The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-09-15


mander of the British war-steamer, then in the
port of Honolulu, received instructions to place
his vessel at the disposal of Major Wodehouse,
II. B.. Ms Diplomatic Commissioner and
Consul General in this Kingdom and further
more, the British Admiral De Horsey's flagship
was under orders to proceed to this port from
South America to cooperate with Major Wode-
house and carry cut his instructions from his
government. We think that our readers will
allow that the case was serious enough. Had a
man, less f~riendlily disposed to the Hawaiian
King and his people, than Major Wodehouse,
then filled the role which that gallant officer SO
w~Orthily and efficiently discharges in this
country, it is impossible to now surmise what
serious diplomatic complications might have
resulted out of Earl Derby's despatch. Fur
thermore. it was equally as fortunate that the
head of our W Foreign Office was a man in
every way equal te the emergency, and also soci-
ally connected with H.. B. NJ. g representative here
by friendly relations of the most intimate nature.
We believe that we are not mistaken in stating
that Earl Derby's despatch fell upon the Hon.
Mr.. Carter like a thunderclap, and that the in
disposition, Of which he complained after his
abrupt return from the Royal Commission by
many attributed to its consequent fatigues,-
was really the result of the weighty anxiety
which that despatch and the serious diplomatic
complication involved therein, occasioned to our
enthusiastic and high-souled Minister for Foreign
Affairs, with whom love of country is one of
the liveliest and purest of his sentiments. The
nation was wholly in the dark all this time, with
regard to the storm-cloud which was brooding
over Hawaii nei-owing entirely to the blunders
of the predecessors in Office of our able Foreign
Minister. The East Indian ''~ coolie" question,
which many people thought to be the principal
object of our diplomatist's journey to the Court
of st. James, positively waned into a mere
glimmer before the lightning fash which cleo
trifed his movements in his eager haste to meet
Lord Derby face to face and endeavor by his
diplomatic abilities to avert the threatened
storm. We see no reason why we should hest
tate to state a matter now pretty notorious here
namely, that it was at the Hon. Mr.. Carriers
earnest solicitation that his friend Major Wode- |
house accompanied him to San Francisco on bis
own responsibility, and without positive ~instruc-
tions from the British Foreign Office, with the
plan of telegraphing to Earl Derby from San
Francisco for leave to proceed to London. AS
matters turned out, the telegraph duly brought
Major Wodehouse an affirmative reply, as we
have previously announced; and at this present
writing, both H. B. MS Diplomatic Commits
sioner, and H.. H. M Diplomatic Envoy have
had time to communicate personally with Earl
Derby at London, on the subject of Kameha-
meha the Thirds Treaty of Commerce with
Queen Victoria-still in force up to their arrival
ot all auopts in Enoloo1 yho4oro. I.- |
since been arranged in the matter. For this
serious diplomatic complication, we repeat, that
this country is soley indebted to foregoing admin
We trust that it has been amicably
settled, and that no British threats of force will
hereafter disturb the happiness of those gentle
men who have heretofore held the reins of gov
ernment in this Kingdom. They have the
honor of having almost occasioned an outbreak
Of hostilities between Ii. b. M. Victoria and H..
Ii. M. Kalakaua; and they may thank their
{ lucky stars that the reins of government are
now entrusted to ADLER hands-or perhaps there
might have been a very different story to tell.
The next European mail should bring tidings of
The arrival of Ii. FL. Ms Diplomatic Envoy at
London, and some formatio concerning the
so far Of his ~mission-which included
W AlOa uAluculG u WOTh Vi diplomacy, ana
ar different from the East Indian " coolie
business. We feel the fullest confidence that
'ur Hawaiian d%iplomatist has been quite equal to
he occasion, and that he will succeed in settling
his untoward business in his usually happy
way.
In conclusion We challenge any member of
he foregoing administrations or of the Ha-
public generally, to disprove a single
which we have made in the preceding
emarks; and, if we have been so explicit, the
eason is because we hear that our remarks on
he subject of the British Treaty in our last
'sue have been called into question. The Ha-
7aiian public now knows much more of the real
acts of the case than it was possible to CLEAN
our passing allusion to the Treaty's not
aVing been " denounced - and we think that
ne news by the next mail from Europe will now
e expected here with much more anxiety than
lat brought out to these Islands for many a
onth before. However, we beg to add, that
le fact of Major Wodehouse having been al
wed to proceed to London argues favorably
r the amicable settlement Of this diplomatic
implication, and shows that Lord Derby is not ,
sposed to push matters to extremes. Well
the Hawaiian people exclaim what a
muddle." T.,
TIE H1,ro;;1o C,-otto,. 1ost ;,,ro L., ~o