Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-01-17
The Sandwich Islands.

A GENTLEMAN who resided dseveralyears
on the Sandwich Islands, and who held
an official position which enabled him to
become very thoroughly acquainted with
their agricultural resources, commercial
advantages, and form of government,
fulnishes some information on these sub
ie2ts that is of special interest at this
time. His views are in accord with those
which have prevailed in the State De-
part since the days of Seward; and it
must be remembered, therefore, that the
following facts and opinions are those of
a warm advocate of annexation. He
says that the Constitution of Hawaii pro-
vides that the succession to the emonarchy
shall be in the female line in preference
to the male, and that the person with the
best title to the throne is now the late
Kings half sister. Princess Ruth. The
King is authorized to name as successor
aay member of the royal family, and if
he fails to do this before his death, as was
the case with the late King, the Parlia-
ment elects new monarch, but cannot
go outside the royal family IN making a
selection.
The form of government is isthoroughly
republican in spirit, the monarch being
little more than a dgure-head TO repre-
sent the executive power. Form
erly the signature of the King was moi
enough for the approval of laws passed
by the Parliament, but there was an off
cial whose function was to revise the &C
tion of both the King and Parliament,
and who had to sign the laws after the
King to give them validity. The last per.
son who held this curious position was
the Kings sister, Victoria. At her death
the office was abolished. The system OF
government IS very closely assimilated to
that of the United States, and the New
York code is adopted for civil procedure
in the courts. When General E. McCook
went out as our Minister, during Presi
dent Johnson's Administration, most OF
| the Government offices were filled by
! French and English residents, but during
McCook's stay the American influence be
came predominant, and has since remain
ed so. About one-half the entire foreign
population are Americans, and fill many
| important administrative and judicial po
sitions. The native islanders, called Kan
akas, are an intelligent, quick-witted peo
pie, and it is said they can all read and
write their own language. They are not
industrious, however, and, although pos
sessing fine physiques, they appear to be
deficient in vitality, so that the race il
steadily dying out.
The population of the islands, which
| is supposed TO have once exceeded 300,
600, is now barely $4,000, of whom about
10, 900 live in the town of Honolulu. The
total surface of the islands is 0,00(
square miles, but much of it is bare, vol
canic rock, and the area susceptible ot
cultivation does not exceed 81, 900 square
miles, and this would never support q
dense agricultural population, because
the chief staples, sugar and coffee, can bt
profitably cultivated only upon larg'
plantations. As a strategic point fol
naval purposes, and as commercial en-
trepot, the Importance of the islands can
not be exaggerated Any second o.
third-rate naval power obtaining posses
merce of the North Pacific. They lie
directly in the path of nearly all the trans
Pacific trade. AS the commerce of tn,
| North Pacific increases with the
settlement Of the western coast OF Amer
lea and the more complete development
of our relations with Japan, China
land the Indies, a great city must
it would appear, inevitably grow up in
the Hawaiian group, to serve as supply
and coaling station for the merchan
marine of all nations navigating the
Pacific Ocean, and as naval station Of
the power which fortunately gets posses
sion of the islands. Until within few
years England and France have coveted
the islands, and probably nothing bu
their surpassing Importance TO the United
States has so long preserved their indie
pendence. During all the time that Mr.
Seward controlled our foreign policy, thu
standing instructions to our Ministers a
Honolulu were to watch the doings of thu
British and French Ministers, and to in
form them that any attempt ON the part o
either of their Government TO interfer,
with the independence of the Hawaiian