General | Page 93 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

May 17, 2022 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Lord Byron’s 1825 Trip to Pearl River

In 1824, Liholiho (King Kamehameha II), his wife, Kamāmalu, and a group of retainers and foreign advisors, traveled from Hawai‘i to England. Liholiho and his wife died in England and in May of 1825, their bodies were returned to Hawai‘i by Lord Byron.

While in the islands, James Macrae, a botanist, traveling with the Lord, traveled to various locations in the company of native guides, where he took observations and collected biological samples.

One of Macrae’s journeys along with Lord Byron and party took him to Pu‘uloa, the Pearl River, where he described the scene and scenery. (Maly)

“May 17. Joined Lord Byron’s party, with Mantle carrying my traps. We did not embark until noon. After two hours sailing along the coast, we entered the mouth of the Pearl River, which divides itself into several branches, forming two islands.”

“One which is smaller than the other is called Rabbit island [Moku‘ume‘ume], from a person, the name of Marine [Marin], a Spaniard, residing at Hanarura, having put rabbits on it some years ago. The rabbits have since increased in numbers.”

“It became so calm, that his Lordship, Mr. C., and the Bloxoms left us in the launch, and rowed in the small boat in tow, and soon disappeared from sight.”

“We waited in suspense, hour after hour, not knowing the several branches of the river, nor where we were to spend the night.”

“The boat party pulling into one branch of the river, the other in which I was tacking about from bank to bank till the boaters hauled their boat ashore and we cast anchor.”

“Both parties were opposite each other on Rabbit Island, but ignorant of the fact, till on walking about the island, the parties met.”

“One hut was noticed, and those on the island made for it, but the launch having the ladies and some others on board, got up anchor and sailed round to the hut, where with the help of canoes, they all landed.”

“The ladies were somewhat discontented, but after a good dinner partaken sitting on mats spread on the grass, harmony was restored.”

“At dusk we embarked to cross to a larger hut. Landed at 8 p.m. At ten o’clock two old men entered our hut to play the hura dance on a couple of bottle shaped gourds. They took a sitting posture, beating time on the gourd’s with the palms of their hands, accompanied by a song made up about the late king.”

“About 11, we all retired to rest, lying down beside each other on mats, some with pumpkins or what else they could get for a pillow. The ladies got themselves screened off in a corner with a flag without any other accommodation.”

“Pearl River is about seven miles west of Hanarura, and is improperly called a river, being rather inlets from the sea, branching off in different directions. There are three chief branches, named by the surveyors, the East, Middle and West Lochs.”

“The entrance to Pearl River is very narrow and shallow, and in its present state it is fit for very small vessels to enter, but over the bar there is deep water, and in the channel leading to the lochs there are from 7 to 20 fathoms. The lochs themselves are rather shallow.”

“The coast from Hanarura to the west of Pearl River possesses no variety of plants beyond two or three species, such as Argemones (kala, beach poppy), Portulacas (‘ihi, yellow purslane), and a few other little annuals, intermixed with the common long grass so plentiful everywhere on the coast round the island.”

“The oysters that are found in Pearl River are small and insipid and of no value or consequence.”

“May 18. Got up at 4 a.m., after a restless night, having been tormented with fleas. Departed with my man Mantle, leaving the rest yet asleep. But after travelling about three miles, the path which we had first struck terminated, and the grass became longer and more difficult to travel over.”

“At last, after another three miles, we got so entangled with creeping plants running a little above the ground beneath the grass, that Mantle, who was stockingless, shed tears, complaining of his ankles, and refused to go on.”

“Being yet five miles from the woods, and not having sufficient provisions for two days, we were forced to return to the town by a path leading through taro ponds, some distance inland from the coast.”

“On the path we had left near the Pearl River, we saw several thickly inhabited huts, situated on the side of a ravine stocked with bananas, taro and healthy breadfruit trees just forming their fruit. Here we met with an old Englishman, who told us there was on the opposite side of the ravine a large river coming out under the ground.”

“We went to the place and found that what he had told us was correct, and stood admiring the subterranean stream of fine, cool water. Its source was rapid, forming a cascade nearly 20 feet in height, having ferns and mosses on its sides.”

