The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-05-16

tween Mauritius and Europe. ard the employ
mcnt of sail for sugar and molasses carriage be-
tween the West Indies. Europe and the United
States !; that the other exports of the Islands were
not large enough to warrant the subsidy, and that
the limited market for their sale probable for the
next two years prevented their increase. except at
loss to the producer ;-that on no other route in the
world was everything so favorable to sailing YES
sells. and such regularity and dispatch possible /;
that We were already, and had been for two years,
in more frequent communication with san Fran
cisco than we would be with eighteen trips by
steam. and that the regularity of such communica-
ton was nearly * great; that with the ten trips
already guaranteed Ia us. and the sailing vessels
which would be kept employed in the trade. ample
facilities OF communication We're provided. doubt
less greater than those enjoyed by any other nation
of equal size. wealth aud Importance in the world.
Ii was urged that the principle of subsidies was
useless for 50 short 4 term that at the end of two
years we should be worse off than now that this
subsidy was only aiding the Company duIing the
time they would be making temporary losses to
enable them subsequently 10 subject us to high
charges; that subsidies We're given by maritime ma
tons To enable their citizens TO compete with Others
in commerce; that We occupied a favorable posi-
ton in this respect; that our carrying trade was
the subject of competition that we were ~forfciting
that position. and would be unnecessarily paying
money to ask people to do what their own interests
were leading them to do that il was derogatory TO
the dignity of this Government TO subsidize vessels
not under its o,ea nag.
In behalf of the Company, the advantages sug-
gesied We're of a nature very indefinite and prob
lcmatical. 1t was said that steam always helped a
country. and yet it had To be admitted that some
times steam lines were prematurely established,
and sometimes failures. The saving of interest and
Insurance was urged with great force: but the fig
ures showed that if based upon the eight extra trips
for two years. which is all the advantage our sab
sidy really brings us. that it included less than a
quarter OF the business of the country. for but one
half of IL is with California, and more than half of
that will be done by the ten trips we already have.
1t was shown that the saving of interest TO us would
be small that owing 10 the way we do our bust
ness. but little of that advantage would come to us.
most Oft being TO the advantage of San Francisco:
but still if the whole amount claimed be admitted.
one and n quarter per cent. on half the trade of the
country. it was more than offset by the extra cost
of carriage by steam. Tie same reason keeps the
West India and Mauritius planter from employing
steam.
1t was urged that we needed labor and capital
but 1t was shown that labor and capital We're worth
lOEt III SdliOEiiu luan mere. anu therefore could
not be expected to come here. 1t was asserted. and
not denied. that were it not for the restrictions
placed by the laws of this country upon the emigra-
ton of natives, that the greater demand of Califor-
MIA would take away what labor we now have.
The existence of those laws, and their necessity. is
proof that we cannot compete on even terms with
other interests for the labor of our own people. 1t
shown that we have no room for the profitable
employment of more capital at present that the
of interest is decreasing among Us. and capital
is idle; that any stimulation of our products just
now would be disastrous : that the cultivation of a
hundred tons of rice would not supply the de-
nand. and that eur present supply of sugar was
greater than could he probably disposed OF, and
would be so till California was more thiekly settled
md demanded more, when we would naturally grow
enough to su! ply The demand. y want of labor is
but that cannot be expected to come from Cal
iornia 10 this place.
In answer TO the general argument Of the benefits
# steam communications, it was shown that it was
.hiefy beneficial where a new country OF great re
ources and large markets to supply We're placed in
with old countries, where the surplus Of
and capital could be drawn TO the new
where it was necessary to connect some outlying ter
itory to the other parts of the same nation, or when
he trade of two countries of immense populations
it. None of these conditions exist here.
t was acknowledged that some time in the future it
be shat the second steamer would be necessary;
,ut that now the Hawaiian interests to be served by
for two years did not justify the subsidy.
II was also urged upon the Committee that the re-
ult Of bringing small places into frequent communica-
ion with great cities. had always resulted in more
eneft to the large cities instances We're cited Ct
owns in the United States which had a fair foreign
rade of their own, but which deserted them for the
lrger cities as soon as the travelling facilities were
lcreasel ; it was urged that the tendency Of The Gb-
lrption, by the large centres, of all trade, and Of
laking small places tributary 10 large ones, which We
&C everywhere working, was the result of steam COM
lunicatioGs. Victoria once subsidized y steamer to San
rancisco but the fIct was soon shown that such
.equent communication tended to make Victoria
Ierely a commercial dependency of San Francisco,
ithout foreign trade of her own, and now the steam
etwoen the two ports is entirely in the interest of
an Francisco.
1t was urged that a temporary subsidy for two
might result in encouraging lavish expenditure,
I'd when the subsidy was withdrawn, its renewal
ould be demanded by the company or the steamer
ithirawn, while if left to its own resources and the
,mands of the trade, the expenditures would be
upon such resources and be more likely to be
ornament thai should the attempt to run e second
fail after the two years, it would damage the
terests of the islands more than aid them.
1t was admitted by those favoring the subsidy that
ch would be the course of trade, and that direct
sde with Europe and Atlantic states would doubt
= cease. 1t s plain, then, that the cost of living
,uld be increased, our lines of foreign packets would
withdrawn the carrying Of oil freights would go
to the hands of others, and every interest of the
lwaiian islands would pay tribute to San Francisco,
i especially to the line of steamers which could and
Il control our trade, and the Hawaiian islands d.,
uld soon be = mere commercial dependency Of San ]