The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-12-30
A New Palace.

There is a well-known adage to the effect that
one must 60 abroad to learn what is going on at
home. Thus we are often told that in San Fran
cisco one may hear very many particulars of
affairs here, governmental and other, which are
altogether s1b rosa in Honolulu. Since the
Australian line of steamers has been running
regularly, the current of leaks appears to have
set in that direction as well as California-ward
and it has now become noticeable that Hawaiians
and others coming from the antipodes know more
about what we have done and what we are going
to do in Honolulu, than We do ourselves. In
formation in regard to the plans and projects Of
our own government is very rarely impaired
through its Organ, the Ministry wrapping them
selves up in a sublime righteousness, an owlish
taciturnity, SO far as the vulgar public is con-
cerned. Thus we are compelled to look abroad
for news, not "by authority" but probably
quite as reliable. and this time We find it in a
late Sydney Journal.
We are told in effect, that the Hawaiian gov
eminent, having determined to erect, for the
official residence of His Hawaiian Majesty at
Honolulu, a new palace, to be in every respect
more commodious and better adapted to its uses
than the present edifce, designs have been invited
from a certain number of distinguished foreign
architects, to all of whom the general character
of the intended building has been more or less
made known-the space proposed to be taken up,
and the amount likely to be expended on this
national object. 1t is understood that the plans
are to be for a structure not to cost more than
from 1925 600 to $3.50 900, but it is considered
not unlikely that a larger outlay may very pos
sibly be resolved upon, if the circumstances
should appear to require it. So that it will be
perceived that our Ministry do not propose to
build upon any parsimonious plan, but on the
Among the gentlemen whose constructive tai
ents have been thus appealed to by the Hawaiian
government, as we are told, are Mr.. George Allen
Manifold, President of the Architectural Society
Of New South Wales. and Mr.. Thomas Rowe,
the Vice President Of that association. The first
of these gentlemen has prepared one plan, whilst
the second has prepared two, and all these designs
were received here in Honolulu by the last mail.
Our Australian friends who were permitted to see
these plans, spoke in the highest terms of each
design, in every one of which there is said to be
some particular and distinctive excellence. In
all three the general type of an Italian palace
appears TO have been adopted, but with such
external and interior notifications as are sug-
gested by a wise consideration of the climate,
and the intended national use. In each of these
elaborate and beautiful desigus-totally dissimi-
lar as they are to each other-the size of the
State Rooms, the thoughtful arrangement of the
more private apartments of the palace, and the
manner in which the personal convenience of the
King and his household las been studied, are
described as equally remarkable. In one of the
plans there is an arrangement by which three
magnificent lofty rooms can be readily thrown
into one on State occasions in another, the po-
sition of the Council Room is very happily de-
termined and in another, the way in which
broad verandahs and balconies have been worked
into the general plan is at once both original and
suggestive. Should any one ofthese three designs
as described be adopted, we are assured the result
will be a palatial residence far superior in its
kind to any public building at present erected in
the Colony of New South Wales.
A loyal people will take pride in seeing their
Chief Magistrate not only d~ecently and comforta-
bly,, but handsomely lodged, and we feel that we
speak the sentiments of the nation in expressing
our approval of the disposition now made mani
fest by the Department of the Interior to erect a
Royal Palace that will be worthy of the name.
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