The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-09-11

lac all. for the shlpmastcrs compare.
not with the exceptional dearor ports,
but with the majority Of cheaper
ones and it is asserted by those in
position TO know that the French
steamship line Of Chargcurs Reunls,
which used 20 call here, dropped Ito.
noluu and changed their course di.
rect to the western coast Of America,
precisely on account OF the extraya-
giant charges of our harbor Let as
look into the matter;
The Heavy Charges.
O) II the foreign skipper first
complains of the federal regulations,
which are termed "iniquitous;" if a
ship calls here simply for water and
fresh supplies-without doing any
commercial operation and without
entering the harbor-it has to pay the
fun tonnage dues, just as if it came
inside, to load or unload cargo, viz:
six cents a ton per net registered
tonnage plus $40 for entrance and
clearance fees and the extra compen-
sation, about $40, to the custom bro
ker because Uncle Sam does not allow
the public to transact business with
his officials direct. There must be a
broker to go between. Now all these
fees, together ($13S.4O for ship of
1000 tOns) make a call for mere pro.
visions rather expensive, and most
shippers who happen to pass in the
vicinity prefer going on a few days
more on salt rations; but this is all
the more barbarous, in presence of g
capricious exception, through which
steamers are allowed to come in free
of tonnage dues, for mere coaling
Moreover, if a ship calls here for or
ders, it has generally to have al
agent, whose minimum fee is SIS.
(2) The next complaint is agains
the high rate of pilotage charged b!
the Territory, five cents a ton on tn,
tonnage in and out for sailing vessels
and a lump sum of $50 each way fol
steamers for the work of a couple
of hours, with $40 if the ship anchors
outside and does not need a pilot
the origin of this excessive charge il
found back in the days of the mon
archy at a time when ships were few
or far between, and yet pilots had t.
be maintained all the time, so tina
when a ship did come it had to bC
charged in proportion of all the time
/ the pilots had been at leisure II
case we wish to favor the Panama
traffic, $25, or half of the present
charge would be ample To the com
plant about pilotage can be added tht
harbor masters fee $50 and the fee
for charges of wharf, S. each time.
CD Another complaint relates L
the charges made for tonnage, which
| is always necessary for sailing yes
sells, and which, in many instances
has been termed "extortionate." Final
ly the kick comes in against Wharfage
dues (0.O2 a day per tom, and espe
,cially against the comparatively higl
price of fresh water, as we'll as tina
of provisions. In respect to thes,
last, they are certainly very high
Since they have to be imported from
California, so that this cannot b
helped unless we decide to grow GU
own supplies. But all the other eX
penses above mentioned could b.
moderated by the action of the fed
eral and Territorial authorities re
spectively. OF course, all the abov
remarks apply also fully to our othe
ports of Hilo and Kahului, and thei
harbOr rates must be lowered if w
want them to be patronized by som
foreign ships.
Will Avoid Honolulu.
However, if this reputation of GU
eXpensiveness is allowed to continue
we may be sure that, when the PAY
anna is opened foreign ships, eithe
sailers or steamers, will certainly IT
to avoid Honolulu, taking their SUI
plies in Panama before leaving tn
canal, and sailing direct, stoppin
here only if absolutely forced to.
7 Where will Honolulu be then? An