The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-13


The Acting Governor, on receiving
the foregoing despatch, cabled to Dele
gate j. X Kalanianaole as follows:
"HONOLULU, May 12.-To Kuhio,
Washington: Congratulations on your
good work. MOTT-SMlIH.'
WASHINGTON, April 20.-The white
mans outpost in the Paeifel The
greatest naval station in the world. 1t
is now settled that this is what Uncle
Sam will establish at Pearl HarbOr, on
Oahu Island, seven miles from Homo
lulu.
He will spend from ten to twelve
million dollars to do it. Once 1t Is ac-
complished the Pacific fleet sheltered
there will protect not only Hawaii, but
will become the watchdog of the Pa
cific Coast, always alert, ever ready for
attack.
A bill has been passed by the House,
and will be passed without opposition
by the Senate, providing for the ex-
penditure Immediately of $650,000 in
the preliminary work, and, before the
next session of Congress, an additional
amount OF approximately 81 100000.
There are no official figures upon the
HTODdDlt
ment, but the Taft Board recommended
fortifieations to cost $3,500,000, and
there is planned a drydoek to cost
$2,O00.000 more. This, with the esti-
mated cost of dredging the channel and
removing the bar at the harbor mouth,
$4,000 ,00u0. the equipment of machine
shops at cost of $l,000.000, and the
coal shed, store house and naval yard
IN
brings the amount approximately to
100000
In preparing for this highly import
ant auxiliary to the Pacific fleet, Con-
gsess and the House Naval Committee
is going it alone, for the Naval Board
MAS never made anv estimates or recon-
mended the general project, despite the
fact that the land surrounding the har-
bor, some 600 acres, was purchased by
the United States for this purpose be
fore the acquisition of the Islands, for
$685. 900. Nothing has ever been done
toward improving it to date.
The Importance of Pearl Harbor as
naval strategic point has been urged
upon the government since 1851. Naval
engineers have made voluminous reports
upon it, The first step toward making
it a naval base followed Dewey's vie
tory in Manila Bay, when Uncle Sam
purchased the harbor and its surround
ing territory from, the Hawaiian gov
eTnment.
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 HaTbor is an
ideal naval station site. 1t Is beau
tifuI lagoon, three miles long, which
branches out at the inner end into
delta-l like harbor with land frontage
of 80 miles The water varies from 80
10 6u Feet in depth. Coral and sand
stone banks rise so straight that full
rigged man-of-war could anchor along
side without docks The rise and fall
of the tides in the harbor is scarcely
noticeable
4 sand bar now obstructs the mouth
of the river, and the plan eontemplates
Is removal and the dredging of wide.
deep channel out to sea. For mile
Beyond the sand bar the approach to
tie harbor shows only a depth of 100
feet, condition especially well suited
to marine operations. The experience
of Honolulu, in dredging away SINH
lar bar, was that after removal 1t did
not form.