The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-12
Correspondence of New Orlean
Times Democrat.)

dredging of Pearl Harbor is finished
and the entire Pacific fleet can steam
up the channel to the shelter of what
is to be the biggest naval station in
the world. BY the time the Panama
canal is completed the naval station
will be ready for the-part it is destin
ed to play in the naval operations OF
the United States. Bids have been
called for for the erection of the build
ings of the naval station, and they
will be opened here by Rear-Admiral
Cowles, U. S. ~, commandant of the
Honolulu station, on the Both of this
month, so that the year 1912 will see
for the seven industrial buildings have
been laid and the concrete is harden
ing so the work of erection of the
steel buildings can proceed without
delay as soon as the contracts are
awarded. The announcement of the
completion of the dredging by Presi-
Dredging Company was hailed by the
people of these islands as an event
of historic interest, not only to the
islands but to the entire United
States, for the opening of the chan
mel to navigation for warships has
been the dream of naval officers
since the old wooden frigate Consti-
tution-"Old Ironsides'--was here in
the forties The work of clearing the
channel has occupied the greatest
part of four years. 1t necessitated
the cutting and clearing away of A.
644,300 cubic yards-some of it coral
rock-and the cost has been in the
neighborhood of $3,296,OOO. The bar
at the entrance to the harbor, because
of its size, and the elimination of Wal
pic Point, because it was solid coral,
have been the hardest parts of the
entire work The chart of the har-
Dor now shows almost a straight
channel from the open sea to the an
chorage grounds off Kuahua Island,
where the naval arsenal is to be es-
Itablished With the completion of
! the Pearl Harbor comparatively near
at hand the people of the islands
are anxious to have further fortifca-
lions erected on Oahu by the United
States The decision on the part OF
the British War Office to strengthen
vastly the defense of Jamaica is used
as an argument for the further fOrti-
fication of this island. However
strong Jamaica becomes as a military
base, the same degree of strength
should be added to Oahu. is the con-
tention advanced by prominent resi-
dents of the islands. This is the
opinion of Major Archibald Campbell,
| L. S. A. adjutant-general of the De-
partment OF Hawaii. Major Campbell,
in expressing this opinion, repeats in
substance the recommendation of Ma
| jof-General Murray, commanding the
western division OF the army, made
two or three years ago to the War
Department that 10000 soldiers
should be permanently stationed here
for garrison and coast defense duty.
The Acknowledgement inclines to the
theory that the sudden determination
of the British to make Jamaica, ~
ling opposite the Atlantic entrance to
THE Panama canal, fortified base OF
IGibraltar strength and power, only
adds to the force of General Murray q
argument that Oahu, lying to the
westward of the Pacific entrance to
the canal, should become America 3
!Gibraltar
There are arguments to urge for
Oahu stronger than for Jamaica
however, if Great Britain had reason
ito make Jamaica its powerful base in
the Atlantic. there are additional rea
sons why the United States should
make Oahu its most powerful mill
tary base in the Pacific. Jamaica
does not bear the same geographical
position to Great Britain nor to itS
possessions in North and South Amer
lea that Oahu does to the American
mainland Oahu is the chief strate
gical outpost of the United States be
tween that country and the nations
of the Far East, defending a thou
sand miles of coast line; Jamaica /
l isolated from Great Britain and Car
ada, and surrounded by the posses
sions of nations other than British
r Major Campbell sees in Britain's d,
D termination to fortify Jamaica
, friendly disposition to assist in mail
e tanning the neutrality of the Panam
e canal, Her Notifications of that i
6 land will be another powerful factC
c in enabling the United States to mai
). tain peace, for the British will be II
e largest gamers by the opening of Il
Q Panama canal because of their larl
t. merchant marine The enlargemeI
Of and the safety Of this merchal