the water
attains great depth, being from sixty
to ninety feet and more. Here, too, the
channel is verv wide, the yellow shoals
appearing at considerable distance on
either side.
When about one mile out, the scow
used in the work was approached, and
was plunging with the light swell, in
twenty feet of water. To the left of it
a red buoy was pointed out, marking a
spot where hole twenty feet deep had
been bored and nothing but sand
reached. a hundred yards nearer the
sea the tripod was found standing about
Of ha ph
and held in place by heavy chains;
and at either side of this
were two buoys marking borings OF six
fathoms depth through water and clear
sand. From this spot out to the sea, a
distance of 200 or $50 yards, borings,
marked by buoys, line both sides of the
channel to the number OF eleven in all.
The middle ones, planted upon the ridge
OF the bar, are in nine feet of water, and
even here, with the greatest depth
reached by the drill, sand alone was en-
Countered.
All the way from the red buoy men
toned out to the sea, the coral reef runs
in very irregular line, encroaching
sharply upon the channel at one point
and standing far away atanother. Thus
the channel will range from $50 to $50
feet wide across the bar. But it will be
SO nearly uniform, and is so very roomy,
that the route OF vessels will be perfectly
straight through.
The officers in charge of the expedi-
ton expressed great surprise at not find
ing coral rock on the bar. The Van
dallas report to the photographic
Office of the Navy Department at Wash
inteon is found to be wholly erroneous,
rs the coral rock spoken OF does not eX-
list. The present expedition thinks the
former party planted their drill on II
turtles back, and were, in that way,
misled. The sand from a depth of
fifteen feet shows considerable powdered
coral, and at nineteen feet "A still larger
per cent. is noted; but it is genuine
sand and displays the real condition OF
the bar, as the sand is forced up by
water through the pipe on the identical
principle OF boring artesan wells, and is
not educed by friction or combustion.
The expedition detailed for this ser
vice consists of Lieutenant Wood, En-
sign G. NJ. Knepper, Assistant Surgeon
NJ, 5. Guest, Cadet +. Is. Upham and
twelve marines from the Philadelphia.
Lieutenant Wood is navigator OF the
flagship, and Ensign Knepper has been
an instructor in mathematics at the
Naval Academy. The mission of the
party to Pearl Harbor is to ascertain the
dimensions of the channel off its mouth,
composition of the bar and the probable
cost of dreging and fitting it up for SER
vice. These facts are To be embodied in
a concise report, which, with essential
maps and charts, Is to he submitted to
Admiral Walker. Ihe data for this
will have been gathered in the course of
fifteen days.
The expedition also state that abso-
lutely no dredging is necessary after
leaving the bar. The point of coral
iutting from the eastern side of the
entrance needs not be removed as plenty
of room is left for vessels to pass con-
veniently and in perfect safety: and
even the large shoal off the entrance to
the Eastern and Middle lochs, just above
Halekahi, leaves ample space for vessel.
to move and turn without the slightest
peril.
Careful examination reveals the fact
also, that no quicksand appears in the
harbor. Docking facilities are simply
limitless. AT any point docks can be
constructed at a mere song above the
cost of material. The voice of the ex
petition is that the lochs comprise one
of the most commodious harbors on tn,
globe, sufficiently so to handle the com
merce of New York city with ease
When the Nicaragua Canal is completed
the Importance OF Pearl harbor will ap
pear. Numerous vessels from Hong
kong and all eastern Asia will put il
there on their voyages through thu
Caribbean to New York and Europe
Mr.. knepper thinks that Pearl harbol
will in time supercede Honolulu; ant
the suggestion that a large city nigh
spring up around the lochs drew fortl
favorable comments from the company
The officers expressed ignorance as t,
exactly what the United States Govern
ment intended doing with Pearl harbor
or when these determinations might b.
carried out; but enough was said t.
guarantee the statement that the officer
in charge at Pearl lochs believe tn
United States will take immediate step
towards fitting up and utilizing tn
property.
The expedition is quartered at Brown
place on Ford's Island; and near tn
beach, firmly planted in the rocks
"Old Glory" with its hallowed nest O
stars and folds of red and white, float
proudly on the breeze, betokening a
early day when that emblem of iustic
and liberty may grace every roc
bounding Pearl harbor, adding anothe
tie to to the many now binding Hawa
TO the Great Republic.
Concert Tonight.