The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1876-06-28

Thirty years ago there was hardly tree in th'
town Of Hsnolulu; ii stood barren. treeess plain
Of ashes scora, aud aluvial soil. Water being re-
qured Tor the shipping. and brought from the hills e
the port distance VI three niles first enc. then an
other householder applied Tor permission to draw
ter for d0mestc snd garden purposes from the con
duit pipc until the government of the day increased
the Of the main and supplied the town as well as
the shipping with The result Is seen to-day IN
gardens possessing the finest and greatest variety Of
tropical trees have ever seen. bearing fruit Of all
kinds and descriptions producing vegetables. pOta-
toes pumpkins. melons. strawberries, grass of YER
dnre al the year round that English gardeners would
envy. and all this the result OF irrigation. There Is
abundance. a never failing supply Of water on the
hills distance oftvo to three miles from the
The gardens Of Honolulu show what eau be done for
the waste lands around the coast BY irrigation.
Capital and labor oHv wanting to make these
Islands garden Of Eden-the climate has no draw
back.
Honolulu has heretofore been port Of call for the
mail steamers the mail route between Sydney aud
San Francisco. II is not certain, under the
tract, whether the Pacific Mail COmpaay's boats will
stop here OF rOt--the edatrAct leaves il optional.
The trafic in passengers and produce to and from
this port. San Francisco and sydney, amounts TO
average Of $1,000 or flt0O monthly and is increasing
IA nearly equal 10 the expenditure for coal for
the round tripso that it is expected the steamers
will have sufficient indueement to continue this a
port Of call. u il does not delay them long 10
route.
II is much to be regretted that the Imperial and
Colonial governments have allowed this contract to
fall into the hands Of our euterprisng American
cousins who by this and their several lines to
China, Japan. Mexico and Panama, and now TO sgd
nsy, New Zealand and Fiji will dominate over the
steam trade Of the Pacific.
It is important to British interests That our dag
should not only appear in these waters in time Of
peace. but that should be prepared for action in
time Of war; and it would have been easy and not
costly for Government TO have arranged that this
service should have been conducted by British officers
the vessels built and adapted for carrying more
guns. that in time Of (which Heaven AVERT
might have had in these waters efficient feet Of
cruisers, dispatch boats transports.
The natives Of these islands have always regarded
with favor our national flag. Now that it is with
drawn they will think we care little for them, and
have LEFT them to their fate, whatever that may be
but in the present rapid development Of trade in Oce
aniea in China. Japan, and the Eastern seas il ap-
pears something than blunder to have al
lowed its steam and mail communications to have
passed from under cur control.
It only remains for me to say word or two as to
how to get here
passenger leaving Liverpool with the mails may
BE- landed at Honolulu, in "a days from the time Of
eaving that port travelling in the best appointed
steamers, and by the most comfortable railway car
agss in the world il he wishes to stop on tho way
Is break his journey at many convenient points
Il invalid finds this climate too hot relaxing be
an easily fall back California. where every varie-
y Of climate exists, from that Of Sicily and Agiers
n the south to that Of England in the north. On all
hese matters be will fad detailed Information and I
pleasant reading in Mr. Nordhofs book on Califor-
ia and the Sandwich Islands aud in Miss Birds I
,oOk on the Hawaiian Archipalaro