The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-01-26
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
IAN. DC.

IHURSOA Y. JAN. 70.
THROUGH the courtesy of the Collector General
and the Director Of the Government Press, we are
enabled to publish to-day, the official trade statis-
tics Of this port and kingdom for the year 1859.
An examination Of the tables shows a fattering
exhibit ofour foreign comInerce-tha IL, q decided
increase in our commerce, both in imports and
exports, over the last few preceding years. The
tables show, it is true, that our exports are less
than two-thirds Of our imports, but that by no
means furnishes an argument that our commerce
is in an unhealthy state. We are not a manufac-
turing nor to any great extent an agricultural
people. Ii is our lot TO stand in a different rela-
ton to the commercial world, to act in a measure
rs n recruiting depot for the increasing commerce.
of the Pacific. If then our imports amount to
81 $50 900, and our exports to 1890 900, and
5000 900 or even more of our foreign imports are
consumed or carried abroad by whaleships and
merchantmen, for which they leave cash or its
equivalent, bills of exchange, the balance of trade
against us is certainly small. The difficulty of
getting at the exact amounts annually expended
here by foreign vessels, renders the S. 1tion OF
this problem impossible but were it possible TO
get at the facts, we question whether any balance
of trade could be found against us, for the bills
incurred by war vessels and whalers are greatly
in excess Of any estimates yet made.
The foreign imports for the past year, show a
decided increase over those for 1858, amounting
to about S464. 600. This increase is observed in
the importations from California, the United
States East, England, and Germany. Our COM
merce with California is rapidly increasing, and
our imports from that quarter are in advance of
those from any other place. Owing to nearness,
low prices, and the fact that she is the principal
consumer of our exports, this increase is likely to
continue until she becomes the principal supplier
of our foreign merchandise. If our market can
be supplied from thence with goods equally cheap
and of similar quality with imports from more
distant American and European ports, it is alb
solutely certain that she will fill that position.
In the table of imports, the list of free goods
is largely increased over former years. In 1853,
they amounted to only $3S, 40; this year they
foot up 500, 66s the principal items of which
are, the cargoes of Hawaiian whalers, 10000,
Gas Company's Works, $18,757, &c. The table
of bonded goods and spirits is about the same as
for the previous year. The imports at Lahaina,
Hilo and other ports show a slight falling off this
year.
The Custom House receipts for 1859, have
increased about S16 600 over those for 1858.
Ah-o h~ANN - bCSi PRAhNAB1by ia nv ootf~
received on goods paying five per cent, amount
ing to about S23 900. The duties on spirits
show a falling off in the receipts from that source
of ga, 1896, while the table of imports of spirits
shows nearly the same amount of liquors import
ed. The decrease in the receipts is owing to the
duties being reduced from fire to three dollars per
gallon, which reduction took place in September
last. The duties from this source will probably
show q continued decline, though the quantity
imported will no doubt be somewhat increased.
One source of the increase of Custom House
receipts is in the stamps imposed, which under
the New Code have been largely multiplied and
are a source of much v~exation and annoyance.
There is no need of these stamps, the use of which
was copied from the old tyrannical customs of
European nations. And now that the duties on
;mno-iad .aads ara saan TO ha Aarhlad- and faxes
have been imposed on real and personal property,
some decided action ought to be taken by our
before the opening of the Legislature
to have this gross imposition abolished. 1t
amounts simply to a double tax, imposed for no
specific object, and which in many instances, goes
simply to increase the receipts of the Government
Our exports show a steady increase in the prin-
articles of produce. We give below a COM
p~arison with previous years:
1859. 1855. 1857. 1856. 1855.
Sugar. bs..-...-.1,s2s, $40 100000 7oO,556 554,So5 2so,sOs
aud syrup,