The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-05-13
Naval Authorities Say Entire 800
Acres Will Be Needed.
ADMIRAL AND CAPT. NICHOLS
Report to Secretary Long-ConcIu-
sion on Anchorage-Eas Loeb.
Question of Land Values.

There has been received here from
Washington Document No. 394, House
of Representatives of the United States
Congress, entitled Survey of Pearl
Harbor, Hawaiian Islands" The Ad-
vertiser lately gave an extended ac-
count of this survey under the imme-
dite direction of Lieutenant Mayo, OF
the U. S. Gunboat Bennington and of
the preparation of map, with sound
ings, by Chris. J. Willis, of the Ha-
waiian Government survey office
This paragraph from the act making
appropriations for sundry civil ex-
penses of the Government of the Unit
ed. States for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1885," ordered the work and
authorized the expenditure of the
money needed: Improvement of
Pearl HarbOr-For expense of neces-
sary survey of entrance to and of
Pearl Harbor, Hawaiian Islands, and
to enable the Secretary of the Navy to
ascertain and to report to Congress,
the amount of land necessary to be
acquired in said harbor, and the prob
able cost thereof, for a coaling and re-
pair station, 100000"
The document is published upon re-
quest of Congressman Cannon, chair
man of the House Committee on Ap-
preparations, to Secretary Long. The
initial order is from Secretary Long
at Washington, under date of July 27,
1897, to Admiral Miller, the Comman-
der-in-Chief of the Pacific Station, U.
S. n. 1t is to this effect: "a survey
ing outfit has been placed aboard the
u. S. S. Bennington and the Depart
ment desires that upon the arrival of
this vessel at Honolulu this work
should be begun. You will make such
reports as will enable the department
to comply with the requirements OF
the act making the appropriation.
Particular attention is invited to the
fact that the Secretary of Navy is re-
quired to ascertain and report to Con-
gress the amount of land necessary to
be acquired in said harbOr and the
probable cost thereof for a coallng
and repair station 1t is requested
that your report contain full infOrma-
tion concerning all points in relation
to this subject with which it may be
necessary for the Secretary of the
Navy to be acquainted, in order not
only to make the required report to
Congress, but also to answer any ques-
tiOns that the department may prob
ably be asked by the naval committees
during the discussion Of the report.
1T is also, requested that you state what
you believe will probably be the cost
of dredging the entrance to Pearl Har-
Dor and whether there is any dredging
apparatus in the Hawaiian Islands
that could be used for the purpose
Admiral Miller to the commanding
officer of the U. S. Gunboat Benning-
ton, August 26, 1897: You will pro-
ceed with the survey of Pearl Harbor
and it's approaches as rapidly as cir
cumstances will permit. The survey
you are to make will be a hydrogra-
phic one of Pearl Harbor and its ap-
proaches, the scale, number of lines
and complete sOundings to be at your
discretion"
The report of Admiral Miller was
sent from this place to the Department
at Washington on February 81, of this
year. These are extracts:
From personal examinations of
Pearl Harbor and consideration of
Commander Nichols reports and pro-
jectiOns, 1 would state that the cap
abilities of the harbor as an anchor
age for vessels of large size have been
much exaggerated.
Z agree with Commander Nichols
that it would be desirable for the Unit
ed States Government to acquire pos
session of the whole of the WaipiO
peninsula, comprising SOC acres OF
land, if cOaling and repair station is
to be made at Pearl Harbor. The price
of this land, as held by its present
owners, for which options have been
given, is fictitious one. based on the
probable needs of the Government.
Unless improvements are made in
Pearl Harbor the value of this land
for agricultural or other purposes,