The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-06-24

here. /" Have you any good hotels at the Islands -
Gentlemen who would take their families with them,
and spend q few weeks or months with US, are COM
PEELED TO give up their plans. or not take their fami-
lies with them. Within q feT months, probably not
over twelve at most. we shall have steamers touch
ing at Honolulu going TO and returning from China,
which viii vastly increase the travel TO our group
Perhaps l may as well digress here a few moments
TO state what l learned concerning this proposed line
Of steamers. The call for proposals has already been
issued By the American Postmaster General, and its
principal requirements are embodied in the following
paragraph, which 1 extract from it:
Proposals will be received az the Post Office
Department. in the city OF Washington, until three
o'clock p. VI. Of Tuesday, the 18th day Of August,
1865, for conveying the mails OF the United States by
means OF q monthly line Of first class American sea-
going steamships, Of not less than three thousand
tons burden each, Government measurement, and OF
sufficient number TO perform twelve round trips per
annun. between the port OF San Francisco, IN the
United States, and some port or ports in the Chinese
Umpire, touching at Honolulu, in the Sandwich
Islands, and at one or more ports in Japan, Tor a
contract term Of not more than ten years, TO COM
mence from the day the first steamship Of the pro
posed line shall depart from the port of San Fran
cisco with the mails for China"
As the limit for the tender Of proposals does not
expire till August, Of course no one knows either as
to who will obtain the contract or the terms on
which it will be given. But there seems to be very
little doubt that the American Government desires
the establishment of the line, provided any parties
are found ready to carry it out.
The Pacific Mail Steamship Company are DESTROYS
Of obtaining the contract, and, as they possess ample
means, aud have the steamers now ready, in all
probability it will be given to them. The Company
possess Sersn large first class steamers, of 1000 TO
$500 tons each, including the new vessels on the
IN n p shortly IN npna Onr / 10 ipranip1 n
commence the China mail service with these steam
ers, as soon after the contract is awarded as the
necessary arrangements can be perfected, which will
probably be about January, 1856. Although these
vessels are must admirably adapted 10 the service
between Panama and San Francisco, yet l question
whether they will be found suited to the China SER
vice, unless there Is some change made in their rig,
$50 as TO use sails as well as steam: for in the China
seas heavy gales and cyclones must be encountered.
On the Panama route they only use steam power,
which ia, Of course, much more expensive. But sails
here would be Of little or no account; on the contrary,
as there are no steady winds, they would probably
be q drawback. FUt-Tlgge2 ships, of 1900 TO
1000 tons burden, with auxiliary steam power, sim
liar TO the Scotland and Robert Looe, are the right
class of vessels for the San Francisco and China
trade. Had these vessels been under the American
flag, with 4 liberal mail contract, they would I'M
questionably have been successful. Be that as il
may, ! was assured by Capt. Eldridge. the Conpany's
agent at San Francisco, that il the P. VI. 5. Co. re-
ceived the contract, the steamers now IN the coast
service would be taken for the China service, and, as
they rely wholly on steam, they will touch at Homo
lulu both In going and returning. They are also
to touch AZ some port in Japan, and at ei,her Hong
kong or Shanghai, probably the latter. They are
the largest, strongest and most perfect steamers ahoat
in any part OF the world. The Colorado, now on the
way ont from New York, cost one million of dollars.
Taking all these facts into considerat on, and the
ability of the Company to do what it undertakes,
there seems to be very little doubt that we shall soon
have China steamers touching at Honolulu, aud |
trust that the Government will act towards them with
its accustomed lberality, and renew TO its agents the
before offered to similar projected lines.
And, in addition To freedom from port and other
charges, would ii not be wise 10 grant them, for a
limited period, perhaps, a wharf lot on the esplan-
ade 1t might be one or mere Of the lcGter lots be-
TOnd the present steamboat wharf; and II the Steam
ship Company should fill it in with dirt and make
their own wharf, it would be hardly more than right
to give them a perpetual lease, or even a fee simple
title. The locality referred to would be the most
for suoh & line of steamers, while its occu-
pancy for this purpose would tend to increase tae
value Of the. whole esplanade property. But what
the Government may do, L hope II will act i'll a
liberal spirit towards this projected enterprise, which
appears to be a certainty, and is destined 10 add
greatly to the trade and prosperity OF the Kingdom.
These steamers, though much larger than the
present requirements of trade call for. will create
more travel both to our islands and to China. The
necessity of a hotel will, therefore, be con-
ceded by every one, and the sooner it is erected the
Our trade with the coast will also increase,
particularly the fruit business. II is expected that
these steamers will make the passage from San Fran
~i-NC ~ 80 NhN ~ - t"J"s NAe~ - ]
steaming their regular schedule time on the Panama
route, which is 30 miles per day. But with square
sails, and running before the strong trade winds, they
may average 800 miles per day, and without con
suming more coal than they do on this loute. But
allowing eight days down and ten days returning,
will readily see that oranges, bananas, mangoes,
and any other fruits, con be safely
We ought TO produce two millions of
oranges in 1856. and California stands ready to buy
every one OF them. if we can deliver them in good
l have been surprised with the tasteIess,
insipid bananas and sour oranges exposed for sale in
francisco. They are unfit to eat, and not COM
parable with our choice Chinese bananas and kona
But l have depressed from my purpose of devoting
letter TO San Francisco, and must leave till my
what L intended to say. Our passage thus far
IN this steamer has been very pleasant. the number
If passengers not large, (Only abou; 800, where
usually they have from 500 TO 900, and not uufre-
.uently 1.2OJ or 1,500,0 and our company quite So
We stop at Acapulco tomorrow, where l
shall leave this, hoping it will reach you in due
season. Adieu. II. NJ. W.
Communicated !