Nuhou, Volume I, Number 17, 22 April 1873 — Mr. Nordhoff's Views About Pearl Harbor. [ARTICLE]

Mr. Nordhoff's Views About Pearl Harbor.

We notice in the Army and Navy Joumal 9 whieh copies from the New York Tribune, some obscrvationB of lhis gentleman in regard to " Pearl River in Ewa about ten m\\es from llonolulu, whieh it is proposed to eede to the United States in recompense for a rreaty of reeiproeity. It has, he says, suffieient space and depth of water to make it one of the finest and most eoinmodioue harbors in the world; it is so well protected by nature that its waters are as smooth as a mill pond; and I am assured that it is thoroughly and easily defensible against an attaek from the sea. Thero is a bar, a coral bank I think, in the ehannel w T hich has now only 12 feet of water. But this is not a serious obstruetion, for it could be deepened at a 6mall eost, ? ' The I|litor remarks that General Alexander who liaa bored*t*he reef at the bar, thinks that the opening of tlie harbor would eost nearly $2,000,000. "As a naval Mr. N. continues to say, " the importance of the islands must in time increase, and the possession by the United States of the bay ealled Pearl River, wouM be equivalent to and far better than our possession of the islands. We should have the use witliout the eare of them. Surveys ehow it to be posBible 1 am told to lay a submarine eable betweon Sau Francisco and the islands, and if this were done, this point (Honolulu) would no doubt beeome a ecntre of communieation for the rapidly growing eommerce of thc Pueiiie Oeean,-' &c. In other eorrespondencc of tiic Tribune y we notice these remarks: 44 He (Gen. Sehofield) eame here no doubt, on account of thc supposed ill health (not his own) of this country; and this milit*ary doctor was very likeW disappointed to find liis patient apparently restored by having swallowed a Lunalilo pill. But thc political heaŪh of the couutry only apparent, and nothing short of annexation to Ambriea or an iutelligeut i*epublican order of Governmeut will eure it/' Speaking of ealutcB and other courtesies hp "" It adds* to the eoneeit of thc kaiiaka and makes him think that his Kingdom, whieh is about . e<fuul to a 2sew York eity ward, is a big ttung,"

£3T Thcre is a lm, sit»atcd uiauka of thc llotel t whioli to the Ilolel property, and as we underefcaiid, ie paid for, but has not yefc becn iakon .possession of, or at loaet improved, in thc of tho llotcl. It is mnoh nccded to afiord a piiagagc through to Bcrctania atreet; and tho waj heing lined wiih irecß wonhl make another handHomc approaelu bc6idee heing of grcat convenienee (o t!ic huilding. If it ih bought |aiJ fov. whv i* it not | ut \ni< | roper liand>?