“In the grounds of the natives, I saw plenty of the awa plant (piper) mentioned in the history of these islands, as being destructive to the health of the natives when used to excess, owing to its intoxicating qualities. I obtained several specimens of it in flower.”

“The old man informed me that he had been on the island over sixteen years, and that the grounds we were then upon, belonged to Boki, and had been in his charge for ten years.”

“Upon Boki going to England with the king, another chief had turned him away, and taken all his little ground from him, so that he had been forced to live on the charity of the natives.”

“The neighbourhood of the Pearl River is very extensive, rising backwards with a gentle slope towards the woods, but is without cultivation, except round the outskirts to about half a mile from the water.”

“The country is divided into separate farms or allotments belonging to the chiefs, and enclosed with walls from four to six feet high, made of a mixture of mud and stone.”

“The poorer natives live on these farms, also a few ragged foreigners who have a hut with a small spot of ground given them, for which they must work for the chiefs a certain number of days besides paying an annual rent in dogs, hogs, goats, poultry and tapa cloths, which they have to carry to whatever spot their master is then living on the island.”

“On the least neglect to perform these demands, they are turned away and deprived of whatever stock, etc., they may possess. Such is the present despotic or absolute law in the Sandwich Islands.”

“This is corroborated by all foreigners met with at different times, who, on our arrival, hoped that Lord Byron would render them their little property more secure in future. Unfortunately they must wait till the British Consul helps them, as we have no authority to interfere with the laws of the country.”

“On our way home we noticed that the country on the side towards the woods still remained uncultivated, also towards the sea coast, except the lower ends of the small valleys which are cultivated with the taro in ponds, which much resemble peat mosses that had been worked and afterwards allowed to get full of stagnant water.”

“There is no convenient road to travel anywhere on the island. We met with another subterranean river at the side of one of the hollows, larger than the other, but of no great fall after its appearance from underground.”

“By 4 pm we gained the summit of a high hill, thickly covered with tufts of long grass. It lies within three miles of Hanarura. There is a burying ground of the natives at the top, which was formerly where the chiefs of high rank had a morai.”

“At the bottom towards the sea, there is a circular salt pond, nearly two miles in circumference, surrounded by low conical hills. In places on the sides of a valley leading to the pond from the interior, are several huts of the natives with taro ponds and a large grove of coco-nut trees, apparently very old from their height and mossy appearance.”

“We reached town about six o’clock having travelled twenty miles since morning without much success, being too near the coast to meet with a variety of plants. We learnt, however, a good deal about the present mode of life of the natives, and the manner in which they continue to cultivate their grounds, differing but little, if any, from the descriptions given Capt. Cook and others.” (Macrae)

Honolulu-South_Shore-Pearl_Harbor-to-Diamond_Head-Kotzebue-1817-portion-for_GoogleEarth-600

Pearl_Lochs_and_Puuloa_Entrance-Map-1873

Puuloa-map

Pearl_Harbor,_Hawaii-2009

Puʻuloa_in_the_1880s

May 15, 2022 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Hālawa Shaft

The Hawaiian Islands are made up of one or more shield volcanoes that are composed primarily of extremely permeable, thin basaltic lava flows (within the flows are a few ash beds.) Ordinarily, basalts are among the most permeable rocks on earth.

When rain falls on the Islands, it does one of three things: (1) wets the land surface, shallow infiltration saturates the uppermost soil layer and replaces soil moisture used by plants and then is absorbed by the vegetation and/or evaporates (evapotranspiration;) (2) runs off, eroding the land, forming valleys and gouges in the mountain slopes (and also creates some spectacular periodic waterfalls;) or (3) percolates into the ground (slowly sinks into the ground and becomes groundwater.)

The latter contributes to the groundwater recharge of the area (in the Koʻolau, it takes about 9-months for the rain, now groundwater, to seep down through cracks and permeable materials in the mountain.) Other recharge components include cloud drip (moisture condenses on the trees and leaves as clouds/fog drift through) and irrigation of an area helps add to the recharge.

