The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-01-09

o+O*OtO+O*O+OtOtO+O*OtO+Ot
The Saturn left Midway Island Sun
day and is now en- route to Honolulu
She left here with detachment OF
marines for the relief of the detach-
ment detailed there for the past year
or SO, (which she is bringing back with
her. She is expected Friday.
She also carried supplies for the sta
ton but, owing to the rough weather
off the port (Wells Harbor) she was
not able to land all of her supplies.
Lieutenant Slattery has just received
from Washington the letter of Sec
rotary of War to the Speaker of the
House in reference to the preliminary
examination of the harbor under the
last River and Harbor Act. Lieut..
S1attery was instructed to make this
preliminary examination and he rec
commended that the expense involved
in improving the harbor was/not war
ranted at present In his letter to
Brigadier General Mackenzie, Chief of
Engineers, through Col. Heuer, of San
Francisco, Division Engineer for the
Northern Pacific, he says:
Considering the cost of improving
the harbor and the small commerce,
to be benefited thereby, do not con-
slider the harbor worthy of improve
ment, nor do I consider that the cable
companys needs warrant the improve
ment.
Lieut.. Commander A. P. Niblack,
u. S. Navy, states that some twenty
years ago, the Navy Department start
ed to improve this harbor with the
view to establishing a coaling station
on the island. He further states that,
in his opinion, the harbor ought to
be improved, SO as to allow the Navy
to maintain such coal supply. To
provide facilities for storing coal at
this point, and for the rapid coaling
of naval vessels, would involve q large
expenditure in addition to the amount
necessary for the Improvement of the
harbor. The cost would indeed be so
great as to be. in my opinion, almost
prohibitive.
1.-The improvement of the harbor for
this purpose does not therefore seem
warranted, unless the maintenance of
coaling supply at this point is
vital necessity for naval operations
eff the construction of Notifications
for the protection of the cable is con-
templated, the Improvement of the
harbor would greatly facilitate the
construction of such works and the
supplying of such troops as might
thereafter be stationed at this point
Even for this purpose, however, [ do
not consider that the Improvement
would be warranted.
1T is therefore recommended that
nothing further be done in regard to
the Improvement of Welles Harbor,
Midway unless the establishment there
of a coaling station or the construc-
ton of a harbor in conjunction with
the defense of the cable is considered
a vital necessity"
The report was endorsed by Col.
Heuer confirming the recommendation.
The Division Engineer says:
There is nothing in the way OF
commerce that warrants the improve
ment of this harbor.
IF Congress appropriates money for
defenses and a naval or coaling station, |
or either, then a harbor may be neces-
sary for the constructions of these |
works.
Under present circumstances and |
conditions it is my opinion that 1t Is
of Improvement"
Inc Board OI III ~
and Harbors considered the matter at
a meeting and likewise concurred In
the Lieutenant's views. They say:
There may be other reasons than
those of commerce which might make
the improvement of the harbor desira-
BILE, such as the construction of a coal
ing station here or the fertilization
Of the island with a view to the pro-
ion
Congress decide on either of such pro
jects Improvement of the harbor should
De undertaken, the amount and char
acter of which Improvement would
depend upon which of such projects
was adopted or whether both were in
,Iuded. But the Board is of the op1n-
on that the probability of such pro-
ects being taken up is so remote that
. survey is not now considered neces-
ary."
The Pacific Commercial Gable Com
,anv. through whose influence it is
11pposed that the item was inserted III
he River and Harbor act for the pre-
urinary examination, set forth the
.Iains of the harbor for attention IN
he following letter:
Honolulu, Hawaii, June -, 1905
Dear Sir: referring TO our COiiF
alton, re Midway improvements
with my company IN re
,ard to this matter. They reply as
ollows: Midway's necessity and re-
in the way of improve
nents, can not be measured by the
-aIue in dollars and cents of the caple
raffic which passes through the sta
ION there esta blished. The Govern
aent having insisted that the CONNER
ial Pacific cable should land only on