The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-02-18
OLD TUG ELEU NOT POWERFUL
ENOUGH.
What the Shippers Have to Say About
It-Legislature May be Appealed To
Launch May be Built.

In the recommendations made by
the Executive to the Legislature in the
matter of appropriations, there is not
to be found the much hoped for rec
ommendation for a new steam tug.
The only allusion is an item of S10,-
900 for repairs on the old Eleu and for
running expenses. That there is a
crying need for more powerful tow
boat must be apparent to everyone
who is familiar with the shipping that
enters this port, or who mingles with
and hears the complaints of ship mas
ters who come here.
Some of the largest sailing vessels
afioat visit this harbor annually, de-
parting with enormous cargoes, and
vet the majority of them, if caught
in the tight place that the bark c. d.
Bryant was few evenings ago, would
prove as much of an elephant for the
Eleu as the Bryant did for the Le-
ly not powerful enough to handle
these big sugar carriers. except in
smooth water, so that every time she
takes hold of them, it is at a great
risk.
"It always seems strange to me-"
said prominent ship captain and
owner this morning, that the govern
ment is so slow to assist shipping,
when shipping is of such enormous
Importance to the Islands. The gov
ernment gains its greatest revenue,
both directly and indirectly from the
shipping, and yet it hesitates long be-
fore it will spend cent to improve the
harbor and give shipping men greater
facilities for transacting their busi-
ness while in port. OF course we are
getting some new docks now, but they
have been long in coming. Even now
we are obliged to await the pleasure
of government officials in the trans-
action of our ordinary business, be-
cause the government has not provid-
ed enough men to do the work.
"But what we need most of all here
is a good tug boat, one that we know
is powerful enough to do the work
properly. The old Eleu is good
enough to handle small craft. but
when it comes to handling big vessels,
it is a great risk to trust her. The
towage rates are sufficient to enable
the government to build and operate
first class tug. We ought to have
one as large and powerful as some of
the San Francisco tow boats-one that
can handle a big ship in all sorts of
weather. Had the government a good
tug it might easily have run down and
picked up the Arago last week when
wreck was reported off shore and
have made enough on the trip to pay
running expenses for year or two. I
| doubt not but that if this port had a
powerful, sea going tug, insurance
rates would be greatly reduced to this
port.
II might add, that whereas this har-
Dor now has practically no protection
! against fire, such a tug as I describe,
if fitted out at a slight additional cost
/ with fire fighting apparatus, would
| perhaps save the Republic and the
/ shipping an enormous sum of money
some day. 1t was only short time
ago that we had an example of the in
efficiency of the fire department on
the water front, when the ship A. w.
/ Spies caught fire. Had the flames Sc
cured good start that night, not only
| the ship, but the railroad wharf and
coal bunkers would have been de-
stroyed, entailing a loss probably
equal to the cost of good fire fight
ing tow boat. Very often the foreign
( shipping in port represents a large
outlay of capital, and the vessels are
| so near together that if one caught
fire several would be likely to be lost.
BY all means this matter ought to re-
ceive the attention of the Legisla-
ture."