Rainfall percolating through the ground may accumulate in three principal types of groundwater bodies: (1) high-level bodies perched on relatively impervious soil, ash or lava layers; (2) high-level bodies impounded within compartments formed by impermeable dikes that have intruded the lava flows; and (3) basal water bodies floating on and displacing salt water.

The principal source of fresh ground water in the Hawaiian Islands is the roughly lens-shaped basal water body floating on and displacing denser sea water. (It varies by area, sometimes there is high-level confined water.) Recharge of the basal water body results directly from percolating rain water or by underground leakage from perched-water bodies and bodies impounded by dikes.

The Ghyben-Herzberg principle applies to this basal water that suggests the top of fresh water above sea level should be balanced by a thickness of fresh water below sea level about 40 times as great. That generally means, for every foot of fresh water above sea level, there is 40-feet of fresh water below it.)

Water resources were becoming a challenge in the growing Honolulu community. “From the outset it was the Board’s major problem to supply the City of Honolulu with water from sources within its own boundaries as long as that remained possible.”

“The Board’s long range plan, however, contemplated the eventual necessity of going outside the boundaries of the District of Honolulu for additional artesian water but it had been thought that the time when this would have to be done was far in the future. However, when the emergency arose it was possible to advance this phase of the program by deferring the infiltration projects.”

“Bond moneys that would have been applied to infiltration were transferred to a new project through which additional artesian water will be brought into the city from a 284-foot inclined shaft and electrically-operated underground pumping station in North Hālawa Valley.”

“War has delayed the completion of the North Hālawa project and has greatly increased its cost. Army and Navy authorities have given us splendid cooperation on this project, and, although we cannot be certain how soon all the materials and equipment required for completion of the installation will reach us, progress on its construction has been satisfactory, and it should be completed within the year 1943.” (Report of the Board of Water Supply, Ohrt’s Report, January 28, 1943)

North Hālawa Valley overlies the Pearl Harbor aquifer, an important source of potable water for the island of Oʻahu. Freshwater in the Pearl Harbor aquifer is part of a large, lens-shaped body of ground water that is thickest in the central part of Oahu and thins toward the coastline.

This lens of freshwater, known as the ‘basal lens,’ floats on saltwater that penetrates from the ocean into the basalt flows of which the island is composed. (Izuka, USGS)

In some early installations, vertical wells were drilled in the tunnels to develop additional water. Hālawa was different; it is referred to as a skimming tunnel. It’s commonly called the Hālawa Shaft.

Skimming tunnels consist essentially of a vertical or inclined shaft constructed from the ground surface down to about the water table and one or more horizontal, or nearly horizontal, tunnels constructed laterally at, or just below, the water level to collect water. (Peterson)

The fundamental advantage of the skimming tunnels over conventional wells is their capability to produce large quantities of fresh water from lenses so thin that drilled wells would recover only brackish water.

For this reason, skimming tunnels are especially useful in some of the dry leeward coastal areas of Hawaiʻi, as well as on many small oceanic islands with extremely thin fresh-water lenses.

Owing primarily to economic considerations and also to the greater flexibility of modern deep-well pumping stations, no new major skimming tunnels have been constructed in Hawaiʻi since the early 1950s. (Peterson)

The Hālawa Shaft facility is at an elevation of 165 feet above sea level; it’s one of five main shafts operated by the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. (The other main shafts include Wai’alae, Kalihi, Makaha and Pearl City.)

Approximately 15-million gallons of pure water is pumped every day from the Hālawa shaft by three pumping units which have a capacity of 18 to 20-million gallons per day.

The water pool is a ‘hole’ at the top of a 919-foot long water development tunnel below. The Hālawa Shaft was put in operation on August 22, 1944. (Papacostas)

The completion of the Hālawa Shaft made possible the importation of water from the Pearl Harbor area to Honolulu permitting a reduction in draft from the Honolulu aquifer.

This change in draft has raised the water levels in Honolulu to the extent that this aquifer now appears to be functioning well within the limits of its safe yield. (Ground Water Development, 1958)

While I was at DLNR, I had the opportunity to have a private tour of the Hālawa Shaft. The lack of a key to unlock a gate on the stairs leading down the shaft caused quite an embarrassment to the Water staff.

