The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-10
Total population Of the group.

Total populAtlon OF tne group. j,9Ol
This number consists OF IL 1856 men, ,S44 women,
6,A56 boys, and 1896 girls At the harbor of Apa,
in Upolu the foreign residents number about sixty.
Perhaps there may ne sixty other white men
scsttere here AID there throughout the group.
In 1880. when the first missionary visit was made
to these islands, ell IT, inhabitants were heathens,
and without written language. At the present
time, with the exception OF some two bundled, all
ave professedly Christmas, and the greater portion
of the Scriptures have been translated and printed
Throughout the group there are III chapels and
as they will accommodate from $50 to 200 people,
they form ample Communications for the whole p0
pulatiop OF the islands. There ave also 10 day
schools and AZ Sunday schools. There are seven
Roman Catholic places OF worship attended by
about 500 members.
The most important island of the group is Upola,
principally on account of its having the copmodiOus
harbor Of Apia, which is visited by the South Pa
ciic wbaeIs, nearly al American vessels travers
ing those seas.
TutuiIa has also the fine harbor of Pago Page,
and laval that OF Mstoate, but during certain pc
RODS OF the year they are not 20 accessible as Apa
and consequently nothing ike 80 much frequented
These islands are Givlccd toto districts, ruled by
independent chefs, Of whom there are seven on
the island OF Upolu. They abound in all the tropi.
cal productions and are capable of being rendered,
by the expenditure Of capital and empiOy nent Of
labor, no considerable emporiu ns of opcai mer
chapdisc. The great obstacles in the way ut pres
ent are the indolen Of the natives and the absence
of any organized or Elective government. The fer.
tlity of the soil and the uxnrence of vegetation is
Upou is no. surpassed in any part Of the world, and
it is Justly styled the garden OF the South Pacid:.
The harbor Of Apia is likely TO become very im.
portant port in That part Of the world it is the
resi- ence OF the American ard British nsuls, aod
is a. tines the scene Of much life AID busle. At
the present time there Is no manof war stationed at
Apia or in the vicinity OF these important islands,
and the Corsuls Cos was done by the American Con-
sui Oh yeJy recent occason) are obliged to resort
to the assistance of the native Chief and his follow
ers to settle difficulties as they occur, by the inter
ventiOn of the wal club. -,
A case recently oc cured in which one Of the Con
suls (who is meroh anti supplied the captain OF q
vessel with large quantity of provisions, the bill
for which the captain whether Justly or urjusay ws
do not presume to say-refused to liqu date, and
told the Consul go, upon which the latter was
Obliged TO constitute himself bis own Judge and send
for TIE Chief Of the district, VINO, with numerous
band OF say ages appeared before the Consuls door,
ready 70 obsy his command and arrest the captain
ard se,ze tie vessel, upon receiving feg dollars
for his tfouble As tie barber is much frequautsd,
loss Of his sort must frequently occur; 10 tact, we
are credby informed thas few ships enter the har.
Dor without some difficulty occurring relahys - the
crew, requiring ygiant interference by armed legal
authority.
There can be no doubt and especially since there
is the prospect OF considerable traffic between Ca
ldornia AID Aus'ralia-fhat the Navigator Islands
will become very important tsrritory, aac VIII At
tact white popu a'ion who will iDves. capital snd
employ native labor, which Gao be obtained from
the neighbo ing islands upon advantageous terms.
Without discussing what the United states mig u
reasonably do in requitsl for English and French
colonization in the Pacific, it il high time hattb
were fully repreet nted In The South Pacific and the
port Of Ap, in the Island Of UPON 70 well worth
tLeiy stteutlSn.