The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-02-09
NOTES OF THE WEEK.

DSCUuN. CCEEENCY-Slowly but surely the pop
ular decimal currency system of America IS cont
ing into use the world over. Already il Is the chief
medium OF commercial transactions for the FIVE
hundred millions of China and India. and lis use Is
everywhere extending. 1t is So simple that any
one. even among the halfcivilized tribes of Asia
and Polynesia, can understand it. and reckon by it
In Jamaica recently the colonial government voted
10 r~cpUdiate the system but the home government
has ordered its adoption rs the standard of ia
maica. In this Kingdom. the system has long been
the only legalZcd one. and nothing but the impru-
dent action Of the merchants some twenty years
ago. in Introducing dimes and passing them eight
TO the dollar among the natives. prevented the
complete adoption of this system. The recent ac-
ton of the Chamber of Commerce, depUcciating
reals and half reals. when approved by the Gov
eminent. rs ii no doubt will be. viii complete our
decimal currency system, by bringing dimes into
circulation. our currency will then consist OF the
dollar. represented, in the absence of any other
coin. by the five franc Piecc.) the half dollar, quar-
ter dollar. ten and five cent pieces. Our gold cur
rcncv is the most convenient and simple known,
consisting of American eagles, bali. quarter and
double eagles. All other gold coins are more or
less uncurrent. though received in trade at the de-
precIatCd rates established by the Chamber of Com
mcrce. We trust that our merchants and traders
will unite in carrying the proposed change into
force, whenever promulgated. Dimes and half
dimes can be obtained in any quantity ut the mint
in san Francisco. =
TEIEGRurHIc FEArs.-The san Francisco Bulletin
and Sacramento Bee, which are evening papers,
have once or twice during January published Lon
don news less than four hours old. That is. Lon
don kilograms, dated II NJ. were published in San
Francisco and Sacramento at four o'clock of the
same day. Nothing like this has ever been per
formed there till since the first of january, and it
shows how well the Atlantic Cable works. 1t is a
revolution in news which those living thirty years
ago could hardly have dreamed of. The circuit Of
the world will yet he made IN less than Shake
speare's :" thirty minutes Trlegraphy is still in
its infancy, and improvements are constantly being
made. increasing the rapidity and decreasing the
expense. We are glad to see that Congress pro-
poses to establish a government telegraph, to be
under the control of the Post-ofice Department, as
the mails now are. In ten years from now, the
telegraph lines viii be carried on wholly by
governments, just as mails are. This will be as
proper in the former service is it is in the latter.
1t will then become what il should be, a public in
stitution. open for the benefit of all, who choose TO
pay for it. -
TEMPERANCE LEcTURE.-Mr. Barry, a gentleman
from America, lectured at the Bethel Vestry on
Thursday evening last. He comes as a stranger to
Honolulu, but on his arrival announced that he
was prepared to advocate this cause, and he GER
tainly has done so most eloqUently and earnestly.
He speaks as one who has had personal encounters
with the monster lnteInperance, but has come off
victor, and is now ready TO do battle with his old
foe. He calls things by their right names. and in
no faint-hearted style denounces liquor drinking,
whether in the parlor or bar-room. He made the
rather startling declaration that there were four
thousand drinking Establishments in san Francisco. During
the lecture there we're repeated demonstrations of applause.
After the lecture steps were taken for organizing a society, and
another meeting was appointed for this evening. 1t is to be
hoped there will be a full attendance. Aside from Mr.. Barry's
talents rs a lecturer. We listened to his address with interest
from the fact that he had been three years in the Union army,
and engaged in fourteen pitched battles, besides many small
skirmlshes. He left his situation in Chicago as a clerk, and
also learn that Mrs. b. (who was also present) was employed
m npgci g' With ID the Battle 4 Of Buh Kun Run and serTing until the last
soldier fen upon the field of battle. Surely Mr.. and Mrs. b. de-
They have a noble record.
SEcURED-The schooner JIrry. which arrived on
Saturday last from Hanalei. Kauai, brought the
two natives, a man and woman, whose arrest we
noticed last week, charged with the murder of
KaIu. The woman, Keohe, is quite young, appar-
emily not over Is or 20 years, and of prepOssessing
appearance. Judging from her pleasant face and
demeanOr, one could hardly suppose her capable
of committing the crime charged against her. The
mana short ugly-looking creature-appears as if
thanksgiving might have been his profession. He is
a kdhuln or sorcerer. and looks as if he might have
been very successful in that line. The native
crowd that followed him from the wharf to the sta
tion-hOuse, could not reprcss its contempt OF him,
and exhibited 1t by throwing dirt and sOds at him.
The accused will remain in Jail here until the sit
ting of the Court on Kauai, when they will be taken
back to that island for trial.
FRoGs-We learn by the following from the San
Times. that some one there is trying the
experiment of sending us frogs again. 1t has been
tried several times. but the frogs have always been
destroyed in the course Of a few months by rats or
some other animal fond Of choice meats:
EXPORTING FRoGs-The people Of Honolulu ap
pear 10 have acquired French tastes. as they have
sent to san Francisco FOR a package of live frogs,
fer thc purpose Of raising them on the Islands. \
mp a glass case with a stock of croakers from that
vicinity. which will be shipped by the first vessel
that leaves for Kamehamcha's dominions.
RoBBIREs-On Thursday last, a native was
caught behind the counter of Mr.. Houghtaling's
saloon, with SIS, which he had stolen. He was
tried and sentenced to two years hard labor. and
So fine.
On Thursday night. the dwelling house of Mr..
LoIer was entered, and money and clothes stolen
to the value of $3.50. \ short time previous,
Mr.. Mann's bakery was robbed Of some $50. Keep
u lookout for the rogues.
WRFCKER.-The schooner C1roljpe Mis- sailed
on the sth for a cruise westward. understood to be
for Wakes Island. where the remains of the bark
LJalc and other vessels still lie embedded in the
sand. Copper, quicksilver, specie and other valu-
ables are said to be sunken there in four to ten
fathom- of water. The schooner i provided with a
diving apparatus and all ia" appliances necessary
to insure success in a venture OF this kind.
REAL ESTATE SHE-The dwelling premises oc
cupied by Mir. c. T. Phuger in Fort Street, sold on
Monday for $3.50 cash. Two years ago the samc
property realized $3.50. Sixteen years ago it
sold for $1,000. This Is a fair specimen Of real cs-
tate operations in Honolulu. This city does not al
ford a very inviting field for speculators in real es-
tate =
CATERrIiGARs-TIis annual scourge has made
is appearance in This vicinity. apparently accom-