The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-06-02
WAR SECRETARY
EXPLAINS THINGS
WRITES TO SENATE COMMITTEE
WHY TROOPS WILL QUAR-
TER nv HONOLULU.
(From Thursdays Advortiser.l


The first step toward establishing an
infantry post, instead Of cavalry
post, in the Hawaiian Islands, was
taken by the passage by the senate on
May 16 of Senator Warren q bill au-
thOrizing the change in construction Of
barracks and other necessary buildings
for mobile troops in Hawaii, says the
Army and Navy Register of May 30.
According to the original plan, the war
department arranged for the construc-
tion of cavalry post, some fifteen
| miles from Honolulu, on n large tract
of land which was regarded as suitable
for the purpose. The funds for this
purpose were appropriated by congress
in 1908 and 1910, and there is avail
able an appropriation of 100000. The
situation and the intention of the war
department have been explained in a
communication to the chairman of the
committee of appropriations of the
senate by the secretary of war, as fol-
lows:
When the above provisions of law
were obtained, it was expected to con
struct cavalry post to accommodate
regimental headquarters and two
squadrons of cavalry on the reserva-
tion known as the Waianae-uka reser-
walton, now known as Schofield Bar
racks. Recent developments have in
dicated that cavalry is more urgently
needed on our southern frontier than
in Hawaii, and it is known that it can
be more economically maintained in
Texas, Arizona and New Mexico than
in Hawaii. This has led to the de-
termination to reduce the number of
mounted troops and increase the num-
Der of infantry serving in Hawaii.
With the exception of the four-com-
pany post at Fort Shafter, the only
accommodations for troops of the mo-
bile army stationed in Hawaii consist
of inexpensive environments (frame
shacks) erected at Schofeld Barracks.
By reason of the necessity which
exists for replacing this type of con-
struction at intervals, it has been de-
cided to defer sending the remainder
| of the permanent peace garrison to
Hawaii until quarters of a permanent
nature can be erected for its accom-
mediation. The style of post existing
in the United States and heretofore
constructed in our insular possessions
consists of detached buildings with the
necessary walks, drives, grounds, water
supply, sewers and heating and light
ing plants The cost of unkeep of such
posts is a very large item in the APP
preparations for the support of the
army.
If, as in other nations, barracks were
erected in large towns, where use could
be made of the water and sewage facili-
ties, walks, streets, etc., great deal Of
this expense would be avoided. Quar-
tiers for officers need not be constructed,
the officers being. allowed Communication
of quarters and required to provide
their own quarters in the city in which
the troops are garrisoned. Thus another
large item of expense (for building, fur
nishing and maintaining officers quar-
/ ters) can be largely reduced.
The government owns, in the city Of
Honolulu, the greater portion of tract
known as the barrack lot. This tract
offers suitable location for the cree
(, tion in a single building of accommOda-
tions, exclusive of officers quarters, for
three regiments of infantry. That part
of the barraek lot owned by the govern
ment is irregular in shape. To enable
the war department to carry out the
plan of quartering troops in a single
barraek building, it will be necessary
to acquire certain adjoining property
within the sames efty block Should
only such additional land as is indicated
in red on the enclosed blue print be
purchased, similar accommodations to
those above mentioned can be construct
ed for one regiment and two battalions
of infantry.
In order that either of these plans
may be carried out, authority of law is
necessary for expanding the amount
heretofore appropriated for a cavalry
post for the erection of infantry quar-
tiers and for the requirement of tho
additional land required.