The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-30

N EFENSES for the group of islands,
the possibility of making the en-
- trance to Pearl Harbor impregna-
BILE and how to insure safety from dan
ger of attack for the buildings and
| works of the proposed naval station,
formed the topics which filed the mind
of Admiral Evans yesterday. In COM
pany with Capt Merry the admiral
went over the ground at the site pro-
posed for the new yards and viewed the
lands in their entirety.
"The question of the defense of the
entire group of islands should be taken
miral Evans last evening at the Moana
hotel, and then when there is any
thing completed it will be along bust
ness lines. The entire group is part of
the United States and must be defended
as a whole. 1t would be as great blow
to the prestige of the country to have
one of the islands taken as though the
whole group was captured. This is not
the largest island and it would serve
the purpose of an enemy just as much,
| if any other harbor could be used for
the purpose of refitting. The islands
are too far away from the coast of Cali
fornia to serve as a base for the opera
tions of the enemy, but the fact that
| this is American territory makes the
complete defense of the islands a neces-
sity.
There should be, and 1 believe this
course will be followed, a mixed board
which would consider the entire ques-
| tion of works. How to make the har-
bors safe from attack and to protect the
public works would then be. considered
from all standpoints and the result
would be satisfactory to both branches
of the service.
The same point should be considered
in the scope which will be given to the
dock yard here. There must be a com
plete yard at Subig Bay, as the presence
of the fleet in the Philippines makes it
necessary. The people of California
would not long suffer ships being sent
from that coast here for repair, while
the Mare Island navy yard is in exist
ence. This reduces the necessity for a
station here, from a purely war stand
point. However the use of such yard
| would be greater for the merchant
marine than for the navy. With the
| building of a canal through the isthmus
! there would be an immediate growth of
the shipping which would pass through
! 900 S@><S@ 90 <&@&~%A~@M
| the German agents of the firm, Phuger
& Co, February 18th, 1900, before the
passage of the Organic Act, and the ap-
plication Of the customs and shipping
laws of the United States to the Ter
ritory. This fact is pleade5 by the firm
| in its appeal for the documenting of
the little ship.
| 1t is set forth by the firm that the
| iron used in the vessel was purchased
at cost of $13,O15.27. and that upon its
arrival the customs duties collected up
on the importation amounted to
| So, S56.75. The firm then goes on to state
| that the ship was actually built by the
| Honolulu Iron Works ard that the cost
| Of this part of the operation. the fac :
! that the wages goes INTO the pockets
| Of American workingmen being fF4ted,
| is placed at 1900, making the returns
| to the government and American work
men and business men more than half
| the entire cost of the. vessel
1t is upon this showing that the claim
| for the documenting of the scow is ask
I'd, and the Treasury Department made
a critical examination of the case be-
! fore rendering a decision. The building
Of this scow comes under section six Of
tie customs regulations Of the United
States, where it provided that vessel
built of materials imported into the
UnitCG States wholly or in part shall be
| refused documents. While there was
40 thought of dealing harshly with the
Honolulu house it was decided by the
| department that no power vested in the
| Secretary to set aside the law in the
| case and that the only remedy lay in
the action Of Congress. This means
| rhat there must be offered to Congress
/ bil providing that the flag shall be
given to the vesseb and it must take its
regular course in the matter of consid-
Grafton. which is likely to DE short, as
| this session is the long one which means
| that much small work will be done first
and the great appropriation bills left
| Tor the end of the session
| A species or relief was given to the
| Honolulu firm however which was made
N the nature of great concession ir
| view of the newness of the country and
the fact that the material was ordered
ong before the application of the Gus
IONS laws. The Collector of Customs
eas been notified that the vessel ma!
be used for the purposes for which /
vas built, for such time as necessar,
,or Congress to take the matter unde
consideration and to procure action
the supposition is that if Congress sha
tail to act, the ship Will have to b
Ashipped out Of the country for use.