The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-07-08
where are we Drifting TOT

Nh. EDrroR No thinking man among US can
avoid a feeling of anxiety when he allows one OF
the incidents of Hawaiian sugar making to arrest
his attention. mean the want of fuel.
There are few, probably, who would not &C
knowledge that the margin of profit of sugar
making here is exceeding narrow. Anything
which would increase that margin would, by so
much, tighten the burdens of the planters-at
present well nigh intolerable and so place the
financial interests of the islands on a comfortable
basis. For, every one knows the sugar interests
here to be paramount; and though the same
amount of activity which is now directed to this
business would, for the most part, take new
directions, in case of the failure OF tins, still 1t
is not well to expect failure till all the means
have been tried for increasing the profits of the
business, or of lessening its expenses. Among
the latter fuel ranks as one Of the principal. 1t
might be thought a piece of temerity to say
about how much the firing costs on an average
plantation. Few, probably. pay less than one
thousand dollars a year for frewood. In addi-
ton they mostly burn all their trash or rind
and the handling of this costs about-ten hands
at SI2O a year each-Sl, 200. No matter if the
trash is dried in houses to secure it from rain, it
still costs, and in addition to the cost OF handling
loses about one third of its infammable value by
fermentation. Every one who has had a prac-
teal acquaintance with sugar making knows that
a material addition to this cost lies-by %algebraic
calculation-in the loss occasioned by sudden
showers, Gains. &c. All these considerations are
heightened by another, viz. the destruction OF
our scanty forests-not for long years to be re-
placed and the consequent increased drouth-
already becoming alarming; to say nothing of
the dissertation of one of the greatest sources of
beauty of our romantic islands. Fancy the time
MOI distant, if we 90 on at this rate, when our
plains will be glimmering stretches OF parched
nch hnn~a ruhan
goats even can only live by climbing to their
yerv tops, and our glorious, babbling streams,
with their silvery cascades and refreshing YER
~dure,-merely lines of worn boulders on whose
polished sides even the moses cannot grow for
want of moisture. The only rains will be desor
!, lating floods, sweeping away everything IN their
: reach there being no net work of roots to retain
the soil.
Well-what is to be done?
The first thing to be done is to look around
and see if anything can be done. And to this
end every one should be ready to contribute his
mite. This is the present purpose of the writer
in penning these few lines.
1t as said that in some places the rind of the
cane is taken direct from the mill to the furnace,
and with the application OF the proper machinery
furnishes fully sufficient fuel for making the
sugar. Who knOlcS about this. and how it is
done? I ask him to come forward and let the
rest of us know. But do not bring any hum
buggery. We have had enough of it. 1t is as
tonishing how many adventures are readv-fOr
a consideration, to tell us all about it. Gentle
men, we know you. and we do not want you.
We want men who are in the business here; who
know s1hat is done of this sort, and hour it is
done, to give us a good account of it. Or, if
they only kne,c tChdt is done, but do not know
hoto it is done, and will tell us tohere it is done,
let US join hands and send a man of our own
5 one who has the ability to give us a good account
+ who will understand it himself; and one whom
we can trust-who Will not be feathering his
own nest at our expense.
/ The writer has watched with interest a few of
4 the experiments which have been made to burn
the rind without drying, and he is compelled to
9 say that it would have been a wonder, bad those
experiments succeeded. He does not think it
. wise for us to experiment at all, if, as he has rea-
. son to believe, the thing has been carried to per-
$ lection elsewhere in a way which would be avail
+ able to us. 1t is his opinion that the first cost OF
setting up the works requisite to adapt it to one
. of our establishments would be two or three
thousand dollars. But he is not sure about it,
and he asks light, if any one is able to give a
: certain light. He stands ready to aid in this
matter in any way in his power. But he would
earnestly suggest that no more money be thrown
6 away on experiment-that no uncertain step bt
s taken and that no unnecessary delay be allowed
{ further to leach our community.
Pro Bono PUBLICo.