The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-06-11
NEWS OF THE WATERFRONT

only thirteen days. Captain Hardeck
commands her this trip. Captain Calhoun
remaining in San Francisco. Captain
Caihoun's many friends in this port miss
err arrived. The commander or the ship
George Curtis, now in port, is a son of
Captain Calhoun.
Last night there was large American
ship outside, but she was too far away
for Diamond Head Charlie to make
her out. She will probably be towed
into port by the Fearless this morning.
Told TO the Marines.
The following, which appeared in the
Army and Navy Journal of recent date,
has excited considerable comment in this
city:
THE work on the Iowa having been
completed at the Port Orchard Naval
Station, that ship has returned to San
Francisco, and will resume duty with
the Pacific fleet. 1t is not improbable
that the Iowa may be detailed for tenn
porary service at Honolulu during the
next few months, the political situation
at that point requiring considerable
home influence to maintain quietness
and good behavior. The harbor of Hoo
nolulu has been improved so that our
all stages of the tide
Local Naval men place absolutely no
credence in the statement.
Abollshsng Army Transports.
The Scientific American is very positive
in its expressions of regret at the aboii-
ton of the Army transport service on the
Atlantic. 1t doubts the economy of the
change, and gives figures to show that
s10.14561 was saved on a recent voyage
of the Crook to and from San Juan. On
another voyage the saving was s12, 356. 35.
The figures are 81, S24. 81, compared with
SAG, 326 IS, cost of transportation by pri-
yate lines, says the Army and Navy
Journal. 1t is argued that our own ex-
perience and that of the British in South
Africa has shown that army transport
service on the sea is second only in inn
portance to army transport service on
land, and that it is Just as essential as
that the Army should have fleet of its
own furnished with accommodations
suited to it's own special wagons and
packing outfit for transportation on
land" The Scientific American says: III
we are to abolish Army ships and put
up with the haphaZard accommodation
of private steamships, let US be consist
ent and abolish Army wagons, cars and
wha:-nots, and beneyolently call in the
farmer and huckster to help us out with
whatever vehicles may be on the farm
or IN the stable, much after the fashion
of poor old Braddock when he went TIC
his defeat in colonial days AS a matter
of fact, the needs of the Army transport
sesyice are so special that it is impos-
sble for any private steamship to NEE,
! them. Proof of this is shown in the fact
flat when such steamships have been
purchased for the transport service, il
has been necessary to spend about $500, 00t
iii the mere work of refitting them with
tile necessary hunks, lavatories. hospi-
stals and accommodations for provisions
sand freight. Nor must We forget the
most powerful argument of all in favor
of separate service, namely, that since
wars come swiftly and with but little
warning, a fleet of troopships specially
fitted for the conveyance of an army and
its supplies, and available for duty al
any time that it may be called upon, is
an imperative necessity, For proof OF
this statement it is enough to refer back
to the precipitate scramble which oc-
CURED in scraping together enough ships
to carry our Army to Cuba, and to the
pitiable sufferings to which the inyalided
troops were subjected on account of the
insufficiency and unfitness of the extern
the sick and wounded soldiers"