The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-04-16

ing a meeting of the Fire Department, at which the
tower recently erected and completed by Mr.. Renton,
was accepted. We have fully described, in previous
issues, the size, height, &C., of the tower, and it only
remains to add that the work has been completed by
the contractor in a very creditable manner, and is as
strong as wood and iron can make it. 1t is well worth
an inspectional visit by our citizens, and the view of
the city from the belfry is worth twice the amount of
leg exercise required TO mount to the elcvation-only
o hundred and twelve feet-a good deal less than
Buuker's Hill Monument, but still n considerable Of
: q getting up stairs - for Honolulu. We learn that
the qualities of the bell as an alarmer, will be tried
this afternoon, and therefore our readers are hereby
notified not to be alarmed, simply interested. The
city is divided into FIVE fire wards, by order of the
Department, and the Waterman on the tower will
designate the ward where the FIRE is. Wards ], and 8,
are all that portion north of Fort street wards 2,
and 4, all that portion south of Fort street ward .,
vessels in the harbor. Ward /, comprises all that
portion north Of Fort street and makai of Hotel street.
Ward 3, comprises all that portion north of Fort
street and mauka of Hotel street. Ward ?, comprises
all that portion south of Fort street and makaf Of
Hotel street. Ward 4, comprises all that portion
south of Fort street and mauka of Hotel street. 1t
will be seen that the intersection of Fort and Hotel
streets is taken as the centre of the city in the above
arrangement. The g Christening - of the tower, by
the fremen will, We hear, take place about the last of
the present month, with appropriate ceremonies.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMs.-We have seen the state
ment made in print that the money value of the
claims of the United States on England for the dep
relations of the .~ala6uma, was not considered az of
so great Importance as the principle involved. This
may appear perfectly sound to those who have no pc
cuniary interest involved, but the hardy whalemen
who were p~lundered and despoiled by the freebooters
Of the .7labama and Shenandoah, are apt to take q
1Iaoon~S 49, r l.
be in the company of six officers of whaleships now
in port or lying off and on, the above subject was
mentioned, and We were surprised to learn that five
out OF the six had been taken by the pirates. One. a
chief mate, had been captured three times, twice in
the Atlantic by the alabama, and once in the Arctic
by the Shenandoah. In each instance the ship was
burned and the crews stripped of everything worth
stealing. A deep and lasting ill-feeling towards the
English Government ON the part of American seamen
can only be prevented by a settlement of these claims.
Most of the claimants however, are sanguine of ulti-
mate payment, and have filed the necessary docu-
ments in the State department at Washington.
A NEW VENoMoUs INsEcT.-The carrion fly, SO
common in America and Europe. has lately been
introduced here, and is now found about our butcher
shops and other places. 1t is a dark greenish fly,
about one-half larger than the common house fly.
Its bite is often (but not always) poisonous, as it is
supposed to innoculate the wound made by its bite,
with poison from carrion. The antidote is any of
the simple remedies used for the sting of wasps or
centipedes, such as salt, tobacco juice, salts of anu
monia, &C., &c. In cases where the wound is neg
lected, it is liable to prove fatal. Three deaths have
occurred in this city during the past two months
which are attributed to the bite of the carriOn fly.
The wound made by it. is a peculiar hard pimple,
and where it is known to be made by this fly, or
even suspected, a physician should be secured at once.
WHALING GuN.-The experiment made with Capt.
Roys' whaling gun last Saturday afternoon i'll the
harbor. was very satisfactory to all who witnessed it.
A target consisting of a sail cloth, was sunk Il little
under the surface, and the weapon fired twice from a
boat. The first shot was fired about % fathoms from
the target and hit it, passing through the cloth. The
second. about 35 fathoms distant, passed a few feet
from it. A whale, in both instances, would have
probably been struck. Although this instrument is
somewhat expensive, it is considered by old seamen
as one of the best ever brought into notice. 1t is
proposed to fit out q brig and send her to the Arctic
this summer. Two weeks of good whaling would
suffice to fill her up with the aid Of such q deadly
weapon az this. -
HARACTERIsTIc.-In this weeks Gazette, under
the head of " By Authority it will be noticed that
&c the 10th inst, - Saturday g being Good Friday"
be observed as a public holiday. We have often
noticed that the Interior Department seems disposed
to arrogate to itself authority to change laws and
override customs, but when it becomes so arrogant as
to change, or rather attempt to change, the calendar,
it simply makes itself ridiculous. Among sailors,
Friday is thought to be an unlucky day can this be
the reason for the extraordinary official change of
Good Friday? -
gE~ The attention of residents and strangers is
called to the full and conspicuous advertisement of
Mr.. McInerny. who has probably the largest variety
of any dealer in town. Mr.. McInerny knows the
secret of " a nimble sixpence," which is liberal
Advertising. 1t is an sntidote to hard times, as it
always brings in customers from distant sections,
who are sure to find what they want cheaper than
be had elsewhere.
Bold THEFr.-The dwelling houses of Rev. Lowell
Smith and DR.. G. p. Judd, in Nuuanu valley, were
entered by q thiefor thieves, on Sunday forenoon last,
and 1920 in coin stolen from the former and $50
from the latter. AS in most cases where money is sto-
en-, it is difficult to trace out the guilty parties.
- A meeting was held at Kailua, Hawaii, on
Tuesday last, April II, to celebrate the landing of
he first company of American missionaries, which
occurred there fifty years ago-April II, 1890. We
nave, as yet, no particulars of the proceedings.
10 Don't be alarmed when you hear the fire
this afternoon. The fremen will be around,
md ready for duty.
The Official Loo~king-GIass.
"a correspondent who is evidently not an adj
nirer of the way in which the Government
,rgan is conducted, sends us the following
1t will be seen that he concludes, (as
10 most others,) that the I" heavy articles " of