Rather than turn back, we climbed over the gate and were able to view the shaft and water pool.

May 11, 2022 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

KGU

What is thought to have been the earliest broadcast of music and speech in the Territory occurred around October 1920 when Marion Mulrony and TC Hall transmitted nearly an hour of talk and records from the Electric Shop in downtown Honolulu to the Pacific Heights home of their only known listeners, Tong Phong and his family. (Schmitt)

Mulrony came to the Islands after a stint in Australia where he initially was the wireless operator on the RMS Makura. In April 1910, Mulrony claimed a record transmission from the RMS Makura of 2,080 miles to North Vancouver. He was later general Manager of Maritime Wireless.

On the continent, Westinghouse, one of the leading radio manufacturers, had an idea for selling more radios: It would offer programming. Radio began as a one-to-one method of communication, so this was a novel idea.

Dr Frank Conrad was a Pittsburgh area ham operator. He frequently played records over the airwaves for the benefit of his friends. This was just the sort of thing Westinghouse had in mind, and it asked Conrad to help set up a regularly transmitting station in Pittsburgh.

On November 2, 1920, station KDKA made the nation’s first commercial broadcast (a term coined by Conrad himself). They chose that date because it was election day, and the power of radio was proven when people could hear the results of the Harding-Cox presidential race before they read about it in the newspaper. (PBS)

Then, “Hello, hello” was blurted out over KGU at 10:57 am, May 11, 1922 – it was the first commercial radio broadcast in the Islands. (Territorial Airwaves)

The first scheduled program on KGU was a concert aired from 7:30 to 9:00 that evening. It began with a violin solo by Kathleen Parlow, Ave Maria, and closed with selections by Johnny Noble’s jazz orchestra. (Schmitt)

Mulrony had obtained the first license to construct a commercial radio station in the Hawaiian Islands. He was the first to broadcast over KGU. KDYX was the second, getting on the Hawaiian airwaves at 11:12 am with “Aloha.” (Territorial Airwaves)

Back then, radio stations were owned by the newspapers. KGU was owned by the Advertising Publishing Company and its transmitter was located in the Honolulu Advertiser newspaper building; the Star-Bulletin’ radio went by the KDYX call letters. (KDYX later became known as KGMB.)

KGU and KGMB were the only commercial broadcast stations on O‘ahu until after World War II. Within a few months of the war’s end, KHON, KPOA and KULA came on the air using surplus military radio equipment. (Sigall)

Call letters were originally created so telegraph operators could send messages to ships and other parties without having to spell out the entire name of the recipient with every communication. With the advent of radio, they became an easy way to carve out a station’s identity.

The international assignment of call letters was codified in 1912 at the London International Radiotelegraphic Conference. German channels would begin with A or D (for Deutschland) or use KAA to KCZ. British stations would start with a B or M, while French channels would use the letter F.

The United States received the letters KDA to KZZ, as well as N (used for Navy and Coast Guard stations), and W. In 1929, it received the rest of the K combinations, which had originally been allocated to Germany. (New York Times)

When the US began licensing radio stations in late 1912, from the start the policy has been that stations in the west normally got K calls, while W calls were issued to stations in the east. (Initially ship stations were the reverse, with W assignments in the west, and K in the east.)

The original K/W boundary ran north from the Texas-New Mexico border, so at first stations along the Gulf of Mexico and northward were assigned W calls. It was only in late January, 1923 that the K/W boundary was shifted east to the current boundary of the Mississippi River.

With this change, Ks were assigned to most new stations west of the Mississippi, however, existing W stations located west of the Mississippi were allowed to keep their now non-standard calls.

May 10, 2022 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Maui, 1819

“We left Owhyhee on the 15th of August, at four in the morning, with a very light breeze, which, however, freshened up during the morning. We coasted along Taourae, a barren island, flat, and moderately elevated, on which was not the slightest appearance of vegetation.”

