The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1866-01-27
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Y, January -.
steam N1Ni2ation.

NJ 81 AloiA-
On our last page we reprint the Charter
Act of the Inter-iSland Steam Navigation Com
plny, rs it possesses interest at this time, now
that we are deprived Of steam communication
in any form. We stated last week that Mr..
Green, the resident agent Of the Company, pro-
posed TO obtain two new steamers, rs soon
rs the same can be procured but at the same
time We understand that the interests of the
present Company can be purchased, should any
capitalists here or in foreign parts be desirous
Of taking up the monopoly granted by the
Hawaiian Government and carrying out its
provisions. The grant has eight years to run
from the 25th of July, 1866. With two sub
stantial vessels of the right class, we'll managed,
we have no doubt that it will prove Il good in
vestment from the outset.
The history of steam navigation among the
islands up to this date, would be an interesting
one, were it fully told. We have not all the
data and statistics at hand relating to it, and
can only give some of the principal items. The
.. old IEdnDj, - Il small side-whecl river-boat,
which arrived here November II, 1853, after a
passage of 20 days from San Francisco. was the
first steamer ever introduced rs a coaster. Some
wondered how she managed to get across from
San Francisco to this port but it is not at all
surprising when it is remembered that small
covered boats Of five or eight tons have several
times made the same passage. After her came
the Sea Bird and West Point, but little better
adapted for the service, the former being too
large, though Il strong s~ea-bOat, while the latter
was an old and, on that account, Il poor craft,
fitted with weak machinery. The Sea Bird
arrived Oct. II, 1851, in charge of Capt.
LOvett, now of the SnyIniote, and, after making
Il few trips, returned to San Francisco in April,
1855. She was afterwards engaged in the Ore
gon and Puget Sound trade. The West Point
continued to run to Kauai, and was engaged
in a paying trade, when she unfortunately went
ashore at kOloa in Il s%outherly blow, her en-
gines being too weak for her. With her loss,
the Company which had been engaged in the
steam enterprise withdrew, and made no fur
ther efforts to establish inter-island steam nav
igation.
From the date of the loss of the Ncst Point
to the arrival of the KiIauca. June %, 1850,
we were without 1t steamer. This vessel was
built in New London, for Messrs. G.. y. Viii
liams IL Co., and was staunchly constructed of
the best material. During the first two years,
she generally made good time, would steam six
KNOTS readily, ana, ullucr favorable clrculn-
stances, up to eight knots. The main fault in
her construction was her being too high out of
water. Had her deck been four or five feet
lower, and her arrangements to correspond,
rating between $50 and 800 tons burthen, she
would probably have been Il more serviceable
boat, and certainly far less expensive.
With the experience that we have had in
steamers, the next effort ought to secure us boats
Of the right class and size, and we hope it will
not be long that we shall have to wait for them.
But the best and the cheapest way to obtain
them is to send Il capable person, who is compe-
tent to Judge of vessels, as to size and c~onstruc-
ton, rs well as of their machinery. We have
the fullest faith in the ultimate success and
profit of inter island steam navigation, and if
it has not yet proved 50, it is to be attributed
more to that ill-luck that attaches to all pioneer
enterprises in every new country, than to any
lack in the clements necessary COR success. In
this as in all other enterprises, it must be re-
memLered that : perseverance will surnount all
Obstacles"