The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-12
SCHWER|N SAYS
TOLLS ARE HIGH
Compares the Present Harb0r
Rates With Those of the
Monarchy Days.

r. P. Schwerin, general manager of
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company,
accompanied by Mrs. Schwerin and
family, arrived on the Korea and has
taken a cottage at the Seaside Hotel.
Mr.. Schwerin is here for rest and rec
reation and also to look into the af-
fairs of the Pacific Mail One of his
first comments on the business of the
port was, that next to Manila, it was
the most expensive port at which the
vessels of his company, called. Mr..
Schwerin goes back to the days of the
monarchy, when he says there was free
pilotage and many other gratis accom-
modations, but these are now in the
column of charges, and these, he claims,
are too high.
However, Mr.. Schwerin says that the
business his company enjoys from this
port is considerable and is helpful to
the company's interests. He believes
that Honolulu people could do more in
promoting business for the Pacific Mail
The steamship magnate has some
unique ideas as to the value of wire
less. He states that the wireless OPP
erations do not extend over sufi-
cient mileage of ocean to make it
worth while equipping the Pacific Mail
steamships. To do this would cost
about So, 900 for installing apparatus,
and $4,000 more to pay salaries of
operators. The present amount of
business does not warrant the expendi-
ture. Anyhow, it is yet plaything.
Mr.. Schwerin ridicules Jack Binns, the
wireless operator whose exploit in the
lives of hundreds of passengers by
bringing half dozen other steamships
to the rescue by his work at the key.
Mr.. Schwerin says that the story
that Binns operated his wireless ma
chine by storage batteries is buncombe.
He says that all the talk of Binns'
heroic conduct is made out of the whole
cloth. Thus is demolished another
hero IS reputation. He also SAYS that
wireless has not in any degree added
to the safety of single vessel, not
withstanding reports to the contrary.
He does not know of a single wreck
averted through wireless. He says that
wireless on the Atlantic has been great
ly popularized by passengers who find
it amusing to wire back and forth from
the steamers Anyhow, as to report
ing his vessels when near a port, the
steamship vice president says his boats
run on railroad schedules, and when
they are expected in port they general
ly arrive. Quoting his wireless talk
in the San Francisco Chronicle, Mr..
Schwerin says:
IF we were. now to install wireless
on orr Pacific steamers, it would be of
no advantage to any one. There are
stations here and at Hawaii. There is
one in Japan, which has only recently
been opened to the use of merchant
steamers and only for the receipt of
messages of distress. There is no wire
less station in China. Intercourse then.
naturally, would be restricted to the
United States and the Hawaiian
Islands. On the Atlantic, where hun
both directions and anxious to keep in
touch with the stock markets and bust
ness conditions, / consider the wire
less important. But here our passen-
gers are mostly in quest of health or
of pleasure
Mr.. Schwerin states that if the ship
subsidy had passed it would have given
an opportunity to the Pacific Mail to
expand its business. He has said since
ne arrived in Honolulu that from the
present volume of business given to
the Pacific Mail boats the company may
be compelled to give up the Oriental
service, and this would subtract from
Honolulu S present steamer accommo-
dations. He states, however, that the
directors do not wish to give up the
service and will do everything possi-
BILE to hold out. He says the trouble
is largely due to the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
The Schwerin party viii return to
San Francisco on the Manchuria.
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