The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-11-29
CABLE
BETWEEN
ISLANDS
tcortinied from page -


Is another question and one calling for
serious consideration would not like
to give an opinion at once. The branch
line of cable would be a valuable feeder
to the main line. as 1t would permit
the people OF the other Islands. of all
nationalities to make use of the cable
directly to foreign countries. 1t would
be d immense advantage TO the sugar
planters who would be able to secure
Information at once as to what was
going on all over the islands, news of
accidents and ali other matters of
which specially quick information was
desired. 1t would be OF signal advan-
tage but I believe It's construction would
be entirely a matter for business calcu-
lation."
Curtis j Lyons. the government
meteorological, recalls the first sound
inss made between the various islands
with the view of establishing cable
lines. Sometime in the sos. probably
about 1856, these soundlngs were made
and the results indicated good sea-
/ floor ranging from 300 to 100 fathoms
at the deepest points in the channels.
bur the soundings and investigations
also showed that the currents were
y.
Maui channel
Captain Jackson, n retired British
naval officer, who was connected with
the local survey Office" said Mr. Lyons
yesterday, made the soundings They
We're made purposely for the laying of
inter-lsland cables There was COM
pany formed which intended laying
these cables, but the fact that there
states to the Hawaiian Islands rather
damp the affair. There We're ex-
tensive soundings made between Nil
hau and Kauai. Kauai and Oahu, Oahu
and Molokai. Molokai and Maui, and
Maui and Hawaii He did not find as
much depth in some of the channels as
had been expected and there was not
over 800 fathoms to Maui. He found
1000 fathoms between Maui and Ha-
wall. II is therefore quite deep and
there are strong currents necessitating
a strong cable to resist them.
Captain jackson also made some
choice of landing places. For oahu he
chose as starting place Waialae Bay
with q landing place on the west end
o: Mciokli north of the present Ugh;
house. He then favored starting from
a place near Pukoo or Kamalo, Molo-
kai, landing at west Maui. Starting
again at point near Nuu Maui, he
selected a landing place between Pua-
kou and Kawaihac.
There did not seem to be any sharp
ridges in channels and generally there
seemed to be a fairly level sea floor.
OF course, if it was contemplated to
lay a set of cables between the islands
very exhaustive study would neces-
sarily have to be made. The surveys
and soundlngs made by Captain Jack
son are on file on tracings in the Gov
ernment Survey office and many of his
soundings appear on the present ny
geographic maps of the United States
Navy.
There was an attempt made to lay a
cable between Molokai and Maui, bu.
it was a cheap cable as 1t turned out
and not the kind to resist the strong
currents in that channel. 1t never
amounted to anything and 1t was
eventually carried away by the cur
rents. That is the narrowest channel
and favorable place to experiment.
| do not see that there can be any spe-
cial obstacle to the laying of cables
between the islands If the community
! W
geographical and marine aspects of the
proposition. II 1t is found on further
investigation that better floor way
could be found outside the channels
that would be the only change. The
greatest difficulty would be found in
the channel between Hawaii and Maui.
las to the plans of the Mackay COM
pany in bringing their cable to the ISL
/ nd a l.S i'm,
prove on making oahu the first and
main landing place. BY so doing they
would avoid risks by coming direct to
| Oahu. In case of war it would be
easier to protect, and the complica-
tons arising from this source woLld
be at the minimum. To run it to Ha-
wall and then branch up to Oahu
and thence on to the westward, would
be to make the cable vulnerable"
Mr.. James Gordon Spencer, secretary
of the Chamber of Commerce, said:
"che connection of the islands by cable
would be a great advantage. 1t would
Of course be of more value to the plan
tiers than to the merchants. though on
many occasions the dealers find it nee
essary to have quick communication
with travellers ar customers. If there
is any probability that the company
whiIh proposes TO build the cable might
be induced to make a connection of the
islands, the business people should get
into communication with the Mackay
company and endeavor to impress upon
, the management the necessity of con-
sidering the laying of the branch line
to bring in the other islands"
Mr.. w. w. Harris. secretary of the
Merchants Association. said: There
would be great benefit from a cable be-
tween all the islands, both as feeder
to the main line of the cable and as well
as for the convenience of the residents
and business men. The greatest advan-
tage naturally would be to the planters
as they would then be able to keep in
close toucn with every thing thai is
going on throughout the group. The
Merchants Association will be in favor
of any steps which may be necessary