The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1874-04-29
HAWAIIAN GAZETTE
The London ;. Ttmes,, ON California.
From an OCCASIONAL Correspondent
san Francisco, Jan. 10, 1877

SAN Francisco, Jan. 10, 1874.
On the fourth day of the joint assem-
bly of the two Houses of the Californi;
Legislature, Governor Booth was elected
on the first ballot, to represent California
in the United States Senate for term o
six wears from the 4th of March, 1875
At the commencement of the session Mr.
Estee had been elected as Speaker, ant
subsequently Judge Hager, Democrat
and an Anti Monopolist, was chosen az
Senator for the short term in the place o
Mr.. Casserly, who had resigned. These
elections indicate the power of the indie
pendent Party.
The following is recorded as the grain
produce of the State for the six month:
ending December 3lst Wheat lin lOC
fb. sacks), 6,o3O,64O; barley, 74O,soO
oats, 1850; flour lin barreIs), 259,9I2
Compared with the same period in 1872
these receipts show n decline of over a
million of centals while those of -four
show a gain of 100000 barrels Of the
latter 5000 barrels have been shipped
to Great Britain; and if these shipments
prove successful they will probably be
followed by 10000 barrels more before
the season is out. The total shipments OF
wheat to Europe during the same time
are 1856, $40 sacks, and of barley SO, 500
sacks. The -four shipped is of high grade,
and, it is hoped, will fully realize the an
ticipations of shippers. The most desirable
wheat for milling in California Is the
White Australian; next to that comes
the White Chill, and then variety known
as White Club. There are two varieties
of the latter, the White, preferred for
home use, and the Yellow Club, the kind
that is principally shipped to Europe.
Messrs. Wells, Fargo 81 Co., the great
carriers of the Pacific coast, lately pub
lished their annual statement of precious
metals produced in the States and Terri
tories west of the Missouri River, incud-
ing British Columbia, during 1873. The
combined product of these was, in 1872,
$50, 236,9l3 for 1878, S72,25s,693 show
ing a gain in the last year of SlO,OOO,OOO
over the preceding one, and exhibiting the
largest yield for one year in the history of
the Pacific coast The States which have
increased their production of the precious
metals are Nevada, Utah, and Colorado,
while the rest have decreased. The in
crease in Nevada alone is nearly $40, 000,-
600, the total product of which about
equals all the Others. The total coinage
of gold by the San Francisco Mint for
the year 1873 amounted to S2l, 500;
of silver. to 1920, 800. The Trade dollar,
which was first coined in the Mint in 1872,
has been recently introduced into China,
with the view of superseding the Mexican
dollar; but its success in that country is
hardly yet established, though there can
be no doubt as to its ultimately being
taken into favor, owing to the superiority
of the coin; whether it will be used as
currency or condemned to the melting pot
is as vet uncertain The import trade be-
tween England and San Francisco has
greatly increased in dimensions, and to
give your readers an idea of its extent the /
following items may be mentioned as some
of the principal imports for l673:-Coal,
$1,000 tons, duty IS cents; pig iron, 1902 |
tons, duty S., less 10 per cent. Quantity
in hand, $3.50 tonsJ; pipes, tubes, and |
flues in pieces and bundles, 1858; duty
on cast-iron, II cents per H., less 10 per
cent, and on wrought iron, 81 cents; tin
plates, 2O,397 boxes, duty 10 per cent;
block tin, 1868 pigs, duty free; sheet zinc,
$50 half casks, duty q cents per H., less
10 per cent; yellow metal sheathing, 424
cases, duty cents per H., less 10 per
cent; Portland cement, S,966 barrels,
duty 20 per cent; fire bricks, 649,955,
duty 20 per cent; beer, q, s65 gallons,
duty 20 cents per gallon on draught, 80
cents per gallon on bottled; salt, 1885
tons, duty cents per lOOfb. in bulk, -
cents per lOOtb. in bags, etc; bicarbonate
of soda, 1852 cwt., duty &c. per h.,
bags, 14,O52, duty 40 per cent. In many
cases, it may be observed, the import
market is overstocked, owing to the per-
sistency exhibited by merchants who send
their goods to California unadvisedlv.
with the result that, if sold at all, they
are disposed of at far lower rates than the
same class of merchandise would fetch in
England. The Pacific Mail Steamship
Company will in the course of a short
time have three large iron steamships on
he China line-viz., the Panama" the
{ City of Callao," and the City of Pc
lin." These steamers, carrying as much
largo and as many passengers as the side
wheel vessels now composing The fleet OF /
he company, will be enabled with com
pound engines driving the propellers to
steam at least the same distance per dav.
md consume 10 or Is tons less fuel. On
voyage of 80 days this will amount to ;
rom 800 to 400 tons. Passengers, how
ever, will lose in comfort by the propel- !
ers, as heretofore every cabin passenger {
las had a state room to himself, and these !
'ooms are much larger than those in
steamers crossing the Atlantic. Six {
Chinese have less space in their hunks than
me cabin passenger, and the business of {
carrying the latter class of passengers has
been found an Improbable one There is
/ new Board of Directors, from which a {
,hange for the better may be anticipated {
Under the presidency of Mr.. StockwelI. '
our steamers of the Webb (Australianj |
inc were purchased for $500, 900. only one t
# these, the Nevada" being now in {
erviee, after an outlay on her of 500, 900.
The rest of the vessels are past profitable (
epair, and could not in their present con- 6
lition obtain certificate from the United t
states Inspector of Hulls. Among other I
reductions made in the ex-
~ ba IL I