The move by businessmen—many the children of missionaries, and others foreigners who had taken up residency in the Hawaiian Kingdom—to develop sugar plantations led to the movement toward reciprocity. The sugar growers sought a way to compete with sugar growers in the southern United States, and through the Reciprocity Treaty which took effect on September 9, 1876, the Hawaii sugar growers were able to export their sugar and rice crops with relief from taxation on foreign imports. The treaty also set the foundation for American development of Pearl Harbor as a Pacific Base of military operations. In 1887, the re-negotiation of the treaty was forced upon King Kalakaua through the “Bayonet Constitution” [19].
In the article below, Hawaiian historian Samuel M. Kamakau questioned the move toward the kingdom relinquishing control of Puuloa (Pearl Harbor) to the United States.
About Ewa. Ewa and it’s [sic] many bays are surrounded by land on most sides. The entrance to the Harbor is at Puuloa. Its narrowest point is between Kapuaikaula and Kapakule. It is perhaps a little more or less than a furlong across. The rise (submerged hillock) outside of the entrance is Keaalii. There is a shallow place there, approximately 9 to 10 feet deep.
Here is a description: From Keaalii to the mound at the entrance of Puuloa harbor, there is a channel on the west, near Kapakule. Then [it runs] from Kapakule to Kepookala. From Kepookala one turns towards the estuary of Kaihuopalaai, and Kapapapuhi is on the west side. That is the branch of the estuary of Honouliuli. Amoe Haalelea is the chiefess, landlord of this section of the estuary, and the lesser landlords, who control the fishing boats.
From Keaalii and the channel to Kapakule, and to the east, to the tip of Mokuumeume, is the estuary channel of Komoawa. This branch of the estuary is now called the Halawa Branch. There are two titled landlords here, their highnesses Queen Emma and Ruth Keelikolani.
From Kepookala, along the sheltered western side of Mokuumeume, along the Halawa branch, and along the point of Paauau to Kalaehopu, Kupahu, and Halaulani; this branch of the estuary is called Waipio and Waiawa. The titled land lords of this section of the estuary are Malaea Ii and the relatives of Ruth Keelikolani. This is an expansive place, not filled with thousands of boats and more, from the point of Pipiloa to Mokuumeume, and from there to Halawa. Turning north are the lands along the sheltered bays of Manana, Waimano, Waiau, Waimalu, Kalauao, and Aiea. Waimalu is the land division to which Mokuumeume belongs.
What right does the government have in giving Puuloa and Ewa as payment for the Reciprocity Treaty? I know of no right that the government has.1
This is an editorial letter about Pearl Harbor and the treaty. The writer, like Kamakau, believes that the government does not own the waters in Pearl Harbor, and thus cannot convey the rights of use of the harbor to the US.
Dear Sir: Noticing lately several newspaper paragraphs in relation to the ceding of the water of Pearl River Lagoon to the United States, for a naval station, I should wish to remark that an impression appears to exist at the water of said Lagoon is Hawaiian Government property. But that is not the case; the only piece of water owned by the Government in that neighborhood joins Aiea, and you might almost cover it with a pocket handkerchief.
Being well acquainted with that neighborhood, I write this to inform those who are interested, and those who might wish to know to whom the water belongs inside the mouth of said Lagoon.
The mouth of the Lagoon and the water for a distance of about six miles in a north-westerly direction, being the North-west Lagoon, belongs to Honouliuli; adjoining that and including the central Lagoon, the water belongs mostly to Waipio.
The easterly Lagoon from its boundary with Waipio water, belongs to the Island of Mokuumeume, and extends to the opposite mainland in all directions (except Halawa on the south), so that the mainland water only extends the distance from the shore, that a man can wade so as not to be over his head.
On the Halawa side (south) the water belonging to the Island of Mokuumeume zigzags from the centre of the channel to close to the mainland and the island, until it joins the Waipio water on the west in the middle of that channel.
Therefore, this Government cannot lease what does not belong to it. If the United States wish to procure any part of the Lagoon, they can only do so by leasing or buying any land that the owners wish to dispose of.
The property that would be of most value to the United States, would be the Island of Mokuumeume, it containing about 380 acres, and has more water belonging to it than any other land in the lagoon except Honouliuli; and being an island would be better suited for their purposes than the mainland, supposing they did wish it for a naval station.
Any proposition coming from that Government to lease the island and its waters, would no doubt be entertained by those who have the management of the estate, and who no doubt, are waiting for an opportunity of leasing to them, and to none else.2
The article below is about development of Pearl Harbor as a naval base.
