The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-08-07
RETURNS FROM SURVEYING
GUAM,
Says it Will Not be Necessary for
Government to Build Breakwater.
Incidents of Trip.

Captain ]. F. Merry, commander of
the local naval station, returned on The
Sierra this morning after an EXTENDED
absence of nearly nine months on sPe-
cial service for the United states go|-
ernment. During his absence Captain
Merry had charge of the special eXpe
dition sent to Island of Guam to make
surveys of that possession. The tHtCnt
of the work can be un1e .'s-ood when it
is known that Captain Merry had no
less than 80 plans and maps Of his
work to present with his report.
Captain Merry left mere on the SOlace
November IS last, with party of nine
assistants to make the desired surveys.
They reached Guam on November q.
Orders had been issued for inn to sur
vey the harbOr, to make estimates for
the contraction of a breakwater select
a site for the town, for water systems,
governors residence, barracks, fortih-
cations and, in fact, everything which
a government would need in establish
ing port of call for it's vessels. For
four months the party was at work
making the various surveys and trian-
gulations. In addition to the force
which went on the Solace, Captain
Merry employed about so natives who
performed the drudgery.
"As the result of our surveys" said
Captain Merry IAN entirely new site
for town has been selected. The prin-
cipal place of residence now is at Agana
but we propose to move the new town
to Sumaye, which is much closer to the
harbor. do not think that it will be
! necessary for the government to build
breakwaler there. In fact, 1 very
much doubt whether a breakwater
would be able to stand the force that
would be dashed against it by the sea
in that quarter. The harbor is well pro-
tected on every side except the west
the direction from which the wind
blows. All that is necessary will be to
cut an entrance to the harbor through
the coral reef and deepen the inner har-
Dor. An anchorage for a good sized
fleet would be obtained.
"In the matter of fortifications the
topography of the island and the To-
cation of the harbor are such that only
few guns would be necessary to pro-
tect the harbor In addition to this
work, we made various triangulations
of the hills and other places about the
island. I estimate that it will cost the
government about $2,000000 to make all
of the improvements desired. The deep
! ing of the harbor alone will cost in the
neighborhood of $500,000, and to build
| the breakwater would require at least
81, ,OOO,0 900.
"After remaining four months in
Guam we left for Manila where pass
and charts and getting them down to
| the same scale. 1t had been expected
| that we would secure transportation
| on one of the army transports but Ow-
ing to the desire of the government to
rush the troops home by the end of June
it was impossible to provide the entire
! party with transportation on one of
| those vessels so l too the first avail
able mail steamer which was one of
| the Empress line. l remained two
| months and a half in San Francisco
! finishing my report.
II found the climate of Guam very
| similar to that here. On the west side
| where the anchorage is located the wind
! blows continually. The soil is very fer
| tile and the natives raise vegetables and
! fruits in great quantity. There is sugar
| cane growing and 1 understand it is
very rich. No cane is raised for ex-
! port however and there are no sugar
mills of the latest style there now. The
cane is ground with the old fashion roll
! er the power being supplied by cattle.
| The island is about % miles by miles
| and while it is not very large, l think,
| that sugar cane could be profitably
raised there. The natives principally
produce copra. The natives are an eX-
cellent race. They are Industrious and
are excellent wOrkmen. Their pOpula-
tion is about 10000 souls.
| L
| between sixty and seventy political
prisoners from the Philippines. They
are kept in a stockade on the beach
| and are giving no trouble. A guard is
maintained over them and they are
not permitted to communicate with the
people outside. Some of the prisoners
were, 1 understood, to be returned to
Manila to be tried for murder. 1 pre-
sumo that the majority will be released
| as soon as possible.
THE government maintains force of
about $50 marines and officers. There
are a few white civilians, several Span
iards living in Guam. The officers tell
me that they greatly prefer Guam to a
! residence in Manila, / know nothing
new of the recent reports by Com
mandant Schroeder of the alleged trou-
BILE down there. All that l learned of
it was from the newspapers"
Captain Merry will resume his COM
mand of the local station. His place
has been filled during his absence by
Captain Pond, the commander of the
Iroquois.
THE STRIKES.