The New York herald., 1870-12-19
SANDWICH ISLANDS.
Arrival Of the Whaling Fleet al
Honolulu.
Heavy Rains and Diminished Crops-Non-A Ar
rival OF the Bark Japan-Perils Of the
Whale Fishery-swindling
Seamen-The Markets.
HoNoLuLu, NOV. 90, 1870.

agriculturists or grazers. Sugar cane fields In
some localities were parched until the crops gath
cred In were barely remunerative, while hundreds
OF cattle were dying or just saved by killing for
their hides. Marked changes OF climate have taken
place within the past fifteen years. Rains then were
quite frequent and evenly distributed throughout
the year; now we have long seasons or drought
relieved by the heaviest rains, which occasion loss
OF crops ana inundaton OF valleys and lowands
near the sea coast This change doubtless caused
by The destruction OF forests and the veiest appre
tensions are felt by the most intelligent OF our
planters as TO the future OF these slanas
News has reached here OF loss or crops OF rice and
taro the latter the staff OF life TO Hawaans) the
otner Islands. Whole valleys have been swept clear
Of Of rice and taro patches. In some locali-
ties sugar cane growing on side hills has been
washed out OF the soil and carried by the torrents TO
the sea, while In many places the rain and wind
have caused the crop TO fall 10 the ground where it
is damaged by sprouting. From Kanai news comes
OF house carried 70 sea and life lost To show the
amount Of water that has fallen will give the state
ment Of person who has q rain gauge, to the effect
that In five days eighteen inches OF water fell,
and again that In night nine inches fell. On
this island much damage has been done to fish
ponds stocked with tsh ready for market, taro
patches ready for the and fields of cane. In
instances soil has been washed from hill sides
down to the lowlands, where II has been deposited
in ponds and patches the depth of four feet. The
loss OF the taro crop Will be the severely felt,
as 1t was quito scarce and held at rates which ex-
cluded 1t from the bill OF fare OF the poorer classes
Kanal also experienced severe thunder storm; but
serious damage is reported from the effects OF
electricity.
The whaling fleet expected 10 rendezvous at these
islands this fall is safely anchsr within our har-
bor with the exception OF the bark Japan for which
vessel some anxiety Is felt, she was last
very perllous position. The ships generally report
very heavy gales during the latter part OF the season.
Ii is subject OF congratuaton that some OF The
vessels which remained IN the Arctic after the mid
die OF October got out at ALL Ships encased in
ice, water freezing where 1t fell. One shipmaster
informed me that from the catheads to the bowsprit
end OF his ship solid cake of Ice rendering ii
dlncult TO work the ship. Another had 50 much Ice
IN his rigging that 1t with great difficulty that
the yards were braced, while Ice formed about the
rudder so solidly that 1t required work OF hours
duration TO clear 1t In order to steer the vessel One
ship during gale crossed shoal covered with six
fathOms OF water wnere sea boarded her which
LETT pebbles the size OF mans thumb IN the soup
pers. This may sound like tough story, but there
are number OF respectable witnesses to youch
for the fact Take ii altogether IL has been very
severe season, ana much suffering and hardship
have been experienced. Snipmasters say that the
that in order to take fare ships have to remain
until the navigation Is very hazardous. The bulk OF
the oil taken the past season was caught after the
Isl OF October The average the fleet OF forty SIX
vessels is l95 barrels OF OIL la2i7 pounds OF bone,
Brewer { Co.'S iine-iolan, aud Ceylon@nave Sc.
cured full cargo OF oil and bone, Notwithstanding
Ine freight for oil has reduced eight cents u
! gallon. The bark Ethan Allen has also loaded OIL
lor New Bedford. me uawalian caught OIL win go
| line A large quantity or walrus ivory viii 90 for
ward to Europe, The catch OF the Meet OF whalers
season commenced. lot OF walrus hides Will also
be sent forward Tor q market.
The rates fixed by the United states Consul at
which seamen are compelled TO settle lor their
sons catch have caused great dissatisfaction. His
swndIInp Of hawaiian seamen, but found that
clause mad been inserted IN the Hawaiian shipping
articles by winch the seamen were bound to accept
consular rates. Hereafter this clause VIII be omitted
and Hawaiian seafnen Will be protected IN their
rights, while United States consuls WIN. doubtless.
extent Arctic oil, quoted In American papers at
seventy cents, currency Is paid OF at thirty-three
OF 1000 barrels has been sold, as reported at thirty
nine cents q gallon. whaeb0ne paid or ut hlty.
cents, gold, per pound, in New YORK, and sales OF
trade bone-an inferior article-have been made
ply an outrage upon the rights OF American
seamen. II consuls cannot be sent here who
are willing to protect ne =, interests Of
should fix the rates at which seanen should he
settled with IN foreign ports Many seaman has
| come from the American Consulate this fall out
ragged ana full Of Indignation. The question: where
| Is Consul Adams0nf has been asked hundreds of
| times When told that he had been recalled, the
| remark Ia answer Is invariably, "Oh. he was too
honest TO suit New Bedford folks.n Consul Perkins
| has, however, heard complaints OF bad usage and
promptly acted IN behalf OF seamen. Hawaiian
| seamen are holding back, refusing to ship except
for shorter "lays'' and larger advances determined
| to make up In some way Tor the consular rates.
Many or them contracting to go TO work OH
plantations whle others are enlistlng IN the army.
OF the SHIPS lew Bedford Oil magnates will Gnd
out tleir cost that 1t VIII pay best 10 he al least
Another way in winch seamen are wronged has
| become notorious. Men shipping in New Bedford,
| called voyagers TO. distinguish them. from those
| on board long enough to work out the
home advance and slop bill ana then are so
abused that they glad TO get clear OF the ship.
| In many cases forleiting what may be due them.
captains refuse to give the discharge uniess the
wages" a%onntnR p 70 sixty collars demanded by
the Consul, TO secure which the men put themselves
into the hands OF the sharks who ship them on
satisfy the claim for extra wages by law, fsrtv
dollars Of the extra wages' should be returned TO
few few Of them, however, ever see the sum Where it
goes is the pnzzie. Sailors have chance to prose-
| cute masters for abuse, they nave no money
wberewi ith 10 fee lawyer TO 60 into our Admiralty
| Court So his wrongs go unredressed. case where
| seaman had been beaten by an officer IN hai-
Dor, and who had retaliatcd by stabbng the oficer
came up before the police magistrate HIS Honor
| imposed light penalty upon The seaman, and took
| occasion TO speak quite plainly OF what he termed
| the outrages committed 50 commonly on board OF
| American ships.
| Shipcarpenters and sailmakers have been quite
fortunate through the summer The heavy gales IN
the North Pacific have compelled SHIPS to seek this
port for repairs. The American Dark Sterling was
fitted with spars and sails 10 the extent VI $1,000
/ The American ship John Bryant was almost entirely
remasted and Iigsed, The repairs ootinQ up $4,000
IL Is doubtful II tnere is port III the Pacific where
repairs can be better made or at cheaper rates than
| in this port.
The North German bark Fidelitas put I'm here en-
tirely dsmasted and has been sold for underwriters
| account The can of sale was doubtless OWING TO
] MISREPRESENTATION as to cost OF repalrs Repre-
| sentattons were made tnat II would require an eX
| pendirure OF $4,000 90 lit her lCr sea. The pur-
chisers of the hu will Gr IL 0r Sll00O, aud VIII
| then be in POSSESSION oi an almost new bark at
| cost OF $4,000.
The schooner Anna has returned from Micronesia,
bringing several missionaries who require rest rom