The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-11-23

/ arriving here he received letter from
! Judge Hatch, who was at St Johns
bury, VT, and later Judge Hatch came
to Washington and the two conferred
over matters pertaining to the Sugar
| Planters. Judge Hatch remained here
one day, during which he called on the
President, and then returned to St
Johnsbury. He does not expect to take
| up his residence in Washington til
about the time when Congress assem-
bles. Mr.. Haywood continues in the
employ of the Sugar Planters. under
his contract, till some time in Deem
Der.
HAWAIIAN HARBORS.
The annual report of the chief of
army engineers, Gen. Alexander Nc
henzie, has considerable to say about
the improvement of harbors in the
Hawaiian Islands. 1t begins with
statement about Pearl Harbor, where
no money was expended during the
last fiscal year. There has already
been expended on the project $99, 1928 62
out of an appropriation of 100000 by
Congress in an act approved March 8,
1899 OF that there remains unexpend-
ed s676,3S. The report says that 1.-The
channel has maintained ITSELF and
adds:
LAS yet there is no commercial ac-
t;Vity in the harbor. Inside the bar
the channel is SO crooked and the turns
so sharp that it is not safe for the
navigation of large vessels. No esti-
mate for remedying this defect has
yet been authorized by Congress. The
mean range Of tides at the entrance
is shout IA inches.
1.-THE work So far g authorized and
appropriated for, has been completed
in accordance with the project. The
head Of navigation is at the head of
each loch forming the harbor. No
further funds under the existing pro-
ject are required
Honolulu harbor is discussed at
length in the report, which says: This
harbor is situated on the south coast
of the island of Oahu. 1t is formed by
a coral reef, a narrow channel through
the reef affording access to the harbor.
The entrance channel and harbor prop
. er were dredged from time to time by
the monarchial, republican, and Terri
torial governments of Hawaii prior to
July /, 1904. On this date there exist
ed an entrance channel having depth
of about 50 feet and a minimum width
of about 200 feet at mean low water.
mencing at the lighthouse and extend
ing to the mouth of the Nuuanu river)
had a general width of 500 feet. The
water for about 200 feet Immediately
along the wharves had a depth of from
80 to 80 feet. Elsewhere there was only
q bout q feet at low water. The bend
at the lighthouse point was so sharp
as to be somewhat difficult for large
vessels to get around. The shallow
water in the harbor made it impossible
for the largest vessels calling at the
port to enter the harbor when at all
heavily laden. The narrowness of the
harbor made turning difficult for all
ships.
After quoting the provision, of March
8 last, appropriating 100000 for the
project and authorizing an appropria-
ton of $2G0, 600 more, the Chief En-
gineer's report continues:
1.-THE project provides for an entrance
channel 80 feet deep and 400 feet wide
al mean low water from deep water at
the entrance to the lighthouse point;
for easing the curve al the junction of
the entrance channel and the inner
harbor by cutting off the lighthouse
point. and for charging the harbor
proper so that it will have depth of
50 feet and general width of 1900 feet
at mean low water. at an estimated
cost of 81 ,5S2, 240.67 exclusive of a new
front range light, estimated to cost
$50 900.
ION June 80, 1905, the sum of 81
404.75 had been expended on this i'm
provement, in making a resurvey of the
harbor. called for by the river and har-
Dor act.
The maximum draft that could be
carried on June 80. 1905 at mean low
water over the shoalest part of the
harbor was 26 feet. The mean range
of the tide is about "a inches, as de-
termined from observations made dur
ing the progress of the survey.
During the calendar year 1904 the
commerce between Honolulu and the
United States and foreign ports
amounted TO more than 300.22S tons.
valued at $1S,551,11 Three hundred
and sixteen passengers, not immi-
grants. arrived in the islands; $685. pas
sengers departed.
THE local commerce between Homo
lulu and island ports for the same
period amounted to 237.727 tons of
freight and So AL passengers. The
through commerce passing through the
port between San Francisco and the
Orient and Australia for the same pc
Rod was valued at S45, S97,753
All of this commerce will be directly
benefited by the Improvement, through
the greater safety of the harbor and
the greater facility in entering and
leaving it. With the harbor in its
present condition. the largest vessels
are unable to enter the harbor when
at all heavily laden. The improvement
will remedy this and may result in
some of the larger ships, which do not
now call at this port, calling here. The
Or esent freight rates to and from this
port are exceedingly high. If addition
al steamship lines could be induced to
have their ships call here a consider
able reduction might result.
Although the completion of the
work which it is contemplated to ac-