The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-02-05

adapted to the trade, and running regularly and
permanently between the islands, is yet q desid-
eratum.
The town of Honolulu and shipping in port are
abundantly supplied with good water, brought o
i'm iron pipes from exhaustless sources near the
mountains. 1000 barrels of domestic salt beef, about
5000 barrels of domestic flour, equal to any imported,
as well as large quantities of frewood, potatoes
pumpkins, vegetables and fruits of all kinds are
annually furnished at this port to merchant and
whale ships. Native as well as foreign seamen can
be obtained at this port at short notice for voyages to
any part of the world; wages average about fifteen
dollars per month for merchant service, and a
undred-and-fortieth lay for the whaling service.
The average value of imports at Honolulu for the
last few years considerably exceed a million of dollars,
coming from every quarter of the commercial world.
This port seems to be a focus at which the commerce
from every point of the compass in the Pacific con-
centrates. Its geographical position in relation to
the old and new world tends unayoidably to make it
such.
The population of Honolulu IS somewhat fuctua-
ting during the fall and winter season it is as high
as 10, 900 or $1,000, caused by the influx of seamen
and also natives from the other islands of the group.
At other seasons of the year it may he as low as 1000
to 5000. There are four ship chandlery stores, about
twenty importing houses, and from fifty to sixty re-
tail stores, twelve hotels, nine or ten physicians, and
five printing Offices. There are six church edifces,
some of them very substantial specimens of archi-
lecture, and capable Of accommodating each from
800 to 5000 persons. The schools are numerous,
both for the native and foreign children, and it is
generally thought, by those most capable of judging,
that the advantages afforded in Honolulu for a thor
ough education are equal to those of New England,
excepting. only her universities and colleges.
Aside from these elements of material prosperity,
there are gathered together in Honolulu many facili-
ties for real intellectual and social enjoyments ; also
many other diversions, said to be enjoyments, which
are not so intellectual. We have a college of physi-
clans, an incorporated college for students, delight
fully located at Punahou our postal arrange
ments with the old world are complete and CORES
pondence is carried on with all parts of the world
regularly and without confusion.
Under the patronizing spirit of our treaties with
some foreign nations, we are forced to offer many
amusements and attractions to visitors which are
more facinating than healthy.
There are three weekly and two monthly journals
printed here in both the Hawaiian and English Ian
guages. They are conducted with more or less ability,
with u high or low moral tone, according to the
editorial caliber and the intellectual and moral wants
of their respective supporters.
We avoid drawing comparisons between this har-
Dor and any of the other harbors of the Hawaiian
group. Commerce, with its true instincts, always
alights upon the best and converts it into a metrop-
oils. This harbor is an exempliication of the asser-
ton not to be disputed by those interested in the
prosperity of the kingdom, and we think it would be
well for all to lend their good will to make it the
l. - - =. 1900
bly, situated and thereby benefit themselves in a
wise way.
Before closing our remarks on the harbor of Homo
lulu, perhaps we ought to allude to it's wants. A
LIGHTHOUSE ought to be erected forthwith at the en-
trance of the harbor. The necessities of our COM
merce demand this improvement. The fearful dis
asters and losses near and at the mouth of the harbor
for the last few years, and all for the want of one,
call loudly for such a safeguard. Aside from the
losses which it would be the means of preventing, it
would be the greatest accommodation to vessels in
enabling them to come in and go out at all times,
night or day. Thus saving GO time, which is money!
or will be as the 6 star of empire approaches our
meridian. We believe a proper lighthouse might be
built by private parties, and that ships visiting this
port would consent willingly to be taxed here as well
as elsewhere, for this kind of insurance or safeguard;
and that the amount of tax so levied would be nearly
or quite sufficient to induce private parties to erect
one without delay.
But a want much more felt is a marine railway
for repairing ship. We are surprised that no attempt
to construct a railway has ever been carried out here.
The statistics which we publish to-day show the.arri-
val of a large number of vessels, one-ffth of which
come into this port for repairs. The present mode of
repairing vessels is very expensive, while the repair
ing of the hull of large steamers at this port is almost
impracticable at present. We are assured that the
cost of a substantial railway for the present wants of
our commerce will not exceed $S25 900. And it would
be a fortune to any person or company who undertook
it with practical knowledge of the subject. But the
length to which our article has run compels as to
stop here. We shall however recur to the subject
and furnish some figures to show the necessity of a
railway.
NOTES OF THE WEEK.