Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-15

BROWNSON SEES
BIG BASE HERE
Does Not Believe Government
Likely to Stop Work In
"Key to Pacific

Gliml sed in the woyk which Uncle
Sam is already doing al Pearl Harbor
lis the promise of a great naval base
for Hawaii in :Ee rot too distant
future. accord!n., 10 the belief of Rear
Admiral Willard Herbert Brownson,
retired officer of the navy, who is: now
visiting IN the city. ...=....:...> -. T..
Admiral and Mrs Brownson are at
the home of their daughter, Mrs.
Thomas, Z. Hart. wife OF the submar.
inc commander This is the ddmirals
fifth TiSit in the city. the first having
been taken when he was an officer
On the steam sIoop-of-war Mohican.
when dropped anchor here in 1869
when Kamehameha was on the
throne and Kalakaua was major Of
the household troops. ~"
Islands Key to isacifie -. ...-
Amy money properly spent here in
naval construction is a good expen-
diture, said the admiral today, for
these islands are truly the key to
the Pacific. There is no doubt that
the facilities or Pearl Harbor will be
extended. How much, shall not at
having expended such sums already,
Uncle Sam will not stop with this"
Admifll Brownson would not offer
prediction of whether or not a great
fleet xolld ever be placed here. He
declared the placing OF a fleet large
,ly 4 political matter in peace time,
but added that all officials agree ON
the fact that :h,: flee. should not be
divided. ..-.--. ~. ri.
There won't be a single battle
ship, aor two or three sent here he
said. What good would that num-
Der do? If the pace is defended with
battlesnips there will be enough to
amount to somathing. 49,"
The admiral is II. He retired nine
years ago, but leaning back in an easy
chair on tie Hart lanai today ne look
ed not o. er so. He smiled at recollec.
tion of his first visit here, remarking
that he can pick OUT only few Of
the ho1ses that stood in the city at
that time, and that many of the pres
ent residential districts were then
taro patches ., ~. -
Food Supply is Problem
"Honolulu's food supply in case of
war would depend largely on circum-
stances, he said when asked if this
question might prove serious. Eng
land rs mistress of the seas is even
being led to consider the food supply
question. Men can't fight without
food. And speaking of fighting, the
battle5hip still commands the sea in
spite of all the talk Of submarines
usurpin;s her. The navy department
must believe in the battleship or it
wouldn't be ordering more of them.
He declared the four submarines
represent Oahl's principal defense,
even though the army is well prepared
to see that the island is defended from
the land. =s@.. ..-..-..
Admiral Brownson has held a mum.
Der of distinguished positions in the
navy. lie saw service on the seas
for a time during the Civil War, which
was during his student days in Anna
polls. In the Spanish war he had
command of the Yankee in Cuban
waters; commanded the Alabama in
1902; was superintendent at Anna
polls srom 1902 TO 1906; commanded
the forth division of the Atlantic
fleet in 1906; the Asiatic fleet in 1906
and 1907 and was. chief of the bureau
of navigation when he retired for age
in 1907. ~. -. ......