The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-12-18
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
SATURDAY, IS.
sam Francisco Vs. honolulu n
Whaling Port

We have had occasion the present fall season TO
converse quite freely With many Of the most IN
telligent masters IN the whaling service in regard
70 the facilities offered here 10 the feet as an out
at,in, port. So long As il Is to their interest To
visit our ports they will come, and We have often
urged with much force the advantages offered here
in contrast with San Francisco. Some facts which
we have learned show that there sat least q diver
sity Of opinion, and = strong inclination 70 give
San Francisco another trial. How much force
there Il in the arguments Of the whalemen, or
whether their resolves will be carried out, time
will tell.
In the first place they argue that any attempt
TO depreciate their exchange in San Francisco,
and make them pay dear for money, would prove
futile. rs the telegraph will soon rectify matters
They admit that, owing to the fact that but few
OF the fleet have in times past made that port
their rendezvous, to obtain good officers and boat
steerers was somewhat difficult: but argue that,
IL the whale feet, OF even n half OF il, were to
outfit there, there would be opportunities for an
exchange Of officers which would obyiate this dif-
fcuIty. Again. that the Telegraph and railroad
offer facilities for the procurement OF officers,
which could be made available in case Of necessity.
In ease of q demand for any extra outlay for re-
pairs, or outfit. the owner or an agent could per-
sonally supervise matters, and be In New Bedford
again inside of n month. That heretofore it was
deemed worse than folly to visit that port carly
in the voyage, from the fact that '' the yoyagers "
(those who ship for the whole voyage,) would bc
sure to desert, but now il is considered an advan-
tage to have .. seasoncrs, - and that If" voyagers"
- - - I.aohor,aH the shIn will eSpous. fle
hospital charge exaeted ut foreign ports. OppOr-
tunities for shipping oil and bone, at as good or
better rates, have always been offered in San
Francisco.
Thus it seems that in the same ratio that San
Francisco Is becoming advantageous to the feet,
80 some parties are planning to its disadvantage
mt this point. San Francisco and the fleet are
backing their chairs, and it is not improbable
that they may yet meet, though it is not likely
that over ten or u dozen at the most, will abandon
this port next year. To say that the withdrawal
of the feet from ou- waters will not affect our
prosperity is simply child's talk no sound think
er or economist would ever utter such an absurdi-
ty. Whatever doubts We may have Dad upon
this point have been thoroughly dispelled the
the past year. Every thing that tends to attract
CDmIncICC suOulA Dt chNOdi15ct- OHA 0ohN
become more valuable as they offer the facilities
of q first class hotel to the wayfarer and traveller
upon the Pacific. Whaleships. passenger steam
ers and shipping generally are what we want, the
more the better. With such customers money
will be plenty enough to satisfy all the de-
mands Of the agricultural interests, and all will
go as merry as n marriage feast. 1t has been
stated that the sugar plantations were first estab-
lished upon capital left by shipping, and that the
experiment Of sugar growing on these islands de-
pended upon the fresh influx of such capital to
sustain it ; that the sugar raised on these islands
has cost more than it has been sold for, and such
whether true or not, certainly admit
of argument.
Now before it is decided upon TO drive away
our shipping by Legislative embargOes, a decent re-
gard for our citizens, demands that they should be
consulted as to its expcdiency, or else give them
time to gather a carpet bag full Of something
with which to leave the country.