The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-10-28

retained by q liberal policy on her part.
That these islands must participate IN q
measure in the benefits of an increased
through the north Pacific must be apparent TO
all. They are SO located that the ships engaged
in any trade that may cross it, must resort
more or less to them for supplies. With the
falling off of the China trade, the number OF
merchant vessels touching at these islands has
also diminished.
The new treaty with Japan opens one addition
al port for trade, and grants new privileges 70
Americans residing in Japan. It does not carry
90 great concessions as the China treaty, but it
must result, as also the treaty with the Empire
of Siam, in an increased emigration of foreigners
to those countries and a consequent increase OF
trade and commerce. In all theee new conces-
sions, our islands are deeply interested, and in
the increased trade that must arise, we can only
hope for greater developement of our resources
now lying almost latent, for want of that indus
try, skill and capital SO much needed and which
must mainly be looked for abroad
In the San Francisco National of October ID,
we find an article discussing the prospective trade
Francisco and China. The writer objects to the
northern route via Japan, although it is much
the shorter. His statements and figures are not
wholly correct, but we quote the following con-
Guiding paragraphs, having a bearing ON the
subject referred to.
Another point Of objection to the northern route is,
that it will compel us to omit stopping at the Sand
witch Islands, which are places Of much greater I'M
portance than the whole chain Of islands In the North
Pacific. Manila too, is a place of much larger i'm
portance to American commerce than Shanghai. By
a late act, whalers of all nations are allowed to enter
the port, without payment OF charges. The whaling
feet which stops yearly at the islands IS very large.
Guam also supplies quite q fleet of whalers. The
whaling feet which cruises on the coast Of Japan,
during the season, has lately made the ports Of
Hong Kong and Manila their depot for obtaining sup
plies. If one of the objects of a line OF steamers to
China is the protection of the whaling fleet, as has
been urged in Congress, certainly the southern route
is by far preferable; for it is natural to suppose that
the protection and assistance required will in most
cases be rendered to vessels while in port, and not
while on their cruising ground.
To sum up the objections to the northern route,
they are:
lst. That the weather is not favorable.
I'd. That the trip could not be performed in SO short
a time as by the southern route.
Sd. That it provides but one depot for coaling; and
in the event of accidents there is no port to which a
vessel could run for repairs. while by the s.uthern
route she may make either Manila or New South
Wales Honolulu y places offering facilities of every
kind.
4. That the line in passing to China by the north
ern route would afford no protection to American
commerce, nor to the whaling fleets.
9th. That the Sandwich Islands and Manila are
places where American commerce is Of too much inn
portance to be neglected.
9th. That Canton from its position-it having the
balance of trade in its power-its being the depot for
the Peninsular and Oriental Company = line of steam
ers-its facilities for ingress and egress, and from its
being the principal residence of the American mer-
chants, is preferable to Shanghai, as a terminus OF
the route.
The distance from San Francisco to Honolulu is
! 800 miles; from thence to Guam $3.50 miles; from
thence to Manila 1853 miles; from thence to Macao
635 miles; and from thence to Canton, by one of the
river steamers, 20 m~iles-making a total distance Of
1853 miles from San Francisco to Canton. Steamers
constructed for this route should accomplish their
voyages in forty or ~forty-one days, including stop
pages. Thus the Sandwich Islands would be brought
within forty-four (34? days from N. York; Manila to
within about seventy, and Canton seventy-four days
from New York, by the connection of the present
line Of Pacific steamers with the China line; and
when the ~ontemplate National Railroad is finished,
the time would be greatly reduced.
From San Francisco to the islands the passage
should be made in nine and a half days. Here we
should allow two days for coaling; sixteen and q half
days should be allowed for the passage from the
Islands to Guam, where q further stoppage Of two
days would probably be necessary. Thence to lat.
II deg. At min., Ion. 124.2S, five and a half days;
thence to Manila, through the Straits of San Ber-
nardino, distant in a direct line 237 miles, say Tin
order to allow for the winding of the Straits) one
and a half days, and allowing one day for stopPage,
and from thence to Macao, three days; we have
twent y-seven and a half days from the Sandwich
Islands, forty-one from San Francisco, and when the
Continental Railroad is finished, say ffty-one days
from New York. Many masters of vessels, who have
sailed in the latitude in which the foregoing track is
laid, agree in saying that the weather there Is
fdr0ru6ie for steam navigation.
But if, for any reason. Shanghai is TO be liked
upon as the terminus, another route and \ very good
one would be to take the BONN Islands as a depot,
instead of Guam. This route would leave out
Guam and Manila. and also compel the establish
ment of a branch, in order that the mails may be
conveyed to Canton. The harbor of Port Louis, the
principal of the BONN Islands, is a very good one;
and the course from the Sandwich Islands is more in
a direct line than the course to Guam, though the
winds will not be as favorable, as the trades do not
extend SO far to the north with any regularity.
But these islands do not lie directly in the track
from the Sandwich Islands to Macao and there is
nothing to be gained by dropping the southern route
unless Shanghai be fixed upon finally as the terminus.
In the latter event the BONN Islands offer the best
point of stoppage after leaving the Sandwich Islands.
We think, however, that in consideration of all the
circumstances, the southern route, although longer,
is preferable to either of the others, because, of the
difference in its favor ON account OF the weather.
What Next.
The late arrivals from the Coast bring us
advices that claim is still laid by parties act
ing las we understand i) under authority or
by encouragement of this government, to the ISL
ands discovered by the schooner Palestine, and
from which tina. vessel has already taken two car
goes of cuano. In the San Francisco Herald of
Oct. 7 we find the following notice
NorrcE-Having been informed that parties in this
city were about to send ships to some islands in the
South Pacific Ocean, l take this method of calling the
attention of the public to the following facts That a
Proclamation was made by the Hawaiian Govern
ment, which was published in the Poiynesidn Of the
18th September last-in which Proclamation the
King of the Sandwich Islands gives notice that the
Islands of CORVALLIS, situated in lat. l60 43, north,
lon. 1899 49, west, and Kalama, lat. 16s A. north,
lon. 1899 21' west, are taken possession OF with the
usual formalities, and are to be considered and re-
spected as . part of the domain Of the King of the
Hawaiian Islands.
Also, to the following extracts from the laws of the