The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-27
HoN9LgLg. HAWAII PAeEs

l.c
included the following: Dry docks. work
and repair shops, coaIing station ~
large capacity with sheds coal pocsets
chutes, and sheltered anchoraees or
| perthing space for tugs lighters etc ax
tenslVe grounds for marine barracks ma
race grounds, and a still larger area TO-.
! drilling large bodies OF sailors or m.
rlnes, to which must be added annie
camping ground for any naval force thar
| might be rendezvoused here in time of
| war. Considerable space viii be needed
| Tor hospital accommodations with sur
J rounding ground Ample space. suitably
| selecteo' must be set apart for ma gazine
purposes All the above mentioned must
be capable of expansion as our future ma
val needs may demand
| l0. In selecting the two plots of ground
above mentioned for naval purposes care
Iul consideration has been given to the
present commercial needs with possible
great expansion, and there has been left
| Tree for commerce the entire main shore.
| line within the entrance, several miles in
| extent, and situated where it is most
| likely to be of the greatest use. 1t NAV
| also be stated that of the two bodies n,
land decided upon as required for naval
| purposes, the Waipio peninsula was from
| personal observation chosen by Rear Ao-
| mirais Irwin and Miller and Command
ers Nichols and Merry in past years, but
|
| been reached, and the board is of opfn-
ion that the area recommended by II ~
| not in excess of Government needs pres
ent and prospective. The Waipio penin-
| sula lands recommended are from ten TO
! thirty feet high and covered with alee-
| roha trees. The thin alluvial soil is re-
| ported to be incapable of growing suga.
| cane except in certain spots ''of small
| area, and then only by copious irr!ga
| ton"
| To take this land would therefore
| cause little no detriment to agricul-
| tural interests. For naval purposes this
| peninsula presents many advantages.
! Deep water channels surround it on near
| ly all sides, making it almost an island
| 1t is, therefore, practically isolated from
| the mainland. and yet is connected with
! Il by narrow neck, assuring easy COM
| munieation. The shores are clear of reefs
| ana bold water is found close to the shore
| line. thus minimizing the expense of
| probable wharf and dock construction
and affording ample wharfage for a fleet
| Of large and small vessels. The west
| och and Walker Bay would afford ex-
| ceilent shelter and anchorage for small
vessels. while the middle channel and
| east loch would give good anchorage for
| the largest ships.
| The prevailing winds in this locality are
| from northeast to east, making the east
| ern shore of the peninsula a weather
5hore.The winds are never so strong how
ever, but that fairly smooth water exists
| IT all times.The .'konas,'' strong souther-
| ~ and westerly gales, are said to occur
| 1T times In January and February, last
| ng from few hours to tive or three
| days, but never attaining O. violence
| which would make anchorage in the har-
| aor unsafe. The Oahu Railroad passes
| the head of the peninsula, and only a
-hTr4 \,
| site of a dockyard over perfectly feasible
| ground. The neck of the peninsula ,us1
| above the situs recommended by Rear
Admiral Irwin and Miller for a dry dock
| s narrow enough to make it possible
/ 10 locate repair shops and store houses
/ near the probable dock site. convenient to
vessels at the docks or anchorages on
| either side.
Ford's Island is CHOSEN because of its
proximity to deep-water anchorages of
| the greatest area for large ships, and be-
| ing an island, it is peculiarly available
| for barracks for strong force of marines
| and as sites for magazine, hospital and
| eoaling docks. It's shores, like those OF
| Waipio Peninsula, are for the most part
| aasily accessible for large ships in going
| alongside wharves, which latter can be
| constructed at small expense. It's lee
| ward or westward shore is particularly
suitable for the location of coal storage
houses and coaling wharves or piers Good
potable water in sufficient quantity for
all the above purposes is reported to
| rave been found on this island by sinking
| an artesian well, and from the fact that
| great quantities of fresh water have been
| found on the northern part of Waip:o
| Peninsula and on the lands surrounding
| the harbor there IS no reason to doubt
| that an all-sufficient amount can be OBJ
tanned by the same means on the lower
| Or main part of the peninsula. Water op-
| tions are held, furthermore, by the pres
| ent owners of the Waipio lands for the
| supply of water for irrigation purposes.
| II. "(b) What land is it necessary and
| desirable to acquire for defensive pur-
poses of the harbor, channel and station?
| "(c) What land, if any, is it necessary
| and desirable to acquire from private par
| ties TO obtain the requisite facilities of
| ingress and egress?'
| The board is OF opinion that for clear
| explanation the queries under b and c
can best be answered. under one heading.
| and in so doing invites attention to plan
! No. l, whereon is shown, below the Wal
| pio Peninsula ard at the entrance proper
TO the harbor, certain body of land en-
| braced on each side of the channel by a
| blue dotted line fextending down the
channel, thence eastward and westward,
| respectively, to a fixed point on the shore
line. These two tracts of land the board
| recommends be selected for defensive
purposes of the harbor. channel and sta
| tion and also for securing requisite ia
! cilities for ingress and egress.
r. The land lying along the line of
| the channel is selected in order to pre-
vent any possibility of interference with
| the ultimate channel of navigation, which
may in the future extend from shore to
shore in this part of the narrow path
| way. The wide areas nearer the shore
| line are intended for the empiacement of
| batteries to guard the entrance, to keep
| an enemy at a distance from the ship
/ ping within for covering the mine fields,
etc. The total area thus recommended
| 20 be acquired comprises about go acres
| It may not be necessary that the acqui-
sition of any of this area should in any
| way interfere with or cause the removal
| Of anv existing private improved proper
| ties lying within the boundar es but the
| roard desires to call attention to the very
great Importance of the Government ac-
| curing an absolute title to the same and
| of holding it in fee simple forever. This
! done, permission may be granted for i'm
provements, subject to war necess ties as
| to their removal or destruction without
| damage to the Government, as is done