The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-01-16
Letter from sam Fraucisc0.

SAN Francisco. Dec. y, 1861.
Mr. EDITOR 1t is something to have made the
passage with our justly popular Commodore. on his
109th trip between the two ports of San Francisco
and Honolulu, in the shortest time yet recorded from
Honolulu to this place
The bark Comet squared away, and discharged
her pilot outside of Honolulu harbor at 2 p. NJ,
November 23d, and passed the heads of the Golden
Gate at II NJ. of December 4th; which, making due
allowance for difference of time, gave us 10 days 10
hours and 40 minutes. We will rest satisfied with
that, till it has been out-done.
A Te,egrnphic Feat.
1t is something also worth reporting that the day
after our arrival, the Presidents Message to Con-
gress was in cur hands, only 43 hours after its de-
livery. 1t consists of about 8 900 words, and is by far
the longest document yet transmitted from the East.
1t is considered a grand test of Geographic efficiency.
Nothing like it has ever before been accomplished on
our earth. But for an accident in the Sierras, it
would have been published here in less than "a hours
after date. The cost of transmission was very great,
but the enterprising Associated Press Consisting
Of the San Francisco .4la and Bulletin, and the
Sacramento UaiOR,) were proud TO bear it. The
dreadful storm of the last few days in the interior
has temporarily interrupted the continuity of the
wires.
Union Prospects Ginning Ground.
The Message, with the news that about the same
! time arrived of 81 the war; have frightened the
faces of this union-loving people, and will doubtless
assist the respondent among yourselves. President
Lincoln has hit it in saying regarding the insurrec-
ton 1.-The progress of events is plainly in the right
direction" Southern proves wanes. She will not
again menauce the capital, or any part of the Union,
with an army of over 10000. The .1lta gives n
proper expression 10 the facts when it says -" The
indications ut present point strongly to the probable
ity of the present rebellion in the Southern States
tapering off before long into a tedious and desultory
guerrilla warfare. = = The rebellion took years to
grow, and years will elapse ere it, or the lawlessness to
which 1t will have given rise, dies out"
Great Funeral Pageant.
Yesterday, the funeral obsequies of Col. Baker
were celebrated in this city, in a style which it is
said exceeds everything of the kind yet seen on this
Poetic coast. MIR. Edward Stanley, Il distinguished,
and | am told worthy lawyer, read a wel-written but
poorly delivered Grafton to an audience of perhaps
1000, principally ladies, who were most CALAMITY al
lowed n more complete precedence over gentlemen than
| have ever before seen under similar circumstances.
Bishop Kip read the 'bural service" after which
q procession of various military and civic companies
was formed about a mile and a half in length, which
followed the catafalque from the hall through the
principal streets of the city. A selected escort and
especially invited guests then accompanied the
corpse to the Lone Mountain Cemetery. The Rev.
Starr King at the grave performed the final funeral
services over one who will be long remembered for
his eloquence, bravery, and patriotism.
Grenr Flood ia sacramento Valley.
All California is this week excited by the unprece-
dented floods in the interior, particularly on the Sa-
cramento River and its branches. Lives have been
lost, though probably not so many as at first sup
posed. There has been great destruction of live stock.
Every street in Sacramento City, the capitol, has
been submerged from Two TO twelve feet, and it is
thought that over q million of dollars is already
destroyed in that one place. a steamer has cruised
up some of the streets OF Marysville. Great priva-
tons and s%uferings are already experienced. With
characteristic yigor, subscription lists are already
opened in San Francisco to relieve the distressed, and
a public meeting was last evening held to devise
further measures. How pleasant could Hawaiian
hearts and hands also render sympathy and assist
ance Cannot something of the kind be done
C~raus-Pacidc Sfcnn,-iiuc.
Earnest efforts are at last on foot here, and par
ticularly in New York, for the establishment of