“The soil is reddish and furrowed at intervals. The island is desert and uninhabited; some breakers extend beyond its western point. On doubling this, we discovered the small rock of Morikini, from whose summit rises a lofty column of smoke, which would have induced us to suspect there was a volcano under it; the pilots on board, assured us, however; that this was not the case.”

“That part of the North-East coast of Mowhee which we were able to distinguish, appeared to me to be extremely barren; high mountains, separated by a neck of low land, divide it in two parts.”

“The Western coast is bold, and the volcanic rocks which rise above it are cut into sharp angles, forming deep ravines and frightful declivities.”

“When the clouds, which are driven by contrary winds rising from these caverns, and disputing their possession, float over the verdant summits of these mournful heights, the reflection of the light, and the lively tints bestowed on them by the sun, in contrast with the dark and stormy points of the horizon, form a landscape at once harmonious and terrific.”

“Some elevated springs, fed no doubt by the humidity contained in the surrounding vapours, give a degree of animation to these pointed rocks, which might almost be taken for the realm of the dead. The base of this mountain, which somewhat resembles our Canigou, is dry and barren, without the smallest trace of that verdure which crowns its summit.”

“As soon, however, as the South-West part of the island had been coasted for a little time, and we approached the North, a vigorous vegetation began to show itself, together with banana and other trees, which give life to the scene, and awaken pleasing sensations in the mind of the navigator.”

“From the perpendicular of the most lofty summit of the great mountain, to the North-West point of the island, and even beyond that, the country is quite delightful …”

“… so that it was with extreme pleasure we beheld the anchor drop in the harbour of Lahaina, that we might enjoy the prospect, which appeared the more brilliant, from the other objects that surround this part of Mowhee, as well as the isles which enclose its bay, being barren and repulsive.”

“A chain of breakers extends the whole length of the coast. The anchor is however cast at one or two cables’ length distance, without incurring the least danger, although sudden gusts of wind arise here frequently, and blow with great violence.”

“The group of islands which surrounds this bay will not permit the sea to run very high; and the bottom being very good, tends to banish every apprehension.”

“The observatory has been fixed on a small stone elevation, close to a house built of masonry, belonging to the King; richly tufted shrubs and beautiful cocoa-nut trees create an agreeable freshness.”

“While the astronomers are observing the heavens, let us range through the country; we shall certainly not find so much majesty there; but the variety and beauty of the scene will repay us with interest.”

“The environs of Lahaina are like a garden. It would be difficult to find a soil more fertile, or a people who could turn it to greater advantage; little path-ways sufficiently raised, and kept in excellent condition, serve as communications between the different estates.”

“These are frequently divided by trenches, through which a fresh and limpid stream flows tranquilly, giving life to the plantations, the sole riches of the country.”

“Hollow squares, of the depth of two, three, and sometimes four feet, nourish various sorts of vegetables and plants; amongst which we distinguish the Caribee-cabbage, named here taro; double rows of banana, bread-fruit, cocoa-nut, palma-christi, and the paper-mulberry trees intercept the rays of the sun, and allow you to walk at mid-day.”

“Every cabin has its enclosure, and every enclosure is well taken care of; it seems to suffice for the wants of the family.”

“Here, the father turns the ground with his long staff of red or sandal wood; there, the son clears the soil of weeds, and prepares the dinner; farther off the mother is seated at the door of her hut, and weaves the stuff with which she clothes herself, whilst her youthful daughter, unincumbered with drapery, is seated by her side, and tempts you by her unsophisticated caresses.”

“The space cultivated by the natives of Lahaina is about three leagues in length, and one in its greatest breadth. Beyond this, all is dry and barren; every thing recals the image of desolation.”

“Nevertheless, the soil and its resources are the same; whence therefore this apparently culpable neglect? It is a natural consequence of the mode of reasoning adopted by these people; they have all that is necessary at hand, what advantage would there be in seeking superfluities from afar? … Superfluities are thrown away on these people.”

“Twenty acres of land will not produce them a better dinner than their square of taro.”

“It is so rare to see ships put in here, that the hope of their arrival, and the ennui of disappointed expectation, would more than counterbalance all the advantages which they might procure by bartering.”

