Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-29
MATSON Liners
To BE DIVERTED
TO THE ATLANTIC
Governor and President Can
Garry 400 Passengers Each,
Only $500 Tons Cargo

Definite information that the three
crack Matson steamers, Maui, Matson-
ia and Wilhelmina are to be de-
spatched to the Atlantic for use by
the government is contained in a
.cablegram from E. d. Tenney, presi-
dent of the Matson Navigation Co.,
which confirms the Associated Press
report OF Saturday that the three
steamers had been requisitioned for
immediate use by the army and navy.
When the information was received
here that the vessels were to be taken
over at once by the government 1t was
presumed urgent need OF shipping in
the Atlantic mad caused immediate
action. The cablegram from Mr. Ten
ney specifically states they are to pro.
coed to the Atlantic at the earliest
possible date.
All three of these ships are declared
to be especially well adapted to the
need of the government. Their i'm
mense cargo holds can be readily
adapted for troop transportation and
their passenger equipment with few
alterations would make them val
liable as hospital ships. Besides they
have the required speed to avoid the
submarine danger of the Atlantic. as
they can easily attain a speed of Is
knots. Eleven knots is the speed of
shipping where the maximum of los.
ses from submarines show a falling
off.
Shipping men are somewhat at a
loss to know just why the President
and Governor are to be placed on the
Matson schedule as both of them carr
ry a limited amount of freight, al
though they have much greater passen.
ger Accommodations than the Matson
boats.
There is no very definite data avail.
able as to the capacity of the Presi.
dent and Governor, but one shipping
man says he believes they will not
carry over $500 or 5000 tons Of cargo
each He places the estimate of pas
senger carrying capacity between 400
and 500 for each of the steamers.
Hope is expressed that two or three
big freighters Will also be added to
the island service, if the President
and Governor are to permanently re-
place the Matsonia, Maui and Wiihel.
nina in the Hawaiian trade.
Due to the change Of steamers on
sary for the congressional party to
return TO the mainland on one of these
new steamers. The original plan was
to have the congressman return on
the Maui. which was scheduled to
sail from here on November IS.
Mr.. Tenney's cablegram to Castle
& Cooke Is as follows:
Orders have been issued by Unit.
ed States shipping board for the Mat
sonia, Mani and Wilhelmina to proceed
to Atlantic at earliest possible date.
Local agent proposes to take over
boats on following dates: Maui Novem.
Der II, Matsonia November 25. Will
helmina December 2. Present inten-
ton is to despatch steamers Governor
and President on Maui and Matsonia
schedule"
Il believe we will be taken care Of"
is the only reply which James A. Ken.
nedy, Hawaii representative of the
national shipping board, will make to
inquiries regarding what action he
thinks will be taken toward supply
ing the islands with sufficient cargo
boats following the withdrawal of the
Matson steamers to the Atlantic. He
will not specify what steamers he ex-
poets to be diverted to this service, or
how soon. Like other shipping men
he admits that the President and Gov
ernor will not fulfill the needs of the
Islands for cargo carriers to replace
the withdrawn Matson steamers.