The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-03-10
EAST L0CH WILL
Be CLOSED UP
NAVAL REQUIREMENT. DEMAND
EXCLUSIVE USE OF THIS
WATER.

(From wedncsday'a Advertiscr.)
Commercial navigation in tho cast
loch Of Pearl TIarbor, between the naval
reservation on the mainland and Ford
Island, win be prohibited by the navy
department, and only the west, middle
and the upper part Of the east loch
will be permitted TO the use Of steamers
and sailing vessels. The water of the
east loeh, in the boundaries mentioned,
are to be reserved entirely for the yes.
sells of the United States navy, and
will be used as the inner anchorage.
This water lies at the mouth of the dry
dock now under construction.
This is the information which was
impaired 10 a large number Of repre-
sentative businesu men who gathered
yesterday morning in the draftingroom
OF the Office of Major Winslow. Corps
of Engineers, U. s. A.. when the pro-
posed bulkhead and pierhead lines for
Pearl Harbor were shown on a map
tackled upon the wall.
While the closing of "a part of Pearl
Harbor is something that interests here
have expected, yet this is the first time
an official notice thereof has been made.
1t closes to navigation very important
part of Pearl Harbor, but as the navy
department is spending millions of dol
lars in improvements in the channel
leading to this loch and is shortly to
build retaining walls, wharves and other
appurtenanees of-a navy yard, it is
known that the department needs such
an anchorage entirely free from what
ever distractions commercial vessels
might put in the way of warships.
The navy controls the eastern shore
of Ford Island the entire length as it
faces into this naval basin, and when
the drydoelS and station are ready these
waters viii be declared closed to gen.
eral navigation.
Plans Permanent.
The meeting was called by Major
Winslow, at the direction of the secre
tary of war, primarily to discuss har,
Dor lines. The informal talk brought
out many important features connected
with shore lines and tide lands, and the
statement was made that the map, once
worked out and adopted by the secre
ture developments of the harbor The
map showed an inner line drawn close
to the shore. This was the proposed
bulkhead line. Another line, farther
out, indicated the pierhead limit Botl
lines were put as far back as possible
: owing to the desire of the war depart
ment to have as maximum channe'
width in the loehs as possible. This
was illustrated by Major Winslow wher
he said that at present the government
is spending considerable money tC
widen Honolulu Harbor to 1900 feet
and the government would mot fee
| greatly inclined to diminish a widtl
I -'a~~n AharN-nsaa-a- T4assihla -AhanAa -
widening.
Important Harbor.
In fact. in support of this contention
Major Winslow stated that in time
the lochs open for general navigation
might become as important as Homo
lulu harbor. The major stated that il
will not be difficult to change the Pear
Harbor lines after they are fixed, il
there is good reason. He stated thai
Honolulu IS lines had been changed
often, and he said it was an interesting
fact that no one knew the origina
limos. The first letter sent here by the
war department enclosing a map OF
original lines contained three different
maps. They were returned to Wash
lngton with query as to which was
the first real map Of established lines
After about four months work in
searching the records the department
gave it mp and no one will ever know
Major Winslow stated that at thai
time the war department was very busy
in the Philippines.
Fishing Rights.
The question of vested fishing right
came up. Major Winslow replied, il
answers to a question by Attorney
Marx, that the fishing rights viii have
to be proved again in the courts. Mr.
Marx stated that the act of congress
gave the owners of former fishini
rights, the same rights under tn,
United States. The lands and water
where those fishing rights obtaine,
would be condemned by the NAVY de
! partment, said the major. The majo
stated with reference to question
about putting in wharves in shallow
water, that where there is shallow
water the riparian owner may dredg,
from the channel to his wharf. AIS,
any mud dredged would have to be dom
under the direction of the army en-
gineer department so that the disposi
tion of the mud would be a matter o.
record.
Major Winslow stated there were il
round numbers about $4,000 yards O
wharfage space along frontage o
about twenty five or thirty miles. Tn
west loch, he said, would make an idea
IhaTbor as there is considerable dee
water throughout. He did not believ
the government would undertake I
dredge the west loeh--and certainl,
not until the demands of eommerc
made this imperative.
The Natural Point.