Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-19
GERMAN VESSELS
Still IN PORT;
BOARD WAITING
Shipping Firm consuIts Attor-
neys and May Let Commits
sionerS Use Its Tugboat


The Star-Bulletin learned on good
authority late this afternoon that
further correspondence on the Ger
man refugee ship question between the
agents and the harb0r commission
would probably Issue late today or to-
morrow morning.
No meeting Of the board Of harbor
commissioners was held today, the
first day without . meeting in more
than week.
Al noon new angles on the German
refugee merchant steamer situation
were these:
The harbor board received COM
munication from Lieut.. Col r. r. Ray
mond, United States army engineer Of
ficer for the Hawaiian district. in re-
ply to its letter requesting permission
TO drive dolphins (mooring piles) IN
Rotten Row TO moor the Pommern and
Setos. The letter Is said to state that
the district engineer, while not having
authority TO grant the request, will not
oppose the boards contemplated ac-
ton.
Castle & Cooke, the local Matson
Navigation Company agency, expects
to receive an opinion late this after
noon from its attorneys, Smith, War
rem & Whitney, stating whether the
agency can allow the harbormaster to
use the Matson TUG Intrepid to tow the
Pommern 10 sea without rendering IL
self liable for damages despite the
warning letter sent out Friday after.
noon by Hackfeld & Company to Mat
son agency and all other shipping
firms in the city. causing the latter
Saturday morning to refuse the harbor
board the use OF tugs or other vessels
TO tow the Pommern outside.
The Kona gale blowing last night
and today has lashed the sea to fury
and at noon. local waterfront men were
OF the opinion that had the P0mmern
been anchored outside Saturday as the
harbor board had ordered. but found
impossible. the giant freighter would
surely have been driven on the reef
and wrecked q
Collector OF the Port Malcolm A..
Franklin said shortly before noon that
he had received no further instruc.
lions from Washington about the Ger
man steamers here.
Next Meeting 10 Uncertain
Chairman Charles r. Forbes Of the
harbor board said shortly before noon
that he did not know when he would
call another meeting. It is thought
one may be held late today or tomor-
row TO act on the letter from the dis
trict engineer.
At the meeting last week when the
question OF mooring the Pommern and
SetOs in Rotten Row was considered
the harbor commissioners made Il
clear that the two freiehters will be
moored parallel with the channel and
not at right angles to It as are the
Kilnuea and other vessels of the Inter
Island reserve feet. This plan win
leave plenty OF room for all steamers
to pass up and down the channel to
and from piers in the Eva basin.
Governor Has No Reply
Down to ] O'Clock this afternoon no
reply had been received BY Gov. Lucius
r. Pinkham from Secretary Of State
Robert Lansing to the lengthy cable
gram sent to the secretary at Wash
ington Friday night BY the territory's
chief executive in reply 70 an earlier
cable from the secretary OF state
Developments in the efforts Of the
harbor board to move or have moved
the steamers Pommern and Setos from
Saturday afternoon to- this morning
consisted IN the sending OF two iden-
tical letters dated Saturday by the
board to the two houses Of the legis'
lafure. These letters said;
fully submit copy Of action made.
seconded and readily carried at spe-
cial meeting OF the board OF harboI
commissioner held this morning.
wherein the governor Is requested to
forward q despatch to Secretary Of the
Interior Lane at Washington. solicit
ing necessary assistance whereby we
may obtain the removal Of the German
refugee vessels now lying at the terri
torial wharves. We would most earn
estly and respectfully request that you
use your influence TO obtain the de
sired result Awaiting your kindly Co
operation In this matter"
House Receives Letter
The communication from the harbor |
board asking assistance In It's efforts
TO secure the removal Of the German |
refugee steamers from Honolulu har.
Dor. which was received BY the house
OF Representatives shortly before 10 |
o'clock this morning. has been referred |
by Speaker H. L. Holstein to the com,
mittee on health. military and police. |
Df which Representative Evan ID Silva |
Is chairman.
Il move that this communication be /
to the military committee.
said Representative Kelekolio, whose |
were responsible for the
entire German ship Investigation.
II don't see anything that the mill
larry committee can do. asserted Rep |
Miles. This communica-
ton only reports the action Of the
harbor board"
Causes DISPUTES
But Speaker Holstein had different
piews
The military committee might be
able to get q tug for the. board to tow
,ut these ships. he yentnred
Kelekolio took the floor again.
According to this letter. he said.
the harbor board Is helpless. Let the
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