“Let us, therefore, leave these good people to their early habits and natural inclinations; why teach them desires and wants? If repose, comfort, tranquillity and pleasure constitute happiness, they are happy; what do they want more?”

“Would you propose to give them in exchange for these, interest, the love of glory, avarice, jealousy, and all the passions of which they are now ignorant, and which prevail in our wiser Europe? They will laugh at you, and, leaving you to your prejudices, return gaily to their own lowly huts.”

“I have here remarked the same customs, and the same tastes, the same gaiety and benevolence, as at Owhyhee. Are the natives of Woahoo equally happy?”

“During one of my late excursions, hearing loud cries proceeding from a small enclosure that I had just passed, several of my companions hastened with me to the spot, where we saw a young female seated on the ground, surrounded by about fifteen women, who were rubbing her with great violence, breaking forth at the same time into loud cries …”

“… approaching, with an air of sympathy, we inquired the cause of this general sorrow; their tears ceased, and they told us they were endeavouring to cure a sick person, whom these cries would restore to health: upon which, the lamentations recommenced with more ardour than ever.”

“With us, such a process would soon put an end to a patient; but here the louder the groans, the more efficacious the remedy. The most remarkable peculiarity in these scenes of desolation is, that when the parties are weary of crying, they become silent; then chat and laugh, and begin to roar in a moment after; such was the case in this instance.”

“These macerations, and some indigenous roots, are the only remedies in use here: surgery has not made greater progress than medicine; and I do not think the Bordeaux doctor will extend their progress greatly.”

“The tears shed for the restoration of this young sufferer, and for the death of Tammeamah, are the only ones I have seen flow in the Sandwich Islands. Have our own tears generally, or frequently, a source equally noble and innocent?”

All is from ‘Narrative of a Voyage Round the World’ by Jacques Arago (March 6, 1790 – November 27, 1855), a French writer, artist and explorer who joined Louis de Freycinet on his 1817 voyage around the world aboard the ship Uranie.

Maui_Nui-SP_Kalama-1838-Maui

May 8, 2022 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Secret Mission on the Strategic Potential

In June 1872, Secretary of War William Belknap gave US Army Major-General John McAllister Schofield confidential instructions to investigate the strategic potential of having a presence in the Hawaiian Islands, and to examine its ports.

They “ascertained the defensive capabilities of their different ports, examined into their commercial facilities, and collected all the information in our power on other subjects in reference to which we ought to be informed in the event of a war with a powerful maritime nation”.

Schofield and Brevet Brig. Gen. BS Alexander left San Francisco on December 30, 1872 aboard the USS California and arrived in Honolulu on January 15, 1873. After having an audience with new King Lunalilo, the men examined the islands.

In Schofield and Alexander’s May 8, 1873 report, they found that, “There are many other so-called harbors, or places for anchorage, but they are mostly open roadsteads affording shelter only from certain winds, and they are all entirely incapable of being defended by shore batteries.”

“Even the harbor of Honolulu itself can not be defended from the shore. It is a small harbor lying seaward from the land and only protected from the sea by outlying coral reefs. “

“An enemy could take up his position outside of the entrance to the harbor and command the entire anchorage, as well as the town of Honolulu itself. This harbor would therefore be of no use to us as a harbor of refuge in a war with a powerful maritime nation.”

“With one exception there is no harbor on the islands that can be made to satisfy all the conditions necessary for a harbor of refuge in time of war.”

“This is the harbor of ‘Ewa,’ or ‘Pearl River,’ situated on the island of Oahu, about 7 miles west of Honolulu.” They went on to recommend that the US obtain a cession of Pearl Harbor, together with its shore for four miles back.

“From our examinations we are of the opinion that this island and the adjacent shore to the north and west of it afford the most advantageous location for a naval depot of supplies and equipment in all these waters. But there is not sufficient water at present for heavy vessels to enter this Pearl River harbor.”

“At the entrance to the harbor is a coral reef some 250 to 300 yards in width, with a depth of water of only 2 to 3 fathoms on the reef at low water.”

