The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-07-27

This report is generally credited. the superstition
being that the Government would gladly increase its
territory. The BuHs.in's comments viii interest
your readers:
TRANSFER OF TIE SANDWICH IsLANps-The tele-
graphic report Of negotiations pending at Washing
ton for the transfer Of the Sandwich Islands to the
United States. will be read with special interest by
the people Of the Pacific Coast. There is probably
some foundation for the report, even if the negotia-
tons fall short OF a transfer of the Islands. Some
Months ago, Minister Harris, who is at the head Of
the Financial Department Of the Hawaiian Govern
ment, came quietly over to this coast, spending
several weeks in this city, and afterwards departed
for Washington. During his stay here ii was under
stood that he was on a "tCur Of observation, and
be was of course reticent as a Minister should be,
about the special object of his mission. The impress
sion left by chance interviews, was that the Minister
after ascertaining that the tone and temper of the
people on this coast was favorable, would proceed TO
Washington with the view of negotiating n treaty of
reciprocity between the Sandwich Islands and the
United States. This view was confirmed by the fact
that such q project had been mooted for some time.
and Minister Harris did not hesitate to say that the
high tariff was ruinous TO the planting interests of the
Islands. During his stay in the city. raw sugars
produced AT the Islands, were sold at auction At less
than the cost of production, including freight, tariff
and commissions, and this fact was pointed out as an
illustration of the pressing need of a treaty Of reci-
procity. From other sources We learn that the plant
ing interest, now "A very large one, has not. upon the
whole, been prosperous, because the only natural
market Is blockaded by what amounts TO a prohibitory
tariff. Plantations are freely offered for sale; upon
many work is suspended, and altogether the indus
trial interests are not as hopeful rs the best friends Of
the Islands could wish.
While the people of this coast would be greatly
benefited by a reciprocity treaty, II is possible that
some insurmountable obstacles may have been en-
countered at Washington. The sugar-planters of the
Southern States might take alarm at this partial sus-
pension of the tariff in favor of the admission of raw
sugars free of duty, lest 1t should be the entering
wedge Of some more sweeping movement 1t is not
easy TO make n treaty satisfactory to the whole coun-
try which admits sugar and rice nominally free at the
port of San Francisco, while a heavy import tax is
laid upon the same articles at the ports of New York,
Boston and Philadelphia. In the event therefore,
that the negotiation of such a treaty had failed, it
does no violence 70 reason to suppose that another
step might be taken whereby the same objects would
he more etfectually accomplished, and that the sub
jet of the sale of the Islands had been preached in
official circles With the precedent furnished in the
purchase of Alaska, there can hardly be a doubt that
our Government would entertain fivOrably u PROPOSE
ton for the purchase of these Islands. 1t is better
advised of their value and prospective Importance
than ever before, and special consideration has been
given of late to their relation to the Pacific coast.
This evenings -9ita has something also to say:
eve have q Washington rumor, on the authority
of a special to the New York Tribune, : that Govern
ment has been negotiating for the purchase of the
Sandwich Islands, with prospects of success. We
trust this rumor may prove 10 be well founded.
There are no insular possessions so important 10 the
United States as the Sandwich Islands. Intrinsically
they are very valuable, from their unequalled CT
pacity in the production of sugar and tropical fruits,
but far more from their relative Importance as a con-
Meeting link for commerce between the States of the
Pacific and Asia. We cannot afford to let these
Islands fall into the hands of France or England,
who would thus be enabled TO levy tribute upon our
trade and possibly ut some future time to slam the
gate which leads to Asia in our face. The natives
are fast melting away before the influence of civiliza-
ton, always maiign to the Indian; and 1t Is to be
expected that, on the death of the present King, q
total change will take Mace in Dublic affairs. France
and England are not idle. 1t behooves us to be on
the alert and lose no advantage. The people, native
and foreign, look in this direction for sympathy,
trade and protection. They could, te could, do no
better than make the Islands 4 part of the Grc%.He-
public, and under the operations Of the universal
suffrage principle, II sovereign State in the Union"
\ good share of this is b uncomb, of course, but it
is well to know what your ~neighbors think and say of
you. 1t cannot be dissembled, however, that the
proposition meets with great favor here, and every
body speaks well of Hawaiian annexation.
Our New Possessions.
nuiuiruI iIatcu-r mas orIar-i :. n-.r ar a ships
to proceed to Sitka, including the jamestown, now
undergoing repairs at Saucelto, the .Hohican and
Resaca. The Admiral himself will proceed thither in
the Pensacola. The whole fleet will get off during
July. A Mr.. Stark, formerly Congressman from
Oregon, but now residing in Connecticut, has been
appointed Governor ofthe new Territory.
That Reported Island.
the two schooners, the Caroline Mills and Leah,
which were dispatched from this port some weeks
since in search of an island reported to have been
seen ] 400 miles due west of this port, have both re-
turned, and report that no land is to be found, and
not even s~oundings with 100 fathoms of line. though
the water is said TO be green, and birds abundant.
The whole thing turns out as your paper said it
would-a sailors yarn.
Marine.
The bark Cambridge cleared to-day for Callao
with a cargo of -four. From that port, it is under
stood, she will proceed to Valparaiso, and be sold, if
a purchaser can be found. Capt. Brooks remains
here during her absence. If not sold, she Will re-
sumo her berth in the Island trade on her return.
The ships Lissie OakJord and Free Trade are
under charter to load guano, and will both touch
at Honolulu, but may not sail for some weeks yet.
The ship Rather will be the next vessel for your
port. She is loading for Hongkong, but l hear is
under engagement to stop three days at Honolulu.
She will sail about August LIST.
The schooner Milton Badger will touch at Homo
lulu, Oh her return from Brooks Island, early in
August.
The bark Rainier is not yet in, though hourly
looked for.
Personal.
Asher b. Bates, Esq, formerly of Honolulu, has
been appointed, by Chief Justice Chase, of Washing
ton, to be Register in Bankruptcy for this State-an
office thought to be worth from FIVE to ten thousand
dollars a year.
Mrs. Henry W. Severance and r. Il. Armstrong,
Esq, arrived in the steamer to-day from New York.
In the list Of passengers by the steamer that left
New York in July, 1 see the names of L. III. Dimond
Miss Maria Paris of your Islands.
S1a