The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-10-30
H\E NILE ROAD RAGE CAN Be REPAIRED HERE A LENGTHY CALENDAR
SHOWING THAT IRON SHIPS CAN
BE HANDLED LOCALLY.
Record and Clear Possibilities-Ca
Examples Related-Facts Given.

Star Newspaper:-For the benefit of
a paper here and others who are under
the erroneous impression that repairs
on ships of any magnitude cannot be
as cheaply and completely done here
as in any other part of the world,
please allow the writer space to state
that as far back as the year 1870 when
there was no such accommodation
ashore as today, the mechanics of Ho-
nolulu had a very enviable record
abroad. Take for instance the Aus
trian warship (Frigate Donan) ar
rived here in December 1869, badly dis
abled at sea in a cyclone. on her
cruise from China. Even the keel
with rudder and stern post was gone.
Suffice to state that upwards of one
hundred thousand dollars was spent
on the ships account, among the me-
chanics and workingmen of all classes
throughout the islands. Some of these
men who learned their trade here got
their first start on the Donan. There
certainly were not mechanics enough
at the time. But the late Dan Foster
when asked the question where is the
help, replied 81 will make the men,"
meaning, of course, that skilled me-
chanics, though few in number, could
lead and utilize hundreds of unsllilled
but willing hands. Upon arrival of the
Donan at her home port the navy de-
| partment of Austria duly acknowl-
edged the complete and faithful work
done. Correspondence from the Aus
trian Government was all published in
the Honolulu newspapers of the time.
The password from owners of whale
ships at New Bedford, u. S. a and
elsewhere was IF you want a good
and satisfactory job of repairs done
20 to Honolulu" There are scores of
other instances that may be men
toned if necessary to confute argu-
ments against out capacity.
We know that iron plates cannot be
made here yet, but our great and good
neighbors in the United States of
| iron plates even for use ON warships.
| \ medium sized reserve stock might
be kept on hand by Honolulu men in
| that line to be used in case of acci-
dents to iron ships (your own price
when wanted). An iron deck with
furnace roller, stamp, etc, is a pos
sibility. Not expensive and plenty u
available space along the water from
and other parts of the harbor. TheT
in reply to all arguments against the
expense of building dry docks. There
are such things as Inexpensive, yet EFF
fective substitutes. Considering tha
at Hongkong, Sydney anu San Fran
cisco terminus lines there are dry
docks, dry dock here would not pay
The writer will be happy to prove NJ
on substitutes, giving facts and figures
if necessary, showing that the way.
and means are at hand to erect gooC
and sufficient substitutes for dry docl
accommodation, answering all pur
poses required for completing as gooC
and cheap works of repairs to ships
as can be obtained in any part of thu
civilized world
There are some of the old-time me
chanics of Honolulu in existence yet
even if better off than when working
at their trade, who can vouch for the
correctness of all statements herein
(as the lawyers say)-more mahope.
Respectfully,
Honolulu, Oct. 80, 1896. y.