The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-17
THE SAMOAN SITUATION Observation-Disclosures
TOLD BY TRAVELLER JUST FROM
THERE.
Pago Pago Harbor Wonderful Place
But There is Little Chance for Town
or Rural Development

A. G. Comstock, capitalist of New
York who is touring the world, arrived /
by the Mariposa last evening from
Pango Pango, Uncle Sans naval sta
tion in Samoa, and is at the Moana /
Hotel where he will stay two or three
weeks before proceeding to the main .
land. Besides being a close observer, !
Mr.. Comstock is well informed on nav
al and defense subjects which makes
his statements of particular interest /
and value.
LAS a general proposition little is
known of the possession of the United !
States in the Samoan group" he said !
this morning. "The territory is out of |
the way and the absence of newspaper |
writer's has had the effect of leaving |
the place rather in the background. |
While there l studied carefully all the
conditions. AS a country offerin~ any
thing to the investor or the American
citizen at large 1 regard it as of no
great value. The island of Tutuila is
small and, on account of it's noun
famous character, offers very little
chance of agricultural or other devel-
opment There are 1000 natives on the
island. They earn livelihood chiefly
by raising fruits and the absolute ne
cessaries of life. 1 was unable to see
sive agricultural enterprises on the ISL
and.
"Pago Pago is the harbor upon which
the United States has established a
coaling station and purposes locating a
naval station. Pango Pango is the
town at the head of this harbor. 1t is
stretched around the head of the har
Dor for a distance of nearly five miles,
forming an irregularly country village.
tiftV whites
and some 500 natives.
"The harbor is the finest l ever saw
anywhere From the entrance it runs
around in an elbow, and inside of the
bay beyond is water that will carry the
largest ship in the world and in it the
| navy of the United States might ride
| in absolute safety. The harbor, or bay,
| is backed by mountains that will make
it, when fortified, absolutely impregna-
| BILE. l consider the place a Veritable
| Gibralter, against which no fleet, when
properly fortified, could hope to do any
! thing. The coaling sheds are already
| up and work on the naval station will
soon be begun. The great wharf of the
| government is now being operated on
and will soon be finished. 1t will ex
tend out into the bay and will be in
such a position that any vessel in the
! port may approach and lie at it,
| Dredging has been going on for
some time. All parts of the harbor not
deep enough for ships have been dredg-
| ed or will be dredged out Another
! great improvement is a macadamiZed
road which the government has built
| all around the town side of the bay,
about five miles in extent. This road
| is model of its kind and cost a lot of
money but will be of great value to
the naval station and will assist in
building up the place.
Captain Dorm, who succeeded Cap
tain Tilley there, is giving the best of
satisfaction. He is a man of splendid
executive ability and having been a
lawyer is able to wrestle with most of
the problems that come up. He has
with him, however. a lawyer as adviser.
The government of Samoa is practical
i ly that of a monarchy, without a mon
] arch. Captain Dorm is the law-maker
and the law. What he says has to go.
Withal the natives are more than sat
isfied with his government. They have
Il every confidence in his ability and
judgment and are certainly better sat
ished than under the old order when
revolutions were constantly expected
and feared.
[ Captain Dorm has with him a force
/, of native guards, about forty in num-
! ber. These fellows are fine specimens
, of soldiers and seem earnest in their
any old way. 1 was told that the en-
ployment of native troops had good
effect upon the people in general.
: There has been no business boom at
Pango Pango on account of American
occupation, unless the additional traf-
fic of sailors and through ships and a
new hotel can be called such. AS a
, matter of fact there is no chance for
l the town to spread If it wanted to. Just
4 back of 1t are the mountains and the
e village is confined to a narrow strip OF
!, land along the beach,
AT Pago Pago harbor the Abberenda
an auxiliary cruiser is stationed. Her
men spend considerable money in the
a town as do also employees of the naval
b, works and passengers by the steamers
All of the dealing there is in English
money. This is an old custom and, as
the natives have been used to ii fol
{ so many years, it has been continued
e for the present.
! Before leaving this subject I wish tC
speak of the treatment of w Black
lock, the hotel man there by the Navy
, Department Blackjack was formerly
United States consular agent and 6
leading merchant of Apia. When the
partition of the group took nlace ht
: went over to Pango Pango and arrang
ed to start an elaborate hotel A hote
, and a liquor license were granted hin
last fall, on the strength or thlS h'
spent a lar"e amount of money in mt
ting up his place. Suddenly. however
without warning his license was re
Volxed."
Mr.. Comstock went from New Yorl
to Europe, through the Suez canal t
Australia and is now on his journe!
back to New York.
PACIFIC HEIGHTS RAILWAY.