Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1853-04-30
that thewhole expense for nine months, has
been for regular soldiers, S6,SS5 "a
For flags, salutes, sc. SC. 1853 90

For flags, salutes, sc. SC. 1853 90
In all $s,439, ,O3
which for IL months would be at the rate of
Sll ,252 O4 being vastly less than the expense
of any single department Of government, ex-
cePt that which the King has placed under
my charge.
Referring to the Princes schedule, mark
ed c, you will see that, in the project which
he submits for military organization, illus
trated by tables A. B. & G. he would require
sum of S25 900 annually, besides the year
ly pay to be allowed for one Colonel, one
Lieutenant Colonel and one Major.
Alter some consideration of the subject
1t does not appear to me that less than $780,,
600 will suffice to keep up, in due efficiency,
the small military force suggested by the
Prince, and allow something for the purchase
of some cannon and other arms, which are
wanted. There is no use in keeping num-
Der Of old rejected, worm-eaten cannon,
dangerous to fire, even in a salute, and
many of them without shot to fit their cali
bre
If the $50, 900 recommended by the Minis
ter of Finance, in his report of 1852, to be
raised for the military, by new tax, could
be raised, and kept separate from all other
revenues, so as to be applicable, solely, to
the military, do not think it would be too
much. What that tax should be, how to COL
lect it, and how to dsburse it, will be for the
Legislature to consider. Perhaps, tax
imposed and levied on each Island, to support
the soldiers on that Island, and to be dis
bursed there, would be more popular than
one to be paid TO ard disbursed by a central
hoo I'd TT,lar tbo nb,h
itants of each Island, would have the secu-
rity that what money they pay, by being
spent among themselves, would soon return
into their own pockets. Under the second
system, this would be less likely to take place;
but the facility of making great public effort,
to suppress rebellion in any one Island, or
repel foreign invasion would be greater. In
any military tax, the great desideratum would
be to combine the certainty of raising given
amount, with the principle of proPortioning
the burden to the amount Of what every man
possesses, which gives the measure so far as
the protection Of property is concerned, of every
mans interest in supporting the military
But it is utterly impossible so to apportien a
tax on property as to produce a given
amount, or even an approximation to il, with
out correct valuation of every mans pro-
perty throughout the whole kingdom do
not say that this is impossible, but it would
be most tedious and difficult process.
For the present, the easiest mode of de-
iraying the expenses of the military, would
be out of the general revenues of the king
dom from whatsoever source they may be de-
rived. We have no national debt as Great
Britain, France, the United States and al
most every other nation has. In saying
that, under all governments, a FIFTH part of
the revenues, alter deductiug interest on the
national debt, is applied to the military
forces Of the State, | am rather under than
over the mark. Supposng that the whole
revenues OF this country, upon an average
of future years, should amount to S25O, 900,
the fifth part, if appropriated to the military,
would be exactly $4,000. Against any
such application of money to the military, it
may be urged that such an appropriation
would stop all internal improvements. am
very far from being of this opinion, because
believe that, under proper training, the
most of our important public works might be
done by the military. gave some memora-
BILE examples of this, in my report to the
Legislature of 1852. In October 1917, one
of the present representatives, George NJ.
Robertson, Esq, and the late John X. JAS
per, offered their services gratuitOusly, to
train body of one hundred men to military
discipline. Had their offer been accepted,
the men trained and Systematically employed, |
on the public works, ~pder their own officers,
guided by competent eng gineer. believe
that many of our roads and bridges, since that
period, would have been more creditable to
the country, and shewn more for the eXpen-
diture on them, than they do at present.
That the natives, by proper training, can
be made good and effective soldiers, cannot
be doubted, without undertaking. the testi-
mony of Lieutenant Cambell, the marine
officer of the Right Honorable Lord George
Paulet; of Lieutenant Read, Marine officer
of Captain Gardner. and of Sir George Simp-
son. in the instances which he gives, in his
published voyage round the world, of the tried
bravery of Hawaiian natives in the terrific
res of the honorable Hudson..s Bay Com
pany.
But, it may be asked, do civilized govern
ments devote one fifth of their revenues to
the support of a military force? | shall meet
this question plainly; and shall begin with the
example OF the United States, which many,
born in that country, and who ought to know
better, cite as an example of a country great,
peaceful and prosperous, with scarcely any
military force.
After the peace of 1888, the standing army
was reduced to 800 men, in 1890 it was 1900,
in 1896, 5000, in 1912, while at war with
England, 100000, in 1921, 5000, and in
1910, 1887. Add to that force about
sos, ,952 militia, and we find IN the United
States military organization embracing
,5I6,4s9 men, while their population was
only I7,O69,453, slaves included. This
gives nearly armed men for every 100 Of
the whole population, which, believe, is a
higher proportion, than that found, in any
empire or kingdom in the whole world
Were this kingdom to follow the example of