The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1875-02-03
interesting.

OF the forhidding sand hills between the city and
the Pacific Ocean Is meeting with promising sue
cess. The ground set apart already embraces
1000 acres Of land. and much of it has been i'm
proved with drives and shrubbery. Lapine Is
used to cover the sand with vegetation and 70
prevent its blowing back aud forth.
Ar the close OF 1873 the population Of Vic
toria was estimated at 790.492; New South
Wales, 56O275; South Australia. I9s-257
Queensland, 1860; Tasmania, 1O4.21s; West
ern Australia. 25.7sl. making total of 1885,
for the Australian colonies Adding 3l0,437 for
New Zealand. we have 2l36.l29 rs the pOpula-
ton Of the Australian colonies. In 1861 they
had but l,266,432
GAMBLING was invented BY the Lydians when
under the pressure Of great famine. To divert
themselves from dwelling on their suferings they
invented dice, balls, tables, ETC. 1t is added that
to bear their calamity the better, they used to
play whole day without inteFmissiOn. that they
might not feel the effects OF the want Of food.
The invention intended as remedy for hunger is
now a very common cause for that evil.
POPULATION or TIE BRrr1sH EMPIRE.-Jobn
Bulls family is among the largest in the family
Of civilized nations, aud, by the census Of II,
numbers 234.7 62.593. The English possessions
cover 7,769449 square miles. or a space 40 times
the size Of France. In Europe there is q super
icial extent of 12I $50 square miles in Am
erica, 34s6,O94; in Africa, 236 $50; in Asia.
964,l03; in 0ceanica, 2,96O,722 while Great
Britain aud ireland have population Of 81 s45.-
379, and in the Empire in Europe, l76.2l3 En-
glish colonies in America have 3.7s965O; 10
Central America, I,063ss6; in South America,
100000; in British India, 19l, 307O7O. distribut-
ed among 457,06I villages. British India has 5
cities, with about 100000 Inhabitants In Aus
trala, England has 100000 subjects The DO
pulation Of the United Kingdom has doubled in
20 years. In England where the demand for Ia
Dor has been greatest, the population has nearly
trebled. In Scotland it has doubled, but in Ire
land it is stationary. In 1901 Ireland had ,2I6,-
33l, and, in 1850, 5,4I2,377.
A FIJIAS Observation-Disclosures or Wakaya-
situated in the Fjian Group. recently coded to
Great Brtain-is a valuable and fertile island.
eight miles long. and from three to four miles
broad, lying about twelve miles to the eastward
of Levuka. It must be described as standing |
within the same reef as Mokougai, but there are
at least two ship passages between the two is !
lands, the best being that nearest to the northern
extremity of Wakaa, where DR.. Brewers home
stead has been erected. The waterway between
Wakaia and Levuka is everywhere open, and /
perfectly safe, Wakaia has foI several years
past been the property of Dr. Brewer, the Am
erican Consul. by whom large sums have been
spent on its improvements II contains $500
acres, and is SO well supplied with good water
and succulent grasses that it is undoubtedly cap
able Of feeding FIVE times the stock at present
1epastured thereon. The owner of this fine ss-
late has, on Wakaia, several cotton and coffee
plantations and is now turning his attention to
The growth Of sugar. On the estate, in full
bearing, are $4,000 cOcOanut trees and 10000
coffee trees, the grazing land being stocked with
300 head Of horned cattle, horses, mules, hogs,
md sheep. There are also four acres of sugar
'ane' which the proprietor is rearing for the pur-
lose OF planting more extensively in April next.
aa has plenty Of land yet available both for this
purpose and also for the growth Of Coffee
9ueensLander.
A TRANsrT-NoRTH AUSTRALIA cores
'ondent to the Herald furnishes the following
PARTICULARS OF this phenomena :-One of the
most brilliant and extraordinary occurrences,
'hich is said to take place every century. was
cen BY many Of the inhabitants Of this town
amey, Venus passing Luna. II took place on
he evening Of November IL, 1874. as seen at
'OOktown with the naked eye. At about pm.
perceived the first indication Of the crescent
the moon by its assuming bright orange col
:, showing a darker disc or circle ring on the
paque side. Above the crescent about ffteenI
Ilnutes past six, to my great establishment per-
sived bright and glowing star appear in the
entire OF the disc, about midway between the
PIPER edge OF the crescent, this star shows out i
it'll great efulgeuce and power. throwiDg prisms
light oil round the moon The beautiful, clear
I'd distinct appearance lasted fully twenty min
es, when clouds concentrated about and OBJ
ructed the face OF the moon aad star. About
ty-hVe minutes past six, the star appeared Just
the rim OF the upper portion. It again show
out to all appearance, still brighter, and ap- A.
AIRED to form different angles of light in about
ie minutes the star suddenly disappeared and
'mense lnky black clouds formed, surrounded
ID covered the moon, POrteuding a storm They
IRE the blacklist clouds, like unto ink ever
messed they did not remain long, quickly dis Ii
rslng, and at about ten minutes past seven the
IT came out again exactly on the tip Of the
ascent west side). 1t had all the appearance
a drawn seymitar, with diamond hiIt. The -
II was of white shining description. 1t GER n
My appeared strange and striking incident
Oregon Sugar-Cured Hams, A