The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-03-11
KUHIO'S SPEECH ON
HARBOR BILL
lconlUu'd from nae- o0o-

'. ''iIII'' iIilN' I'NNI.INN hA NItIIN uI
rival transportation lines. TO us it'
means transportation itself ANA the
means to secure carriage for our own
commerce and TO retain the ships we
already have.
This comparison IS not drawn TO
minimize the needs of other ports. but
to call your attention 90 the fact that
Hawaii, as an insular possession ln the
mid-Pacihc, is wholly dependent upon
shipping for all intercourse with the
outside world
The other ports named iu this bin are
all served by from one TO ten trunk
line railways. which give them "a more
or less adequate competing service.
both for freight and passenger trafic:
but DO Hawaii ships are the only trans.
portation means for either our COM
merce or our people. To lose any Of
our ships means Increased personal and
commercial isolation.
our two best steamers. the Mongolia
and Manchuria, splendid modern ships
Of $4,000 tons ea and a draft of 33
feet are now unable TO enter our har-
Dor when fully laden. as shown by the
cablegram which / herewith read.
Honolulu, February 4. 1905.
Euhio Washington.
Manchuria, freight laden. drawing 81
feet, unable enter harbor yesterday.
CARTER.
These steamers have omitted our port
on some trips and have on some occa-
sions lightered their passengers and
freight into our harbOr from the open
gFrf
lief we shall lose the service Of these
our best ships.
When the Republic Of Hawaii con-
scented to annexation, under the New
lands resolution I'm 1898. her people did
not expect that one Of the first results
would be the loss Of a large part Of the
steamships then furnishing passenger
and freight service to the islands.
But Congress, I'm the organic act, ar
/ bitrarily extended the coastwise ship
ping laws to Hawaii. although It is ap-
parent that traffic with these islands in
the mid-Pacihc Is not de facto coast
wise trade. by that single stroke our
insular territory was deprived Of the
use approximately OF one-half of the
, steamships then calling at the port of
! Honolulu.
/ The Pacific Mail Steamship Company
, has always made Honolulu a port Of
call for It's transatlantic steamers run
! ming to Yokohama and Hongkong. Re
| Gently this company has replaced some
Of It's old steamers with new and larger
ships Of modern type.
These ships when fully laden have a
draft Of about 30 feet land as the great
est harbor depth we have Is 2S feet,
ana that only at a single wharf. their
two largest steamers have been un-
able to enter our harbor except when
carrying light or fractional cargo. As
already stated they have on num-
Der OF voyages anchored I'm the open
sea and lightered their passengers and
freight into the harbor on steam tugs.
This Is, Of course, not commercially
practicable and unless we can have
orr harhor deepened we shall lose the
two best tseamers now calling al our
port.
desire TO make It clear to the mem
beers Of this house that the failure OF
our port to keep pace with the growth
Of the trans-Pacific steamers Is not IN
any way due to lack Of effort on the
part OF our own people. Nearly ter
years ago the Republic OF Hawaii took
up the work Of deepening and improv-
ing Honolulu Harbor, and substantial
sums were expended In beginning the
work as outlined I'm a comprehensive
plan.
After annexation this work was con.
tinued by the Territory Of Hawaii, anC
nearly $4,000 Of additional expendi
ture has been made by the Territorial
government I'm prosecuting this work
The Territory has also issued bonds
and borrowed money to construct az
immense new wharf and slip, as a cos
Of over $4,000 10 handle these larg,
z new steamers. I'm addition to a quar-
ter Of million dollars already expend
ed on new wharves. But owing to tn
. financial depression I'm Hawaii durinl
J the past three years, II Is impossible
2 for the Territory Itself TO continue tn
= work Of deepening the harbor.
II IL also proper to add that nearl!
the entire harbor frontage Is owned by
! the Territorial government, so that tn,
+ benefits from Federal Improvement
e viii accrue chiefly to the Territory, an,
! not to owners Of private wharves.
I II Is because the Republic Of Hawai-
E began the work Of improving Honolulu