The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-08

just what the gentleman suggests, car
rying total appropriation of $751 900,
which includes as a start-not a very
large start, but a start, nevertheless
upon the improvement of the entrance
to Pearl Harbor, the building of a dry
dock, the construction of a naval base,
and the commencement of the very
work which the gentleman has inquir-
ed about, but that bill would initiate
the work and authorize BY law further
appropriations.
Mr.. Clark of Missouri. | am glad if
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr
Bates), or somebody else, has walked
up.
Mr.. Longworth. Is it not also true
that land has already been set aside
for this naval station?
Mr.. Graft. 1t belongs to the Govern
ment. 1t has been acquired by the
Government. Pearl Harbor is undoubt-
eddy one of the greatest harbors in the
world for naval base. 1t is handbook
ed, and so situated a fleet could not be
observed from the sea, and has an area
of 10 square miles; miles in an air
line on the west of Honolulu 1t is
just within the gun range of Honolulu,
of this one battery, which has already
been established Captain Mdhan said
years ago it was large enough to hold
all the navies of the world.
Mr.. Longworth. And the question of
strengthening, widening, or deepening
that channel would be under the juris-
diction of the Committee on Rivers
and Harbors?
Mr. Graft. Absolutely.
Mr. Smith of Iowa. If the gentle
man will pardon me, while the gentle
man from Ohio (Mr. Longworth) is
correct, that probably it would come
under the jurisdiction of the Rivers
and HarboTs Committee without OBJ
lection on the part of the Committee
on Rivers and Harbors the Naval Com
mittee has frequently made appropria-
lions for the improvement of places in
tended purely for naval bases, and it
is possible an appropriation from that
committee would therefore not be sub
iect to a point of order. l trust the
gentleman will pardon me for the in
terruption.
Mr.. Graft. 1t is on that basis that
the Bates bill is proposed.
Mr.. Smith of Iowa. The only point
I wanted to bring was that this par
ticular committee did not have the
jurisdiction on the entire improvement
of Pearl Harbor.
Mr.. Graft. / am anxious to have that
brought out, too. Now, | might add
here that Notwithstanding the objec-
ton of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Keifer) as to the size of the estimates
for the Improvement of the entrance
to Pearl Harbor, and its magnitude,
that the War and Navy Departments
insist upon a depth of 80 feet and a
width of 400 instead of 200 feet, and a
cutting off of the projections and a
Strengthening of the tortuous entrance
which now exists into that body OF
water.
WI lNNllNi' 4lis SAAttAA AAAtAAB "buiN
just like to ask single question. Is
there not generally in the channel now
so feet of water?
Mr.. Smith of Iowa. There is a great
depth, undoubtedly.
Mr. Graf. The channel varies in
depth. l think there are depths great
er than so feet. | took a superficial
glance at the depth as put upon the
map, and 1 was under the impression
that while there was a great deal of
deep water it was at varying depths.
Mr.. Stephens of Texas. How much
land has the United States acquired
title to for these Notifications?
Mr.. Graf. l do not really know,
but very large amount of land. In
deed, the Government has acquired
some of that land for fertilization pur-
poses which may be more than will be
required for that particular purpose.
Mr.. Stephens of Texas. Is there a
city laid off adjacent to this property
MI. Graft. had the pleasure Of De-
ing there in May of last year, and