The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-09-06
Head Of United States Coast and
Geodedc Survey.
MISSION Of Or. \. s. PRlTCHEH
Work That Has Been Dons-To BE
aken-Speaks Of Hilo Bay.
Othsrs-The Bureau.

Ut. II. .. fTltCHett, tHlteu otdtes
Coast and Geodetic Survey, is the ninth
of his line and the youngest man ever
at the head of the work. The bureau is
the Oldest of scientific character in the
home Government. Ii was established
in 1907 by Jefferson. Headquarters are
in building near the Capitol at Wash
ington. From that point DR.. Pritchett.
,ho leaves for the Mainland today after
a hurried visit to the Islands, directs
the movements Of eleven vessels and
several hundred skilled men, besides
the necessary clerical and manual
working force. DR.. Pritchett is from
st. Louis, where he was in charge OF
the observatory and had a chair in
Washington University. He Is pleas
ant, frank gentleman, with an air of at
tention and business about him. For
about fifteen years he has been with the
bureau. DIR. Pritchett was down here
in 1882. Then he saw the Island of
Oahu only. This time he has visited
Maui and Hawaii.
The United States has coast line ag-
gregating $4,000 miles. Hawaii has L.
200 miles. There is good deal of coast
line to Cuba and Porto Rico and II the
Philippines come under Old Glory that
far-off possession has some fourteen
hundred islands of coast line. Cuba
and Porto Rico are certain to be added
TO the territory of the bureau and DIR.
Pritchett sees an immense amount of
work ahead. The work of the survey
is not only of high order, but must
be most thorough. Such maps and
charts must be provided that will
make navigation easy" and at the
same time supply for all concerned the
fullest possible Information of an end.
less variety and Of the utmost exact
ness.
DIR. Pritchett reports directly to the
Secretary of the Treasury, Mr.. Gage,
but was sent down here largely through
the wish OF President Mckinley, whose
interest in the group from purely
unitarian standpoint is becoming more
apparent right along. The mission of
the head Of the bureau is easily de-
fined. II is simply to view the field and
report and recommend with the view
to extending the work of the bureau to
this district at once. II may be that the
Controller of the Currency will not re-
gard Hawaii within the provisions of
the act appropriating for work on the
Pacific Coast, but the delay on that ac-
count will not be great. At present
two steamers are available for work
here and IL is probable that both will
be sent down.
Much work has done in the survey
department here and by the American
Navy that will be accepted by DR. Prit-
chetts Bureau just as compiled. The
visitor speaks in the highest terms of
the completeness and correctness of
what has been done on land and in the
harbors and on the coast. Prof. Alex
ander is especially commended.
In an interview DIR. Pritchett said
that there was no necessity for work
by his Bureau in Honolulu Bay or
Pearl Harbor Referring to Pearl Lochs
he thought il might be expected that
the channel would be dredged out at q
reasonably early date. The undertake
ing was not a difficult one at all, ac-
cording to reports, but on account of
the fact of considerable of the work
being in the breakers II might take
more time than had been estimated.
DR.. Pritchett spoke directly of Hilo
Bay. He said the first work under his
orders would be there, at Kahului and
at Koolau harbor, on the winward side
of this Island. First will be the sur
veys and soundings and in this compil-
alton will be included bottom investi-
cations, determining where sand, coral
or mud lie. All tide data will be care
fully prepared and the currents will be
studied tirelessly. The land conditions,
presence or absence of streams, will be
figured upon. Then will come decisions
on breakwater. For Hilo one wall only
may be required. Two or more may be
needed. DR.. Pritchett said that llilo
Bay, he believed. could be made a fine
harbor. Work will be done there by his
bureau. No breakwater can be located
till the action of tides, swels, currents,
stream flow from shore, sand move
ment and many other things are known
positively. II would be folly and Who'll
ly without precedent to start BADLY
with the construction of seawall.
tAttorney-General Smith is the man
who brought down on his devoted head
the alterations. lamentations, threats
and COMBINATIONS of some Hilo people
for urging in the Legislature here al
most precisely what DR. Pritchett now
says.)
OF Kahului bay, DIR. Pritchett remark
ed that II presented less difficulty for
preparation to use as harbor than did
Hilo bay,
DIR, Pritchett regrets that he did not
have time to visit Koolau bay, but
takes along copy of the survey made
by Capt (AdmiraD Jackson which he
says is fair considering the time used
In making It and the facilities. Ex-
eellent maps have been made of all
the harbors that have been regularly
surveyed under the Hawaiian Govern
sment, One thing the head OF the bureau
Is pleased with AS simplifying his work
&AAza..