The people and their occupations. The population of these islands is about 200,000. The native Hawaiians belong to the brown race. They are an intelligent people but have been decreasing in numbers. White people have invested money in the development of the plantations, and a great many people from Japan, China, and the Phillipines have gone to the islands to work.
Sugar cane is the chief crop.
The finest pineapples in the world are grown on the Hawaiian plantations. The location of these islands is fortunate, for the ocean routes from our Pacific coast ports to New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, China, and Japan naturally pass near the Hawaiian group. They are used as a coaling station, and large reserves of coal are held there for the United States Navy. Vessels may put in at these islands to make repairs. Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is the capital and largest city.