The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-20
ALONG THE
WHARVES.
What an Old Skipper
Has to Say About
Our Coast.
NO RElL PROTECTION TO SHIPS.
THE TUG FEARLESS HAD A
VERY ROUGH TRIP TO
. ~ KAHULUI.
A MYSTERY of the ses-What q
Drifting Sand Bank Revealed
-Inquisitive Teacher
Shipping NotAs.

Inc deep sea shippers are cot
very much exercised over whether
or not Honolulu and Hilo should
have municipal forms Of govern
ment They are all very much in
terested in having adequate protection
extended to ships that are nearing the
shores OF the territory of Hawaii. The
coast line OF the territory, which is re-
markedly long and about as dangerous
AZ any coast in the world, Is almost
without buoys and lighthouses. Ex-
Getting Honolulu, Hilo, Kahului and La
haina there are hardly any marks by
which stranger may be guided except
by his charts and these many times
have been found or at least declared to
De faulty" So said an old sea captain
yesterday.
within six weeks two vessels have
gone on the rocks In broad daynxnt
and with their anchors al their bows.
Iney were both within a snort distance
Oh ports and yet were without pilots.
Ihey both struck ON reefs, the location
VI which have been very well known
Tor yeaIs TO local captains, and vet
these sunken menaces have never been
located by buoy or other sign to warn
snps OF their danger.
In every other portion OF the civil
lied world where shipping is of the
Importance that II is In Honolulu every
precauuon is taken TO safeguard ships.
There are Lfe-saving stations on dau-
gerous coasts and lighthouses and
Duoys TO mark every dangerous rock
and point that is known. Considering
the unprotected condition Of the COATS
OF Hawaii it Is wonderful the few acct
dents that have happened to ships com
Ing here. The facilities provided the
pilots are very meagre. 1t is the GUS
tom to wait until vessel is seen COM
ing around Koko Head before any start
Is made for her. This is not right.
The pilots should be outside waiting
for vessels and board them when they
are still far out at sea, instead of wait
ing for them to get within q mile or so
OF the harbor before going aboard. or
course under the present system there
is no other way for the work to be
done, but some effort should certainly
be made to better provide for the safe
ty OF vessels coming here. / under
stand that in the future the United
States will have charge OF the light
houses and buoys in the Hawaiian wa
tiers. They will certainly find a virgin
field to work in. Look at Makapuu
point II is sticking out into the sea
in a most outlandish way and never
a light or a sign of any kind to let
a stranger know of its presence al
night. 1t is on the charts, Of course,
but that very fact would make 1t much
worse for captain that happened to
pile his vessel up on it. The light
house In the harbor here on the charts
Is noted as being visible directly you
are around Diamond Head. When I
came around it was daylight, but when
l tried to locate the position of The
lighthouse l was confronted by the 1
warehouse on the Quarantine wharf |
that entirely obstructs the view from
Diamond Head. The harbor lighthouse
is not visible from Diamond Head.
One Of the principal efforts of the
next legislature should be to provide
bill to extend the scope Of the work |
OF the pilots and make an effort to |
have Uncle Sam come here = coon az |
possible and 90 to work putting up
lighthouses and placing buoys where
hey win do the most good"