The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-02-17
The Western IslandsThe Emigration
Questi.

The following paragraphsre extracted from a
letter dated Dec. 23d, 1876. ,eived by a gentleman
in this city from DR.. VIM. dibrand, for many years
a prominent resident of lonmlu, but now tempo
rarily residing at Funch. Mdeira.
"Funchal has one ting, and that On essential
one to many invalids, tcive it preference over any
place in the Sandwich slands-excepting perhaps
Lahaina-viz, its ~thonghly sheltered situation.
On the North, East anGest it is surrounded by q
high amphitheatre of rs extending from 1000 to
5000 feet in the middlend not less than 1000 feet
on both sides, while the South only it is open
with the sea before it. here is q regular sea-breeze
between 9 and 4 o'clo. When We arrived 1.-TWO
months and q half agohe weather was sultry, the
thermometer rising to o in the shade after noon;
at present however we're entering the cooler part
of the year, with the trmometer at $50 to 64o IN
the early morning andvening. Outside the air is
lovely as long as the IN is out, but inside the
houses the temperatures a little too low for cold
blooded invalids.
NEARLY oil houses he pretty gardens attached
to- them filled with eautiful shrubs and trees,
mostly Of the same kid that grow in Honolulu.
The Bougainvillea il Nrieties of pink and scarlet
flower hangs over neEly every wall. The Mexican
creeper is not found her, nor that beautiful climb
ing Phanera c~orymbos that grows in such perfec-
ton in DR.. Hoffman,, arbor. There are mediocre
mangoes, alligator psrs, chirimoyas in profusion,
bananas, loquats, 6g. grapes. and at their proper
seasons pIensy y r 5aches, apricots, sLa"UUuNsI
with apples all the yar round. Melons and pine
apples, strange to sy are rare, poor and expensive,
watermelons scarcely ,nown. Guavas plenty all
the year round. By this enumeration you may
perceive that Funchal although II degrees more to
the North than Honollu, produces nearly the same
plants and fruits as tie latter place, a resemblance
still more confirmed b the fact that sugar cane COW
es more land on the south side of the island than
the grape does, and considered a very profitable
crop, owing to the hg protective duties with which
Portugal favors its CULTIVATION. The cane is raised
only under irrigation and replanted yearly. The
time of cutting win commence in four or six weeks.
There are four or five Hills in and around Funchal,
where the cane is purchased from the small cultiva-
tors at a fixed price pc gallon of juice. which, as
the cane is all of onevariety and growing under
similar conditions is Of iniform density.
The country is hoIever again looking forward
to a new agricultural cisis. The grape, which had
been almost exterminatd 20 years ago by the rava-
ges of the oidium, had gradually recovered from that
blight during the last zen or twelve years, so that
again from eight to tenthusand pipes of wine were
produced yearly. The country had hopes that it
might again attain to he high prosperity which it
enjoyed in former TINES; but unfortunately the
phylloxera has made its appearance and just fears
are entertained now that the precious vines are
again doomed to destructiu. The extinct Agricul-
tural Society has been called to life again by the
Governor to consider the situation and devise new
branches of cultivation TO replace the one threat
eued. I mention this fact md wish you 10 commu-
nicate it to your government, because in 1852 to SO
the gradual extinction { the grape was accom-
panied or rather followed y an emigration of 2O,-
900 inhabitants, Demarart and Trinidad being the
recipients of tbs class of people. Now.
being well aware Of the ralue which the govern
ment and people of the Hawaiian Islands justly
place on an immigration rom this island and the
Azores, I would urge then to consider what steps
they can take in order to draw these people to their
islands. An offer Of ordinary labor contracts
would in my opinion, defeat the plan, although 1
have no authority to warrant me in this opinion;
if the planters would, by combination, make
In arrangement to Offer each laborer or family
mail patches Of land for moderate leases on long
and under condition that the tenant should
thereon raise cane or produce on shares, 9 small ad-
vance being given for tn, first and indispensable
cultivation, such a plan night answer. l have lit
lie inclination to NEEDLE il such business, after my
IT evious experience; but being on the spot and
showing the great value of such immigration to the
country which will alwsysbe cherished in my mem
Try, I should not refuse my cooperation, if the
solicited it. The time has not arrived
or actual steps to be taken, but the business is of
uch a character that tie preparations ought to be
eady for execution when the emergency arises.
Dec. 25. Reading over again what 1 have
Iritten above about immigration from this island, it
Gems to me that perhaps I have said a little more
han the circumstances will justify. Last night /
ad a conversation with the American Consul, who
as resided in this place over six years. and is well
cq%uainted with the laws of the country and the
of feeling on such matters in official circles.
rom him I learned that no one is allowed to leave
island without q passport, and that the same is
OF granted to any person that has not fulfilled his
lilitary obligations; or in other words, as every
alive male is liable to military CONSUMPTION, it is
OF granted to young men under &c years of age.
e has had q great deal of trouble in consequence
American ships and even men-ofwar taking away
Dung men clandestinely. Even an emigration Of
len above that age, he thinks, would not be favored
? the government unless a real distress should fall on