The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-05-18
our CoastinG Fleet.

our CoastinG Fleet.
The statement has been made by public adj
ycrtiscment that the steamer Rilaued viii, after
the present trip, he withdrawn from the inter-
island traffic, and be sent abroad for sale. if not
otherwise disposed of here. BY the same . re-
liable authority which, on Wednesday last in
the commercial column of our contemporary
made the above statement, the public are further
informed that the steamer has - paid a profit
during the Iast MONTHS If such is the case,
why should she be Withdrawn? The Kilauea,
with all her faults, has become to be regarded as
Il public institution, and her withdrawal would
be felt as a public loss.
The degree of certainty which always attaches
10 the movements of a steamer, has a great effect
in stimulating increased passenger travel and
mercantile traffic. The inter-island trade OF
Hawaii nei ought, and we feel assured will ere
long, afford profitable employment for two good
steamers. But they should bc well built, and
with powerful machinery, for the winds and seas
in our island channels are at times as furious and
rs heavy as in any part of the world, not even
excepting those that rage and roar around the
British Isles, or on the stormy coast of North
q ~ - VIA ~ ~
nothing less than the strongest and best fitted
vessels for our coasting trade. Some of our har-
bors. contiguous to plantations and in populous
districts, are frequently, by sudden changes OF
winds, rendered unsafe for sailing vessels, while
n strong steamer would be in no danger. What
We want for our intcr-island trade, is a pair of
just such seagoing s~idc-whcel steamers, of say
two hundred tons b%urthcn, as ply between Liver
pool and the ports of ireland.
To show the magnitude and Importance of our
intcr-island coasting trade, we will give a sketch
of some Of the principal vessels engaged and the
routes on which they ply. BY the Custom House
Register, for an inspection Of which we are in
debted to the courtesy of the Collector General
and his clerk, Mr.. j. a. Hassinger, we find that
there are forty registered coasters now employed
about the Islands, representing Il large capital,
and all doing Il paying business. These vessels
are mostly commanded by foreigners, who have
been either mates or experienced seamen on board
of ships of other countries, and nothing less than
a good degree of skill in :. schooner s,ilins in
an applicant Will secure n command.
The winds and currents about the Islands are
20 changeable, more especially the currents, that
the most untiring vigilance and watchfulncss is
requisite on the part of those in charge in order
to make n good passage from one port TO another.
The crews are composed of native IIawaiians,
VIGOROUSLY sleepy heads, though very fair sailors
when awake, and Il coasting captain in general
finds that - eternal vigilance is the price of"
safety, SO far as the lives and property under his
charge are concerned. We have known captains
of coastcrs-but we won't NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
it is said that while on their trips they were never
known to sleep, and scarcely allow themselves
tune 10 eat.
The Aotire Ito commence our description alpha
bctically), of about one hundred tons burthcn,
owned by Frank Moltcno, is commanded by Capt.
and runs on the Ulilo route. touching at
Lahaina on the upward and downward trip, and
calling Mt Kaupakuea, the landing place of the
Mctcalf Plantation. lThe Iiilo trade il a large
one, and rapidly increasing, the town having n
very fine harbor and n very productive back
country, with extensive sugar lands to support it.
and a perfect exemption from drouths which
quite paralyze the productive resources of some.
other portions of the Islands. The other vessels
which run to Hilo are the schooners Annie, own
ed and commanded by Capt. William Babcock
the schooner Odd FeHOiC, Captain Quincy the
Mary of Hilo, belonging to j. III. Concy, and
the sloops P0maikai and Lice Yankee, which lat
ter two are mostly employed in cruising along
the eastern and southern Hawaii coast. The
Mar5Ada, Captain Phillips, owned by Allen and
Conway and WIN Bcrrill, runs on tho route be-
tween Honolulu and Kawaihac. The kawaihae
trade is principally in cattle, hides and wool, be-
sides Irish potatoes, which arc raised in large guam
titles ON the sides of the Kohala mountains as well
as on the slopes of Maunakca above Mr.. Parker'k
place Mt Pookanaka. -
On the Kona coast, where arc situated thd
rich coffee districts of the Island of Hawaii, twoI
schooncrs constantly ply-thc EnueIine, Captain
Crane, and the Kona Packet, Capt. MarchantI
Both of these vessels arc well commanded by
Yankee {" schooner Sailors who have earned
their education as such in " down cast fishing
vessels, and that is saying quite enough in their
recommendation. The Kohala Plantation Com
pany, on the same Island, own n vessel of their
own, called the KohaIa, which is generally en-
ploycd in their business, to the district of kohola.
In the Maui trade we have, besides the steam
or, the Ka Moi, Capt. Wilbur, belonging to L.
Hebron, and the Mo,keiki, belonging to the
same owner, running TO ports on East Maui.
Hate Lee, Capt. Fountain, running 10 Ulu-
and touching at Lahaina going and
is owned by Capt. James Makee, owner
of the Rose Ranch Plantation, one of the largest
and best managed on the Islands. The Helen,
Capt. Ballister, an out-and-out Britisher, and
who, although a little man, is a : tip top coast
ing captain and a good navigator. The Moi
,rahine, an old established coaster, owned by
IL Harris, also runs to Iahaina. The
Manuokaurai, owned by Mr.. Samuel Carter, is
put down on the Hama route.
The coasters that run TO Molokai and Lanai,
are small vessels, although the trade between
those islands and Oahu is far from unimrortant.