The Shasta courier., 1858-09-11
A PrinccIy Gift.

Princely Gift.
The Governors of two of the finest islands in
the Pacific Ocean, perhaps in any ocean-Raiatea
and Tahaa. two of the q Society" group-have
rendered them TO the United States On the
25th of May last, the United States Consul, Hen
ry Owner, was invited to public dinner by the
Governor Of Tahaa, who, after makinga number
of speeches, placed in his hands several copies
of a letter to the Government of the United
States, asking admission into the Union, and Of
feriug to place their island in the possession of
the United States, without asking anything for
themselves, and without demanding anything
like purchase-money or making any stipulation
or, in other words, presenting themselves, their
islands and their government Internationally.
A correspondent of the S. +. Herald, writing
from Raiatea, June oth thus speaks of the
islands and their harbors:
"The harbor of Tahaa and Raiatea is GER
trinity unsurpassed in the known world. Every
convenience that harbor, in a state of nature,
can possess, is possessed by it, and all the other
conveniences, which may be needed, may be
made easily, and at comparatively small ex-
pensc
These islands are high lands (mountans,
and consequently make fine landmarks, which
may be seen a long distance at sea, so that no
vessel need run upon them without knowing
their proximity. Their neighborhood is entirely
clear of sunken rocks. They are encrcled by
a coral reef, which is so free from projections
that a steamer or n sailing vessel, with a lead
ing wind, may sail SO close to the breakers that
the people on deck may be able to throw bis
| al. tlac
of the harbor insidc-and thus she may pass
entirely around the islands without danger OF
running upon rocks, shoals or anything else
This encircling reef has number of passages in
| it sufficiently deep and wide to admit, safely
and comfortably, the largest vessel that ever
1oated, or ever WILL in all probability be built
| When she gets inside she has n harbor from hall
a mile to more than two miles in breadth, ex-
tending entirely around the Island of Tahaa, and
nearly around the Island of Raiatea, distance
of nearly forty miles; sufficient, in all con-
science, for all the nayics of the world. The
Island of Tahaa alone, giving beautiful harbo
of over twenty miles in length, and from half 4
mile to more than two miles wide aud as tn,
said island is very high, there is always on'
side or the other protected from the wind, let j
blow from whence it may, and the distance be
tween the reef and the shore is so short that :
heavy sea cannot rise in the harbor no matte
how strong the gale may be.
Blu. if vessel should find herself too mucl
incommoded by the sea or wind, at her anchor
age she may merely lift her anchor. drive be
fore the wind without particle of sail, if neces
sary, and so pass to whichever side of the islant
may be the leeward at the time, or she maj
pass where she may be protected from either
into one of the numerous bays with which tn,
island is indented, and there lie as quiet as
| duck in mill-pond.
"Thc harbor varies in depth from six to more
than twenty fathoms, with good holding ground
and on the sands Mt the sides Of the harbor thu
water varies from two inches to more than two
fathoms in dcpth-afIordng good anchorage fol
small craft.
"Thc location of these islands, in the midst o
| the South Pacific Ocean, offers great facilite:
| for general rendezvous and station of the Pa
| ciic squadron, as it can lie safely and securely
and in a favorable position for reaching any
point in the Pacific, wherever its services may
be needed. These islands also, with but COM
parativey slight expense, may be made almost
impregnable to n hostile fleet, and thus render
great service to any mercantile nation who may
be ut war with another, and particularly when
the seat of war may be in the Pacific Ocean.
"Thesc islands also produce sugar canes
yams, taro, bread-fruit, sweet potatoes, and
many other vegetables and roots also oranges
lines, citrons, pine-apples, &c. They arc capa-
bic of producing all the plants peculiar to the
tropics. The cotton grown here is perennial
mot annually and has long and silky staple
equal, if not superior, to any in the world. The
Tahitian cotton exhibited at the Worlds Expo
sition at London, few years ago, took the pre-
MUM from all the other cotton exhibited for
length and beauty of staple. Coffee may be
produced in these islands in abundance, and the
cocoa nut fourishes in great perfection and pro-
duces abundanty.
I" There is also great abundance of the most
delicious kinds of fish, which flock in thousands,
to these islands, and are taken by the natives in
a variety ofways. There is also great variety
of edible shell fish, such as oysters, clans, mus
sells, the white pearl oyster the black pearl oys-
tor, crabs, two species of lobster, crawhsh,
shrmps, etc. And there are SO many other
islands within a short distance of these, that
good supply of hogs, fowls, turkeys, ETC., may
always be depended on.
The tobacco plant flourishes here in the
mos: productive manner, and the tobacco man
ufactured here is Of a superior quality.