The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-04-27
Japan CriticIscs Hawaii.

The leading article in a late number Of the japan
Herald. a daily newspaper printed at Yokohama.
Is entitled ~ \ glance at Honolulu, and Is evident
~ hastily written by some traveller, who paid us n
very short visit on his way TO Japan. and whose
conclusions As 10 the state Oi society here were based
upon second hand information OF Il not very rrlia-
Bile kind. This is quite evident from the recapiuI-
lauon by the writer Of the stale and threadbarr
complaints and insinuatiOns against the inlueace
Of American missionaries. whom be desiguatrs as
= &" Ring" The following might have been written
thirty or forty years ago. by one OF the then anti
missionary party Ia Honolulu:
The unjustidable restraints put upon the
natives actons-whO were. In fact. treated like
children the undue restrictions and prohibitions
they were obliged TO submit TO under penalty Of
fines (Which, il is said. tended 10 heap up the wealth
of their Christian t~eachers) in short, the absolute
denial of anything like freedom To the poor kanaka.
was in a great measure indicted by THE Missionary
ness OF making the social condition of the native a
bright and pleasant one. Brt their chief aim was
to maintain a secret power
The estimate formed by our japanese critic Of
the state of society in Honolulu. is. TO be sure. a
little above that of the Dean of Richmond, who
looks upon us as the " refuse of civilization but
the former has conceived a pretty "low down -
opinion OF us. Perhaps however some among us
may have improved from having enjoyed the ad-
vantage of q slight acquaintance with this " oeca-
siOnal visitor Of obviously good birth and station
and have copied as well as we poor souls can. " the
manners and customs of good society" IL barely
possible that we may sometimes entertain angels
ava but in this instance it is clear that we
have entertained a veritable snob. Hear him
Honolulu boasts of several churches, for the
community is essentially n church-going one. though
whether, in many cases, their religion extends far
beyond its mere profession, is exceedingly doubt
FIJI. Hypocrisy is a characteristic sin of the place,
and the most casual observer cannot fail to note
the fact. But not only are they hypocritical they
would also fain persuade the stranger that they are
of the very elite OF society, and are therefore gen.
orally careful not 10 mention that they are for the
most part whaling captains and officers and their
families, who, having enjoyed the advantage of n
slight acquaintance with occasional visitors Ia " the
Islands who were obviously Of good birth and
station, have by degrees copied, as well as the poor
souls could, the manners and customs of good
society,"
Our theatre gets q most contemptuous notice,
being compared to " a barn with the paint worn of,
while the inside scarcely redeems the outer blem-
ishes," and il is observed that those OF the pro-
fessiOn travelling between San Francisco and the
Australian colonies, generally stay over one or two
steamers at Honolulu, and it is therefore surprising
that some enterprising persons do not erect : build
ing more resembling theatre than tie present
one"
The foregoing extracts will suffice, as showing
the general bias of this writer for the enlightenment
of Japan upon matters Hawaiian. He is more re-
liable when he undertakes to describe natural
objects, as for instance this sketch of the first APP
pearance of Honolulu from the sea, with which We
conclude our extracts
After being tossed about on the tempestnous
main. ana blown hlther ana thlther by opposing
winds-nOt to mention the settlement OF that little
account which many of us have to close with old
Neptune-and after being denied the refreshing
view of land for many long and weary days, the
first look at that bright little isle in mid ocean, is
sure TO induce pleasurable emotions. AS we APP
proach Honolulu, a lovely panorama is presented
to our glad and wondering eyes. Just outside the
harbour, the pillows of the blue and clustering sea
dash upon the coral reef. while around us several
little coasters, their snowy canvas glowing in the
morning sun, throw the spray from their trembling
bows as they glide swiftly onward. In the little
harbour. as we draw near, appear the tall and tap
ering spars Of many a noble keel,-ships that have
fought the elements from ocean to ocean. and
bravely weathered the drear and stormy Horn. or
the dangers Of the Arctic. All looks beautiful.
The city is almost hidden by veTdant trees OF trop-
ical luXuriance white lofty houses glisten in the
sunlight, while church steeples and lofty towers up
rear their snowy heads far above them-all com
bining, with the fertile valleys and the lovely hills
rising one above the other, to lend a splendour TO
the scene. and to produce one og those grandly
picturesque views rarely offered, and which, once
seen, remains clear to the minds eye for years"