Our comparatively venerable and superlatively wise contemporaries are discussing the harbor in a manner that is, at least in part, rather idle. What is the use of complaining about the filling in that has been done on the harbor front at this time of day? If water is needed more than land, there are vast expanses of coral reef on almost every other side of the harbor that can be dug out as easily as the portion could have been which has been reclaimed for building ground. Supposing the Government waited until it could afford the enormous expense of dredging out what it instead built up into dry land, where could the vast commerce anticipated find space for wharf and warehouse accommodation inside of the deep water line? The land is all occupied right down to the reef, with doubtless a high valuation put upon it by the many proprietors. Commerce cannot establish easy communications between sea and shore over the roofs of houses and flower and vegetable gardens. It would have to buy out all the real estate intervening between the sea and available business sites.
In view of these things, as well as of the fact that the filling in referred to has given a part of the entrance [illegible] the harbor, it would be hardly wise, if matters were put back to the conditions existing before that operation was begun, to decide upon digging out instead of dumping in. By the time the harbor is dug out for deep sea commerce over to the prison embankment on the Ewa side and to the quarantine station opposite the town, the Government will need to take a good long rest for the replenishment of its resources. Indeed, before so much scooping out of coral reef is required by the fabulously large additional commerce anticipated from the Canadian and Panama steam and sailing traffic, it would be necessary to double the width of the harbor entrance and increase its depth by one half.
Moreover, after all is done that may be done for enlarging the capacity of the harbor of Honolulu, before accepting the stupendous alternative of digging out of Esplanade and buying all the real estate from the water front to Queen street, it would perhaps be worthwhile having a commission of engineers to report upon the cost of deepening the entrance to Pearl Harbor. Open out that beautiful and spacious sheet of deep water to commerce, and the fleets of all nations may be invited to come and find accommodation at the hands of “little Hawaii.” That would be taking commerce away from Honolulu. So it would, but it would be all in the country, and Honolulu will be rather crowded for comfort when it has secured all the business that its harbor can accommodate after all the presently feasible improvements are accomplished without counting the shoveling out into the ocean of the splendid tract of building ground added to the city front under the administration of Major Gulick.3
Two years later, an article in The Hawaiian Gazette entitled “Development of Pearl Harbor by U.S. Interests” and subtitled “The Disaster at Pagopago, Samoa” and “What the Samoan disaster may do for Pearl Harbor” continues to push for harbor development.
Among the points upon which interest will be quickened, will be that of foreign harbor improvements. This was shown even before the Nipsic canard, in the liberal appropriation of $500,000 made by congress for possible contingencies, and for improvements at the harbor of Pago-pago, ceded to the United States at Tutuila. Successive Administrations at Washington have somewhat languidly moved towards the improvement of our Pearl Harbor, of which they have the exclusive privilege for navy purposes. This concession remains useless to the United States until they deepen the channel through the soft coral of the outer bar, so as to admit large ships. Lieut. Wilson of the Vandalia, with his assistants, made a minute and exhaustive survey of both the harbor and bar during 1887–8. We believe the cost of opening the channel will be much less than one million dollars. It is reported that the losses of the U.S. Navy at Apia will foot up over two millions, showing how small, in proportion to possible losses, is the probable cost of needed improvement to the harbor.
With the opening of the bar at Puuloa, the Pacific squadron of the American navy will manifestly be in a greatly strengthened position. It will be in the exclusive possession of the only first-class harbor in the mid Pacific, and indeed in all respects, one of the very best harbors in the world. No destructive waves like those at Apia can possibly traverse the long, river-like channels above Puuloa, even if they could pass in full force over the barrier reef. The inner reaches of the harbor are safe against even the heaviest earthquake waves, or of anything short of a Krakatoa convulsion, such as drove the sea five miles inland. We never have hurricanes in this region of the pacific; but even in the fiercest cyclones, vessels in the Ewa lagoons would have their anchors in stiff mud, the best of holding ground. If driven ashore they would bring up on mud banks from which they could be easily and safely removed.
The defense of Pearl Harbor would seem to be a matter of great simplicity. The only approach for an enemy by water is up a straight channel, directly commanded by the end of the Waipio peninsula, upon which search lights and dynamite guns would form an adequate protection. So large and secure a harbor for purposes of supply and refitting, and in such a choice geographical position, must contribute materially to the efficiency of the American navy. In view of the gain in this respect, the expenditure, even of millions, must be regarded as trifling. It seems reasonable, in view of the recent events, to look for an early opening of Puuloa bar by the United States Government.4
1Samuel M. Kamakau, “Huikau, Pohihihi ke Kuikahi Panai Like me ka uku Kaulele o Puuloa,” Hawaii Ponoi, August 20, 1876, p. 3.
2Pearl River and the Treaty, Daily Honolulu Press, May 6, 1886, p. 3.
3“Development of Pearl Harbor as a Base,” Daily Bulletin, October 28, 1886, p. 2.
4“Development of Pearl Harbor by U.S. Interests (the Disaster at Pagopago, Samoa),” Hawaiian Gazette, April 16, 1889, p. 2.
