The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1908-06-04
GIANT NAVAL BASE
WORLDS oREATReT TO BE BUILT
AT HAWAII
United States Will Spend 41o,o0o,0oo
on Pearl Harbor-outpost In Pa
clic Will BE lmpregnabIe
Against Assault by Foo.

I'll rSdTI ATOOr@O0SPoS III 80
clfc Will BE Im%pregnabIe
Against Assault by Foo.
Washington.-The greatest naval
station in the world will be built by
the United States at Pearl harbor. on
Oahu island, seven miles from Homo.
lulu. The vast project will make nee
essary the expenditure of between
100000 and $12, 200, O00.
Once it is accomplished the Pacific
fleet sheltered there will protect not
only Hawaii, but will become the
watchdog of the-Paoific coast, al
ways alert, ever ready for attack.
A bill has been passed by the house,
and will be passed by the senate, pro-
viding for the expenditure Immediate
~ of $660,00 in the preliminary work,
and before the next session of o n
gress an additional amount Of ap-
p%roximately 81. 0 900.
There are no official figures upon the
probable ultimate cost of the improve
ment, but the Taft board recommend
ed Notifications to cost $500, 900, and
there is planned a drydock to cost
100000 more. This, with the esti-
mated cost of dredging the channel
and removing the bar at the harbor
mouth, $4,000, 900, the equipment Of
machine shops at a cost of 81, 200, 900,
and the coal shed, storehouse and ma
val yard construction to cost another
million, brings the amount approx
mately to &c. OO, 1000.
In preparing for this auxiliary to
the Pacific feet, congress and the
house naval committee are acting in.
dependently, for the naval board has
v made any estimates or recon-
mended the general project, despite
the fact that the land surrounding the
harbor, some 600 acres, was purchased
by the United States for this pur-
pose before the acquisition of the
islands, for $650,0OO.
The Importance of Pearl harbor as a
naval strategic point has been urged
upon the government since 1851.
Naval engineers have made voiumin.
GUS reports upon it. The first step to.
ward making it a naval base followed
Dewey's victory In Manila bay, when
Uncle Sam purchased the harbor and
it's surrounding territory from the Ha.
waiian government.
The harbor is formed by the mouth
Of the Pearl river on the southern
shore Of Oahu island, seven miles from
Honolulu. With the exception of the
bay at Honolulu it is the only harbor
for large vessels in all the islands.
geographically Pearl harbor is an
ideal naval station site. It is a beauti.
full lagoon, three miles long, which
branches out at the inner end into a
delta-like harbor with a land frontage
OF 30 miles. The water varies from
30 to 60 feet in depth. Coral and sand.
stone banks rise so straight that a
full-rigged man-of-war could anchor
alongside without docks. The rise
and fall of the tides in the harbor is
scarcely noticeable.
A sand bar now obstructs the mouth
OF the river, and the plan contemplates
Its removal and the dredging of a
wide, deep channel out to sea. For a
mile beyond the sand bar the approach
to the harbor shows only a depth of
lOO feet, a condition especially we'll
suited to marine mining operations.
1t would be utterly impossible for a
hostile fleet to force an entrance to
the harbor, once 1t was properly forth
fed. Two immense cliffs jut upward
at the mouth of the river, and heavy
guns placed here could not only repel
any attack from the sea, but also de-
fend Honolulu, whose sea approach
lies within easy range. Back of Hon.
olulu are cliffs that would afford de.
lenses, which, coupled with the Pearl
narbor Notifications, would make that
city of $4,000 practically immune from
a sea attack.
Supplies could be brought to Pearl
harbor over the Oahu Land and Rail-
road Company's line, which skirts the
harDor. Fresh water springs and arte-
sian wells on all sides insure an ex.
cellent water supply. Surrounding it.
inland, is a fine agricultural country,
which could be drawn upon for ordi-
nary food supplies.
Congressional advocates of greater
naval extensions are enthusiastic over
the project. Within my lifetime"
says Representative Richmond P. Hob.
son, i expect to see Pearl harbor be.
come the greatest naval station in the
world. l make this statement because
1t presents the one combination of
physical conditions that makes DOS.
siDle a great naval station as the focus
OF radi1 of $500 miles to the Pacific
onocfD