The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-08-27
SAMOAN COAuNG STATION
MODERN PLANT INSTALLED AT
ONCE.
Money Comes Out of Appropriations
For Naval Stations in the Pacific
Intended for Pearl Harbor.

~ idtt specldl W the OnlCdSO ItC-
ord says:
THE President has decided TO
make practical use of American
rights at Pago Pago harbor, Samoa,
and the establishment of a fully
equipped naval coaling station there
will be undertaken at once. With this
view Civil Engineer Frank p. Cham
bers, now on duty at the New York
navy yard, has been ordered to Wash
ington for consultation with the
authorities prior to departing next
week, with official instructions and
full power to carry out the important
project. PagoPago is the only harbor
of any value in the Samoan group,
and the one considered by naval
officers of scarcely less strategic i'm
portance in the Pacific ocean than
Pearl harbor, Hawaii. The decision
to utilize the concession secured by
Admiral Mead, twenty-five years ago,
giving the United States permanent
ownership of the harbor, indicates
sufficiently the Administrations APP
probation of the vastly extended
sphere of American interests in the
Pacific. 1t is the Inauguration of a
great naval and commercial policy in
that direction, due in great measure
to the responsibilities incurred in
Asiatic waters.
Few details have been disclosed
regarding the maintaining of naval
establishment at Samoa. 1t is known
however, that Civil Engineer Cham
bers will estimate for the bepefit of
congress the appropriations essential
to the making of tirst-rate naval
base at Pago Fago. In the meantime,
he will superintend the construction
of a wharf, with an outfit of auto
matte coaling machinery, similar to
the modern plant now being installed
at Dry Tortugas. This preliminary
work is rendered possible through
two appropriations heretofore made
by congress for naval stations in the
Pacific, which provide balance of
$250,000 Immediately available. One
of these amounting to 100000, re-
mains out of an appropriation of re-
cent date specifying no particular To-
cality for it's expenditure, although
at the time it was understood to be
intended for the preliminary improve
ment of Pearl harbor. Hawaii now
being United States territory and
sure of elaborate improvement and
forts in time, can wait, it is thought,
while the urgency at Samoa is i'm
perative.
another $50, 900 remains unexpend-
ed in the sum of three times that
amount that was placed at the dis
posal of the executive more than fif-
teen years ago. Out of the latter APP
preparation 5000 ton of coal were
sent in a schooner from Philadelphia
and landed at Pago Pogo, where
sheds were built over it. Most of
this fuel has already been used by
American warships. On account of
the difficulty of transporting it from
the shore to the ships by means of
small lighters, however, the locality
was not popular with naval officers us
base of supplies, although every
official report from the commanders
visiting the harbor was enthusiastic
in recommendation of its improve
ment and maintenance by the United
States.
~ he great advantages to be gained
by possession of this station are evil
dent from a glance at the map of the
Pacific ocean. 1t is situated exactly
AGO miles from San Francisco and
4,0ag miles from Yokohama, the dis
lance between Yokohama and San
Francisco being 1919 miles. Fago
Pago is 2,26S miles from Honolulu,
the latter American port being just
about the same distance from San
Francisco. The island of Guam, in
the Ladrones is barely 1900 miles from
Samoa, and Manila is just 1000 miles
away. 1t is understood that one or
more American gunboats now on
duty in Cuban waters will start for
Samoa as soon as the blockade is rails
ed, going by way of Cape Horn and
will display the American flag there
until released by other vessels. These
gunboats were built specially for
duty in the Pacific but were detained
on the Eastern coast of the United
States when the war began. One OF
them, the Helena, accompanied
the Oregon on her famous cruise from
California to, Cuba, and will probably