The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-12-19
IN FIGHT
FORBR|NG|NC
FLEET HERE
Warships Aggregating S750,000,-
600 in Value and Carrying
$4,000 Officers and Men Coming
to Honolulu in 1915 If Mer-
chants Association Campaign
Launched Yesterday Is Sue
cessful.

If the first work Of the Honolulu
Merchants Association began yesterday
through the efforts of Vice President
George q. Guild results in success lIo.
nolulu will have the honor of enter.
tanning the great international Fleet
during its cruise in the Pacific Ocean
after sailing through the Panama Canal
in 1918, by unanimous vote the asso.
citation yesterday decided 20 begin the
campaign at once to bring this great
hect OF warships here early in the eX-
position year.
Resolutions to this effect were passed
and President o. G. Swain appointed
Mr.. Guild committee of one to get
IN touch with Secretary of the Navy
Daniels, the San Diego Chamber OF
Commerce and others with a view of
having the ships make Honolulu one OF
their ports Of call early in 1915.
Conference to Be Held.
A conference will be held with George
r. Carter of the chamber of commerce
today with view of having that body
cooperate with the work. r. NJ. Church
who is a member of the harbor com
mission at the meeting of the trustees
of the merchants association yestcr-
day gave assurance that the harbor
board will aid in every way to bring
the fleet here. Pilotage fees, which in
the case of the international fleet, would
amount to thousands of dollars, will
be waived. 1t is also probable that
arrangements will be made to furnish
the ships with coal at cost and make
no charge for water.
1.-The coming of the international
fleet to Honolulu would be the biggest
event in the history of these Islands, -
said Mr.. Guild yesterday.
cit would means the bringing of not
less than eighty thousand officers and
men here, in the first place. 1t is esti.
mated that at least one hundred vessels,
ranging in size from cruisers to super.
dreadnoughts will come through the
canal in the great naval pageant These
vessels, from the leading nations of
the world will represent cost rang.
ing from T5,OOO,OOO to Sl0,OOO,OOO or
more each.
''Thus there would be total of not
less than S75O,OOO,OOO worth of fight
ing ships anchored in the roadstcad of
Honolulu harbor. That undoubtedly
would be the greatest array of fighting
vessels ever assembled at one place, or
at least one of the greatest.
$4,000 Men in Fleet.
"Thcsc ships carry each complement
of from 500 to 400 men and Il grand
total of eighty thousand persons in the
fleet is not AN Ovcr-estimate.
Honolulu would not be taxed in
accommodating this vast number of
men, for the reason that they would
live, for the most part on their ships
during their visit here. 1t is not diff
fcut to conceive of what fine pro-
cession these eighty thousand men of
all nations would make. The cele.
bration during the visit of the Allan
tic fleet at Honolulu number of years
ago would be as nothing compared with
it. two weeks stay of the Inter
national Fleet during midwinter in 1918
would be great treat for the officers
and men alike. Aside from the adver.
Using value of such a visit hundreds
of thousands of dollars would be spent
here while they were in port.
81 am for getting the big fleet here
in 1915 and tonight will get in touch
with the chamber of commerce at San
with the chamber of commerce at
San Diego and Secretary Daniels to
get our plans under way. II is not too
early to start and believe we can get
the ships here.