The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-10-05
The mcrIon Flag In the Pacific.


On our fourth page will lie found n brief
account Of the TuSoaTOr0's visit to the Fiji Group
in the South Pacific. We should before have
had something to say about her cruise there, had
We not understood THAT the publication Of the
particulars WAS not agreeable to the officers Of
the ship.
The Fjis are located between South latitudes
15= 81 and 49, 80, AMI West longitude III
and l7S- The group comprises one hundred and
hfty-fOur Islands, ~stXty-hyc Of which are inhabit-
Ell. The total population i, about $780, 900. The
krgest islaBd, VitiIeyu, j. we'll adapted To- graz-
Ing, and i covered with most beautiful pasture
lnnds particularly sditcd to sheep. Foreigners
are rapidly locating there, mostly Englishnan
from Sydney, and a few months ago, n Tract of
land was purchased for n sheep ranch, for which
La. 900 was paid. For another Els 600. Capt.
Stanley thinks that in n few years the group will
virtually belong To the British Government. ~
il will become Z, all intcnts an English colony,
the same as New Zealand.
On the largest Island i n deep river, up which
the Of5ccrs went in boats about forty miles, and
could the THscarora have crossed the bar she
might have steamed up twenty or thirty mile.
The banks ~ this stream arc said % be Charm
ing, and must ono day become den-ely populated,
as there i nom for extensive agricultural and
grazing enterprises. Samples of long staplcd
Sea Island cDttou were shown as, which measures
fully fro iHehss az length, and of wonderful fine
ness-suTTassing the best Hawaiian or Carolina
that we have ever examined. A. yet but little
attention j. paid 10 agriculture. Grazing Il the
chief attraction.
The proximity Of the group 10 Sydney and
Tahiti. eight or ten days sail from either port, j.
attracting many settlers. These are mostly
adventures without mcans. who cause much
trouble with the natives and among themselves.
During the rebellion, these Sydney Adventures
persuaded the Chiefs that the American Govern
meut was broken up, and that they would never
sec an American war ship there again. The
effect was, that Americans were mal;rcated in
many instances, and dcspoiicd Of their property.
The visit OF the TusoarorG has done good, in
satisfying the natives that the Government still
exists, and will hold them tn accountability. Ii
left n good impression ON all, foreigners IL well
a. natives.
Three islands lave been ccled u the American
Government as security for the payment of the
claims adjudged To be due, but the chiefs viii be
allowed their own time to pay them The Fiji
group i literally filed with excellent harbors,
making quite n contrast To our own group.
Tlcse Will in time become the centers or indus
triOus settlements.
Captain Stanly found Wilkes observations
very accurate In every instance that he no.
tiecd, there was no exception To be taken.
Any vessel can follow WilkcS' surveys OF dircc-
tons with perfect safety. This il cTeditable
t. that navigator.
Here Is another instance Of the benefit of hav-
ing war ships cruising through this ocean. The
TuSeaT0Ta has visited but two groups, the Society
ami Fiji, but she or other vessels ought 20 lie
kept cruising among these Pacific groups, visit
Ing all the islands possible. There's nothing like
d war ship % satisfy q half civilized people OF
the power OF a nation, or 10 command IT, respect
and good viii.