The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-03-02
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AOOrrtiser.
SATURDAY,. MARCH >.

IT MAY appear 10 some 4 waste OF INK ana
paper to r ply to 50 shallow and senseless a plea
as that published in the Gazette Of Wednesday
last in reference to the Australian Steam Lines,
but before finally dismissing the subject, we will
call attention to two or three points, which
should not be lost sight Of.
The correspondence published clearly proves
that His Majesty's Government distinctly en-
gagged to pay MIR. Hall the subsidy on certain
conditions, and in case he failed OF withdrew,
Government very properly reserved to itself the
right or liberty to discontinue the subsidy TO
him, and as distinctly engaged to continue it to
whoever else might establish a line. Mr.. Hall Is
said to have fulfilled the chief condition required
of him, by producing a contract from the New
South Wales Government, though he received no
subsidy under it from that Government; and
claiming thus to have complied with the demands
of this Government, receired the promised subsidy,
without any reference to the PrIvy Council, SO
far as is known.
In the letter 10 Mr.. Stewart (Webb's agent)
no conditions were exacted from him, as had
been demanded from Hall. excepting that this
port should be connected by steam with the
British Colonies. Mr.. Webb, having perma-
nently established his line with the British
Colonies, - asked that the subsidy be continued
to him, in accordance with the terms of the let
ter of the Minister of Finance. That letter says
that should he (Hall) fail, His
Maiesty's Government = aciR pay the
same from the date Of the first ship departing
from this port for the British Colonies
to whomsoever may establish a line"
No business man could construe this letter in
any other sense than as a bona fde promise to
continue to pay to any other party performing
the service, what had been paid to Hall. Mr..
Webb-being a man of honor, whose word is as
sacred as his bond wherever given-accepted it
as Il solemn pledge of the Hawaiian Government.
And this pledge having been reiterated to him in
person with threefold assurance, he went on his
way, asking no further questions, but trusting in
the national honor of Hawaii.
1t is true, that in the November letter some
thing was said about recommending the subsidy
to the Privy Council but he was given to I'M
derstand, what every one here knows to be a
fact, the reference to that body was a mere
matter of form, sometimes resorted to, and some
times not and that the unanimous decision of
the Cabinet was all that would be required in
the matter, as it was all that was required in the
Hall case.
The assertion on the Part of the Ministry that
Mr.. Webb's line does not connect Honolulu with
the ports of Australia, is purely q subterfuge.
Ever since the line commenced, bills of lading TO
any part of Australia and New Zealand, includ-
ing not only Auckland and Sydney, where the
ships touched, but also Melbourne, Brisbane,
Adelaide, and other places, could always be OBJ
tanned, and merchandise and passengers booked
through to destination. In every sense of the
word, Mr.. Webb's ships have established freight
and passenger connection between Honolulu and
the ports of Australia, as required by the APP
preparation Bill and they have done this more
satisfactorily than Halls vessels ever did.
The Ministers, in their extraordinary plea, lay
a stress upon the words used in their letters to
Hall and Stewart,-'' at liberty = to make an
arrangement with any one arguing that this
gives them an option to continue to pay the
subsidy or not, as they choose. The words, g at
liberty as used by the Minister of Finance,
convey no other meaning than that the Govern
ment was to be free from the obligation to pay
Hall. The words which follow in the letter. .
g and ciH pay their subsidy, clearly show that
they then intended to pay it to any party which
uOIlu pcElOIuu iIG SCINICC anu luCy NSoiShCO
that both Hall and Webb should SO understand
it. Nothing can be more contemplate than the
quibbling plea put forth by the Gazette.
The course now being pursued by this Govern
ment betrays a desire to check, if possible, the
permanent establishment here of one of the most
promising commercial enterprises of the day.
one which if encouraged and continued, will give
US perfect steam communication with all the rich
and rapidly growing communities of Australia,
as well as San Francisco. Why this suicidal
course is adopted, we are at Il loss to divine,
unless it arises from jealousies and disagreements
in the Cabinet. But whatever may be the reasons
for adopting this crooked penny-wise and pound
foolish policy, if it be persisted in, we may
awake some fine morning to learn that the steam
ship line has left us for Tahiti. Our coasters
will then no longer complain of a lack of wharf
accommodations, our Grand Hotel will be turned
into a hospital, and our people generally return
to their aboriginal canoe and paddle life.
Had no subsidy been paid to the Hall line, and
no promise made that - His Majesty Govern
ment = WILL PAY THE SAME from the
date of the first ship departing from this port for
the British Colonies, - we might with decency
ana proprlety plead poverty, ana shlrR the pay
ment. But after what has been done and
promised, our national honor demands that the
be paid. Otherwise, we shall be justly
branded as a faithless nation. Is the national
honor and credit worth preserving, in the estima-
ton of Ministers? Or is the motto on our shield
an empty SENTIMENT Ia mau Ike ca 0 ka alma
i ka pono?"
THAT piquant writer of short essays, Fanny
Fern sneakinr of :. Literary Asnirants.,' rather