Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-01-17
The Sandwich Islands.

A GENTLEMAN who resided several years
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,
furnishes some information on these sub
jects 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
warm advocate of annexation. He
says that the Constitution of Hawaii pro-
vides that the succession to the monarchy
shall be in the female line in preference
ia 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 thoroughly
republican in spirit, the monarch being
little more than figure to repre-
sent the executive power. Form
erly the signature of the King was not
enough for the approval of laws passed
by the Parliani at, but there was an Off
cial whose function was to revise the &C.
ton 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
l. Al
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 is
steadily dying out. 63
The population of the islands, which
is supposed to have once exceeded 300,-
600, is now barely $4,000, of whom about
10000 live in the town of Honolulu. The
total surface of the islands is 10000
square miles, but much of it is bare, vol
canic rock, and the area susceptible of
cultivation does not exceed $4,000 square
miles, and this would never support a
dense agricultural population, because
the chief staples, sugar and coffee, can be
probably cultivated only upon large
plantations. AS strategic point for
| naval purposes, and as commercial en-
trepot, the Importance of the islands can
not be exaggerated. Any second or
third-rate naval power obtaining posses
sion of them could dominate the COM
merce of the North Pacific. They lie
directly in the path of nearly all the trans
| Pacific trade AS the commerce of the
North Pacific increases with the
settlement of the western coast OF Amer
lea and the more complete development
of our relations with Japan, China,
and 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 merchant
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 but
| their surprising importance to the United
States has so long preserved their indie
pendence During all the time that Mr..
Seward controlled our foreign policy, the
standing instructions to our Ministers at
Honolulu were to watch the doings of the
British and French Ministers, and to in
form them that any attempt on the part of
either of their Government to interfere
with the independence of the Hawaiian
Kingdom would be regarded by the United
States as cause of war Of late years
Great Britain has regarded it as definite
ly settled that we are to control the COM
merce of the Pacific in the future
| Her citizens are largely interested in
our Pacific railroads, and her statesmen
are believed to look with favor upon the
growth of trade between Liverpool and
Japan and China by way of San Fran
cisco and New York. 1t is not thought
| that she could object to the islands being