The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1866-01-06
Eleventh Annual Report OF the Honolulu
sailors Home Society.

Another year has rolled around. and the
Chairman of the Executive Committee IS
most happy TO come before the Board OF
Trustees with a much more cheering report
than ne was able TO make on the last Ami
versarv. The condition OF the premises one
year ago and the prospects of the institution
were vastly different from what they are on
the present occasion. As the Trustees are
aware. for several years scarcely anything
lad teen expended III repairs upon the bull
ding outside or inside. While the keepers
had done all that they had agreed to do, and
all that could be- expected of them, the time
had come when very extensive repairs were
absolutely necessary. No wonder, under these
circumstances, taken also in connection with
the fact that the business OF the port had
exceedingly diminished, that some of the
Trustees should have felt rather respondent
and should have said perhaps the mission Of
the Home had been accomplished, and the
question might be entertained. may not the
premises be diverted To some other use As
the Chairman Of your Executive Committee.
il affords me much pleasure 10 report that
very shortly after the Annual Meeting the
affairs of the institution took most decidedly
Il favorable turn. The Trustees and mer-
chants of Honolulu generally, when applied
TO, Subscribed very generously for thoroughly
repairing and repaIntIng the buildings. About
that time, or about the first of April, respon-
siblc persons came forward and offered 10
reft the Home internally, not calling upon
the Trustees for any pecuniary aid. They
have done so, and TO this day the amount of
their expenditures Is known only 10 them
selves. Suffice it, Mr.. and Mrs. Miller en-
tered upon the management of the establish
ment when Captain and Mrs. Dat honorably
retired. The bedding and furniture of the
Home have been thoroughly renewed and re-
fitted many new bedsteads were procured
and neatly fitted up rooms were carpeted
and the ceiling was reprinted. Perhaps the
Home was never in much better repair in
t%ernally and externally than at the present
time, and | am most happy TO report only u
triaing debt IS now standing against the
Society.
1 cannot say as the Home has been any
more useful during the past year than during
former years of its existence, yet | can say
that its usefulness has not diminished. As
now managed, IT is a real comfort and bless
ing to the seamen r~esorting to this port. Never
more than during the past year. Seamen from
English and American vessels of war have
made It Z place of resort. Travellers from
California have also found IL a quiet and
comfortable boarding establishment.
In the early part of the year Mr.. Bonner
Mr.. McCandless offered, on their OWN re-
sponsibillty, TO take charge of the reading
room. They caused a part OF the room TO
be partitiOned off and fitted up as a place for
religious meetings. La This way it
is believed much good has been accomplished.
Many seamen have been thereby induced to
visit the Home who, under other circumstan-
ces, would have kept away. At the reading
room seamen have been gratuitousiy supplied
with the materials for writing letters TO their
friends. This has proved of immense useful
ness TO seamen. During the shipping season
the reading room has been u constant 2lace If
resort.
In closing This brief Report. | congratulate :
the Trustees, patrons aud friends of the Sail
Home On the continued existence and
usefulness Of the establishment. | regard i;
az a most necessary and important means Of
usefulness. So TAR from relaxing cur efforts
IA maintaining and sustaining the Home, / ,
would urge all interested in ITS welfare 10
press forward. We owe il to searnen and the
character of the port that the Home should
BE- generously sustained. The good already
accomplished IS Il pleasing earnest OF what
NAV hope to witness in the future.
5. c. DAMON,
Chairman Of the Executive Committee.
Honolulu, Goth December, 1860.