“This reef appears to extend around the island, being broken only at the entrance to Honolulu Harbor, and in fact we are informed that a platform of coral reefs fringe most of the shores of all the islands of the Hawaiian group, broken only in few places. “

“This coral found at the entrance to Pearl River is ‘dead;’ that is, it is not growing, and the reef is therefore not increasing in size. This ridge of coral forms a barrier or bar across the entrance to this harbor about 300 yards wide, measuring perpendicularly to the shore.”

“It is comparatively level on the top, from 2 to 3 fathoms of water over it at low tide. Its sides are vertical, or nearly so, the depth of water increasing in a few feet to 4 or 5 fathoms.”

“The outer, or sea side, then is found to be steeper than the inner, or shore side. At the distance of half a mile outside of the reef there is a depth of 15 fathoms, while at the same distance inside the reef the depth is only 8 fathoms.”

“If this coral barrier were removed Pearl River Harbor would seem to have all or nearly all the necessary properties to enable it to be converted into a good harbor of refuge.”

“It could be completely defended by inexpensive batteries on either or both shores, firing across a narrow channel of entrance. Its waters are deep enough for the largest vessels of war, and its ‘locks,’ particularly around Rabbit Island, are spacious enough for a large number of vessels to ride at anchor in perfect security against all storms.”

“Its shores are suitable for building proper establishments for sheltering the necessary supplies for a naval establishment, such as magazines of ammunition, provisions, coral, spars, rigging, etc., while the island of Oahu, upon which it is situated, could furnish fresh provisions, meats, fruits, and vegetables in large quantities.”

The report noted that while eager to open a free market for their sugar, the Hawaiian government and native Hawaiians were not interested in the US annexing the islands at that time.

They stated, “The cession of Pearl River could probably be obtained by the United States in consideration of the repeal of the duty on Sandwich Island sugar.”

“Indeed, the sugar-planters are so anxious for a reciprocity treaty, or so anxious rather for free trade in sugar with the United States, that many of them openly proclaim themselves in favor of annexation of these islands to the United States.”

“The members of the present Government of the Hawaiian Islands seem fully alive to the necessity of relieving their principal industry from the heavy burden under which it now suffers, and no other mode of relief seems possible but annexation or reciprocity.” (Schofield and Alexander, 1873)

In February 1873 the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce, representing the interests of the plantation owners among the Islands, petitioned King Lunalilo to negotiate a reciprocal treaty with the US mainland.

The suggestion was to offer to cede the Pearl River “lagoon” to the US as an inducement for reduced tariffs for Hawai‘i’s agricultural products. In July the American Minister notified Washington D.C. that the King had offered to negotiate a treaty on this basis.

However, four months later a notice appeared in the Hawaiian Gazette to the effect that the King was satisfied that “a treaty carrying with it the cessation of Pearl Harbor would not receive the legislative approval required by the Constitution of the Kingdom,” and hence the offer was withdrawn.

Apparently there was contention over the issue of “cessation” versus “lease” regarding access to Pearl Harbor. King Lunalilo died in February of the following year without an heir. At this point, politicians in Hawai‘i courted popularity with the masses by opposing any possible cession of territory to foreign powers. (Van Tilburg)

In 1875 the US signed a treaty with the Hawaiian government allowing the US free access to sugar and other Hawaiian products in return for land that eventually became the Pearl Harbor naval base.

The US later obtained exclusive use of the inlet and the right to maintain a repair and coaling station for ships. After the US annexed Hawaii in 1898, the US established a naval station at Pearl Harbor and began to build a naval ship yard.

John McAllister Schofield was a lieutenant general during the US Civil War who led his troops during such battles as Franklin and Nashville. After the war, Schofield served as Secretary of War under President Andrew Johnson and later served as Commanding General of the United States Army from 1888 to 1895.

After serving as Secretary of War, Schofield was promoted to major general in the Army, and then commander of the Military Division of the Pacific.

In 1908, Schofield Barracks was established next to the town of Wahiawā to provide defense of Pearl Harbor and the island of Oahu. Named in honor of John McAllister Schofield, it covers over 17,000 acres and is the largest Army post in Hawaii. Since 1941 it has been home to the 25th Infantry Division, known as the Tropic Lightning. (National Archives)