The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-03
SEA AND SHORE
Four General Cargoes
Arrive.
The Alden Besse, Diamond Head,
Alice Cooke and Transit
Arriye--Notes.

The story of the lack % harbor ac-
commOdations at this port is an old
one, nevertheless the loss that is be-
ing caused to consignees of vessels and
in many instances to the vessels them
selves, through the lack of room is still
live issue. AS newcomers familiar
with shipping are settling here as a re-
suit of the increase in our importance
as a port there is more and more chat
ing over the conditions of the water
front.
Several schemes have been advanced
to better the facilities, which are i'm
provements so far as they go. The Ka-
lihi harbor project is a good scheme,
but seems to have been lost sight of;
and the building of line of docks and
slips out along naval row has been
looked upon and spoken of favorably
by many. The building of the new
quarantine dock has already helped out
considerably, and when il is all in use
will be a decided improvement. This
wharf Is now four hundred feet long
and could be continued towards the sea
four hundred feet further.
Among those who are directly in
terested in the shipping there seems to
be a general desire to see Nuuanu
stream, and the land directly adjacent
on both banks. put to use for ships.
1t is in the direct line of new bust
ness center to be built up on the ruins
of Chinatown, and offers an opportunity
for harbor extension and Improvement.
at comparatively small cost, that in
IL.
looked.
The crush of the increase in COM
merce since the annexation of the ISL
ands is just beginning to be felt; the
numbers of ships arriving here has
been steadily increasing and there is
no reason to believe tnaC vessels are
going to stop coming. Just at the pres
ent time there are fewer vessels in the
harbOr than for a long time; in the
neighborhoOd of one hundred and fifty
foreign bottoms are now on their way
to these islands, most of them coming
to Honolulu. AS compared with San
Francisco our facilities for the handling
of ships is almost NIL; still In the early
part of this year there were in the
harbOr of Honolulu foreign bottoms ag-
gregating little less in tonnage than at
that time in San Francisco bay.
A trip along the waterfront discloses
the fact that a great deal of land at
the waters edge is conNolled by pri
vate persons whose interests are allow
ed to interfere with the harbOr line.
From the boat landing TO the new gov
eminent dock just mauka of the Ocea-
mic dock the warehouse and lumber
yards of Allen d Robinson block the
way of traffic. This is one part of the
front that might be greatly improved
to the benefit of all. Queen and Fort
streets would be relieved of a great
deal of the traffic which at times is
blocked by the continuing of the open
way along through the lumber yards.
Some years ago a commission was APP
pointed to inquire into this improve
ment but after the committee went
over the ground once or twice nothing
more was heard of the scheme.
The government might by condemna-
ton proceeding at this point get the
use of nearly thousand feet of wharf
room where it would be a great bene-
fit TO the public. An instance of the
loss occasioned by tie lack of room is
that of the Charles f.. Moody, which
arrived here on February 9Th with coal
from Tacoma. When she got here the
harbor was full of coal ships waiting
their turn to discharge. Through in
ability on the part of consignees to
get wharf room for her she has cost
them about $4,000 in demurrage. Own
ers of vessels are nearly all making
the demurrage penalty a part of the
charter party and so it behooves con-
signees to discharge vessels at the
earliest opportunity after arrival. I'm
der existing conditions they are unable
to make haste and consequently their
loss in many instances has been very
heavy.