The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-08-13
SCHWER|N SAYS
TOLLS ARE HIGH

r. p. schwerin, general manager of
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company,
accompanied by Mrs. Schwerin and
family, arrived on the Korea and has
taken 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 op.
| erations do not extend over n sufii-
cient mileage of ocean to make il
worth while equipping the Pacific Mail
steamships. TO do this would cost
about 1000 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 a plaything
Mr.. Schwerin ridicules Jack Binns, the
wireless operator whose exploit in the
cabin of the S. S. Republic saved the
lives of hundreds of passengers by
bringing half a 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 a single vessel, not
withstanding reports to the contrary
He does not know Of single wrecl
averted through wireless. He says tina
wireless on the Atlantic has been great
ly popularized by passengers who fin,
il amusing to wire back and forth from
the steamers. Anyhow, as to report
ing his vessels when near port, tn
steamship vice president says his boat
run on railroad schedules, and whel
they are expected in port they general
ly arrive. Quoting his wireless tall
in the San Francisco Chronicle, MI
Schwerin says:
OF we were now to install wireless
on our Pacific steamers, ii would be o
no advantage TO any one. There ar
stations here and at Hawaii. There j
one in japan, which has only recent,
been opened to the use of merchan
steamers and only for the receipt o
! messages of distress There is no wire
less station In China. Intercourse then
, naturally, would be restricted 10 tn
United States aud the llawaiia
Islands, On the Atlantic, where hun
dreds of business men are travelling 4
both directions and anxious to keep i
, touch with the stock markets and bus
, ness conditions, | consider the wire
less important, But here our passer
gers are mostly IN quest of health o
Of pleasure,
, Mr.. sehwerin states that If tho shi
subsidy had passed II would have give
an opportunity TO the Pacific Mail +
, expand It's business He has said sine
he arrived In Honolulu that from IA
present volume Of business given I
the Pacific Mail boats tie company ma
he compelled 20 give mp tho OHepti
! service aud his would subtract frol
Honolulu = present steamer aeeQmml
dalinns. lie states, h0WeYeL that "a
directors do mol wish 10 give mp N
: service and viii 90 everything pnss
. hle 10 hold out lie Fhys tho lrnuhl
I is largely due % The lnlplslgto Con
: mnrep rnmmifainp,
+ The HphNedn PARTY Viii mium [
hap Rgapelsep va The Aanelplla,