The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-10-24
Cesslon Of Phi.

HC4uceI1J ne OUIu September. 1914. eQOuNQ
be a memorable day in the annals Of Fiji; for
thereon the formal cessiOn OF the group was made
TO, and accepted by, Great Britain. The proceed
ings took place at the Government buildings, Ma
soya; and were altogether void Of ceremony.
Shortly after 10 O'Clock, His Excellency the
Governor of New South Wales, ATTENDED By Com
modOre GOodenough, the Hon. G. l.. Ines, At
torney-General Of New South Wales, the Hon.
Mr.. Hutchinson, the British Consul, and the Pri-
vate Secretary, entered the audience hall. where
he was received by the King. There were pres.
ent His Honor the Chief Justice, the Attorney
General, the Hawaiian Consul, the Chief Secre-
tary, the Minister for Finance, the Private Secre-
tary, Majors Harding and TburstOn, and the fol-
lowing Chiefs :-Ratu Abel, Ratu Joseph, Ratu
Savanaca, Tui Bau, Boil Yendua, Ratu Isekeli,
ROko TUT Bua, Tui Levuka, and Misa Droka.
The Representatives of the Sydney Morning Her
aid, Melbourne Argus, and FIJI Times were also
present.
His Excellency asked if Ratu Abel and Ratu
Timothy would accompany him in the Pearl, on
his visit to the Windward chiefs; when Ratu
Abel declined, but said that Timothy and Savanaca
would go with the Governor.
Mr.. Wilkinson then read the memorandum Of
cession in the Fijian language, and subsequently
in English, after which the King signed the docu-
ment, and handed it to His Excellency; who said
that he, on the part Of the Queen, accepted it in
the spirit in which it was offered, and that the
King had, by this act, performed the part of a
truly great chief; consulting, as he had doubtless
done, thereby, the best interests of the country.
His Excellency further said that he begged to as
sure the king that, from his heart, he wished
prosperity to FIJI, and peace and happiness to her
people.
Another lengthy document was then read in
Fijian by Mr.. Wilkinson, and the Attorney-Gen-
eral Of New South Wales presented the English
translation, which contained the articles of ces-
sion, engrossed on parchment; this was signed by
the King-as Cakobau, TuI Viii and Vuni Valu
sealed with his seal, and delivered by him as
his willing act and deed; and, subsequently, and
with the same formalities, by Ratu Abel, TUT Bua,
Ratu Savanaca, and Ratu Isikeli.
His Excellency then said that he would not
sign until after his return from Windward, when
the Ocuments should be executed in duplicate,
and copies exchanged; and until that time, he re-
quested the king TO have the government carried
ON as heretofore.
The king then begged His Excellency to re-
ceive as his first present to the Queen, five turtles
and a new eanoe; and, upon the gift having been
accepted, directed that it should be sent on board
the Pearl.
His Excellency then shook hands with the king,
and the proceedings terminated.
At about l o'clock the Pearl, having on board
Ills Excellency and suite, who were accompanied
by MIR. Layard, British Consul, steamed out of the
harbor, and was followed at aboutfye, by the Dido,
with the king and his attendants; the Fijian royal
standard being hoisted at the main. The party
may be expected to return on or about Tuesday
next; when the completion of the formal details
will be effected, and we may, one and all, unite,
in the one glad, heartfelt cry of
GoD SAVE THE QUEEN
On Wednesday last, with no pomp, and with
but scant ceremony, the Kingdom of FIJI was
coded to Great Britain, and may, therefore be now
looked upon for all practical purposes, as being,
virtually, a British Colony. The hard fight has
been fought the battle won; and now after vic
tory, many questions of grave Importance remain
to be encountered, and successfully met.
The community may well rejoice that annexa-
tiOn-nnframmplla6 md unconditional has ha-
come a fact; but if it be DESTROYS of securing to
the utmost all the advantages which are to be de-
rived therefrom, it must be up and doing; and,
awakening from its usual apathy, show that an
interest somewhat beyond that which men find in
their ledgers and day-books, really does exist in
Fiji.
1t is a notable fact that, while affecting to be,
and no doubt being, DESTROYS of annexation, the
business men of Levuka, with but one or two ex-
ceptions, have scarcely stepped beyond the thresh-
olds of their Offices to aid any attempt to secure it.
The work has been carried on by gentlemen en-
gagged in professional pursuits, assisted by such
few OF the planters, who, In their casual visits,
may have shown an interest in endeavoring to
bring about n result which was of such vital i'm
p~ortance; aud from all we can see, it seems highly
probable that the mercantile section of the COM
munity will still distinguish itself by its state of
inglorious apathy, and allow others to do that
work of which it will, in a great measure, reap
the benefit. In our last issue, for instance, we
called attention to the favorable opportunity
which is afforded by the visit of the Attorney
General of New South Wales, to take stems to
Cabinet Of his Colony-the facilities and adj
vantages which Levuka offers for the calling of
the Mail Steamers 1t might not unnaturally
have been expected that some slight signs of ami
nation would have been perceptible in the slug
gish body of the classes mercantile, when a sub
ject with which their immediate interest is so
largely connected, was before them; but for all
that can be seen, they seem to be quite content to
- L --ANk-. IL -. .A--- -
that the Mail Steamers shall continue to call at
Kandavu, until, by some mysterious dispensation
Of providence, the directors Of the company may
be suddenly smitten with the conviction that Lee
vuka is the better port. They seem to lose sight
OF the fact that, the opportunity now offered, is !
one which may not again occur until it be too late
to be Of practical benefit; and that, at this pres
j%uncture, all matters singularly combine to
assist 1t. In the first place, the great fact of an
fact of importance, not alone to Fiji. I
but to the civilized world-must naturally direct s
to us; secondly, the new steamers. l
specially built and provided for the service, are to {
be finished in December, and thus will inaugurate
. new era in the, hitherto, somewhat unfortunate, .
life of the company; and thirdly, that English {
aud colonial influence may be fairly expected to '
be more actively brought to bear in favor of Fiji, c
that it is a British Colony, than when it was e
under its own flag. If our merchants and traders 9
wish to hold their own, and, with other sections |
Of the community to find annexation a source of l
they must bestir themselves. With T
this great political fact accomplished, capital is '
to how into the country and enterprise will I
claim that position to which its far-seeing and Il
measures entitle it. New establish o
nents will be opened; a system of business, I'M 7
7itiated by the malua and apathy seemingly in {
iiginous to FIJI, will be introduced; and the lag g
yards Will as a matter OF course, be left behind in (.
he race. Interests will not stand still, because
hose who should represent them decline to move Z
md, we trust that this kindly warning to our
mercantile friends, may prompt them to action, I
nd cause them to show that all proper energy has =
lot died out from amongst them. pr
SO much for matters mercantile. Those politi- h
are OF a grayer nature; affecting, as they tn