New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-11
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS,
.-,,s Under THE NEW REGIME.


ne AZ .vc,.I CORRESPONDENT OF THB TRIBUNE
pna,,oIuru. Feb. III believe you may rely upon
se.rraev of the few notes which / give IN TINS
. concerning politics these islands at the
-r..ont moment The new King is the most popui3
nan in the islands lie was elected by an Amos.
v,animous popular vote and the Legislature "oui"
%, have dared even had IL been inclined, to reIuse
N ratify this vote He is man of more than ave.
mr. intelligence and ability, gentleman III I &c
manners and able to transact business 10 "0r "a
has gwen himself up since hls accessloh' L0 W
.he habit of drink; and being exeudeu Oh u"'
.ount by the late King from all puohe employ ,
he lived in enforced idleDess whleh uiu i'i Nv
n, there is evidence for the statement that ne oI'eh
- Co. emnovment: and it is known that he now
,-orks with zeal There is no reason to believe that
ha a. now gwen 10 anything like low dissipation
NO ANNEXATION SENTIMENT
8. Uas natural that the King should choose new
advisers as the Ministers Of the late KING were not
tvorites with him 1t Is admitted here that ne mas
oho.en good men for his Ministers-not better men
.nao their predecessors. but honest and capable
men. American in their sympathies. The Prlme
Minister Mr. Bishop is New Yorker and the primer
nal banker on the islands; and one OF the otheI
members of the Cabinet. Mr.. Judd is son OF III
Judd the first missionary. There ls no nOupt lnat
che new King and the native population are IN full
Y. II
tiyes there is not even a sign OF gmmer OF an an
nexation party The strongest annexanonlsts mere
confess this and admit that, before annexation
cou,d be peaeeaby brought about, it would be neces
.arv IN prepare the native mind by agitation OF the
,u.stion To tins end. il is now proposed TO es-
tabIish here journal In the native language. Inc
native newspaper Of largest circulation ana Hlnu-
snce conducted by Mr. Whitney, is believe OPP
rased 10 annexation at any rate IT nominated the
present King and urged bis election.
The condition of the islands Just now IS the to
verse of prosperous. The whaling teet has almost
entirely left them; the sugar planters many Oh
whom are in debt. getting deeper IN by reason ol
the low price of sugar in San Francisco, which is
their chief market. The coffee culture mas Ialieu'
For common OF varied agriculture the islands are not
fitted The planters and the people who want 10 De-
come rich are therefore discouraged. But the mass
af the people are not uncomfortable The taxes are
No, high. the debt about $4,000, is held here and
a NEST of it was incurred for improvements which
are substantial and valuable, and which were absO-
lutelv necessary it has good foundation There is
no reason to think that is will be increased. Inc
property tax is only one-haf of one per cent; the
tariff is not higher than 10 per cent on any article
and there is beside these only per capita poll tax
of IS on every voter-$2 for schools 81 for roads,
and 81 for other purposes. Nevertheless, as the
residents Of foreign birtn make the apparent pubnc
opinion. there is extreme anxiety for a recl-
procity treaty with the United States and II is not
uncommon to hear that reciprocity or annexation
are the alternatives 1t has even been proposed to
send on 10 Washington deputatiOn of ministers, OF
even the King himself TO ask for such treaty.
PROPOSED CEssIOH OF THE BAY OF PEARL RIvFn-
Az a reeompense for sneh treaty ii is proposed
here. and urged that the King and people shall
ede 10 the United States the harbOr which Is known
a. Pearl River and its surrounding land. This is a
large and thoroughly Inclosed bay, about ten miles
from Honolulu. IL has sufficient space and depth OF
water TO make it one of the finest and most eommo-
dious harbors in the world il is so well protected
by nature that its waters smooth as mlIi-pond;
and am assured that il is thoroughly and easily
defenslble against attack from sea. There is
baI-a coral bank think--in the channel, which
has now only u feet Of water; but this is not
serious obstruction; for it could be deepened at
small cost. Public report states that Admiral Pen
mock Gen. Schofeld. and Gen. Alexander have been
for some DAYS quietly examining this bay and there
would be, I am told, strong party here among the
Americans in favor OF the cession. in exchange for
reciprocity treaty. But what the natives-the
Kings peOple-wOuld say, nobody knows; noT Is the
Kings opinion known now.
As nearly as can discover the missionary lntiu-
ence is opposed TO annexation, and the missionaries
have still a very great influence over the people,
the planters would prefer annexation TO a continu
Rnce of the present condition of things the specu
lators are strongly for annexation, hoping for a sud
den rise IN land. which don't believe would come,
for land here "a III the most of California outside
OF the two great agricultural valleys is already high
priced Finally the ms are opposed TO annexation,
and the Outs either favor it reserve their Opin
ions. The islands are almost worthless, except a
naval station. They contain but a small quantity
of arabic land and both climate and soil unfit them
for general agriculture. The sugar produce could
BE largely increased only the condition Of mpOrt
ing large numbers of coolies. burr worse than that
which aficts the pastures of California abOunds on
the grazing lands here, and the sheePgrower must
depend for ms living entirely the wool, there
is market for mutton; and cattle are now killed
and boiled down into hides and tallow, as in the
days before the gold in California.
AS naval station, the Importance of the islands
must in time increase and the possession by the
United States Of the bay called Pearl River would
be equivalent 70 and far better than possession of
the islands. We should have the use without the
care of them Surveys show it to be possible am
told, 70 lay submarine cable between San Fran
CISCO and the islands, and if this were done this
point would no doubt become center of communi-
cation for the rapidly growing Of the Pa
cihe Ocean. There was not q man-of-war of any
nation in this port when the Late King suddenly
dled. The Benicia arrived after the popular cleo
tion; the California Admiral PennOck's flagship,
followed, and English man-of- war came down
Later. Admiral Pennock had time and used his
opportunity 70 get the inside track with the new
King, taking the lead in receiving him with such
statutes and ceremonies usual, and on Wednes-
day be Is TO sail in the Benicia to Hilo with the
King who wishes to show himself to some of his
S0'pi~ c.N.