The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1870-11-09
Hawaiian Seamen.

Since the New England whaleships
have Changed their whaling grounds from
the South Atlantic and Indian oceans to
the SNorth Pacific, they have made these
Islands the principal depot for recruits,
supplies and for procuring seamen for
the arduous and perilous Seasons" North.
During this time thousands Of Hawaiians
have been employed in the business, and
have uniformly been found to be equal, if
not superior, to any other class of seamen
for the peculiar business of whaling.
Fullv As intelligent and as capable of
withstanding the hardships to which all
are subjected who engage in the business,
their tractability and willingness to per-
form their duties on the voyage, render
them favorites with many of the most ex-
perienced and successful whaling masters,
who would Chico e, if possible, to have all
their foremost hands Hawaiians. 1t has
become a matter Of serious doubt with
many. who have the interests of the Ha-
waiian people at heart, whether the policy
Of permitting Hawaiians to leave the
country on foreign ships is a sound one,
inasmuch as the decrease in the popula-
ton Of these Islauds renders it more i'm
portsnt. from year to year, that every
able bodied and industrious man should,
If possible. be retained at home. Those
who ship on whalers are certainly the
most industrious and enterprising of the
people. and although, as is argued on the
other hand, they may be the means of
bringing much wealth into the country, it
Is questionable whether they now add as
much to ITS general pros perity as they
would if they could be induced TO apply
their energey and industry in producing
at home. There are strong and reason
able arguments on both sides of this ques-
ton. For the population of Hawaii to
stand the steady strain upon the most
valuable of the population, caused by the
shipping of so many on whaleships, is
more than can Justly be demanded as a
rseht-even fit be by those whose trade
has done so much for the prosperity of
the country. On the other hand, to throw
obstacles in the way OF their procuring
men. would certainly take away from the
whalenen one Of the principal induce
ments which bring them once or twice
wear to our harbors for recruits; and
would de more than any thing else to in
duce them to seek new ports of supply.
So far as any material benefit accruing
TO those Hawaiians who ship on board of
whalers, it can hardly be said to be much.
We have never heard of any of them be-
coming enriched in the business, or of en-
riching their friends. To the prodigality
and improvidence of seamen, they add
that which Is natural to their race; and,
as consequence, no one, except perhaps
a few traders and shopkeePers, is in the
slightest degree benefited by the hun
dreds of Hawaiian seamen who annually
leave their homes to ship on the whal-
ers. The only benefit derived from their
engaging themselves on foreign vessels, for
q season" or year, is that it is an in
ducement for those foreign vessels to visit
our ports. The question, therefore, is
sne the benefits derived. on account of the
facilities of procuring men here, equiva-
lent to the loss of the services of four or