The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-02-01

Imam recently arrived from san Francisco. en- route
for New Zealand. has in his possession one of the
famed Edison Photographs, or Talking Machines.
besides the Singing Telephone with which a
public exhibition will be given after due notice.
Mr.. hohler. the gentleman in question, will, by
Royal permission, first exhibit his novel appara-
tins before the Court at lolani Palace.
~
MUsIc.-The Band will play at Emma Square
this afternoon, at 4 o'clock. Following is the
programme
overture-The Queen of spades .snppe
Slannet verdi
Baritan SoIo-Belisario .Donizetti
Waltz-Vienna Blood Strauss
Next week. moonlight concerts will take place at Emma
square, weather permitting, on Tuesday and Thursday.
at half past Z O'Clock.
A New COASTER.-A valuable addition To our
inter-island fleet of coasters has been made this
week. by the arrival of the new schooner Luhd,
owned by Messrs Allen and Robinson. She is I2A
tons burthen, of a beautiful model, and was built
at Port Ludlow by Hall Brothers, who have within
abe two years past constructed quite a number of
Jour coasting schooneTs. This is another one OF the
tangible evidences of the benefit of the Recipro-
city Treaty to the people of the Pacific Coast. The
Ltdcd will be placed on the Hawaii route.
- We had the pleasure yesterday of a call
from VIM. II. Patton, Esq, Of Virginia City, Nevada,
who arrived by the steamer australia this week.
Mr.. Patton who will make a trip to the volcano
Of Kilauea,-is the superintendent of the Consolida-
ted California and Virginia Mines, otherwise called
the Bonanza Mines, at Virginia City. While the
miners of those regions delve in the bowels Of the
earth and extract millions therefrom, ours scrape
the surface and are content with q few modest
thousands.
A SNUG CoMMIssIoN.-We learn that Messrs
q. w. Mocfarlane AZ Co. the consignees Of
the vessels ESE6dnh and ITALIA in addition to
being fully covered with insurance on their car
goes of these vessels. were insured in the sum Of
$4,000 for estimated commission on the same.
This is a new feature i'll marine insurance to us,
- - H.. Il. Ta communications l. aal,
paid when the vessels are a total loss, as was
the case with these two vessels. We congratulate
the firm on their good luck, which comes as it
were, on top OF bad luck.
THE FIRE-CRACKER NUISANCE" Konohee." or
Chinese New Year, appears to be increasing In i'm
portance as a public holiday, so much so in fact
that while the observance Of the Kings birthday.
Ka~mehameha Commemorative day or any foreign
holiday. only lasts for a single day, the Chinese
holiday has extended to three days, and bids fair
to be heightened out, as in China. TO three weeks.
With the remarkable increase of the CELESTIAL ele-
ment in our population. now so apparent. aud
with the known slack ideas Of morality which pre-
vail among the children of the Aowery Kingdom,
their New Years may eventually become 20 us n
perfect saturnalia. Ever siuce the 22d Of January,
nine days ago, when the Chinese New Year is sup
posed to have begun, the native school children
have been all day long letting of fre-crackers in
the streets-a very dangerous practice, and one
that the police should put a stop to.
? TgE Less OF THE THALIA."-Th following
clipping from an english paper is all that we have
seen in print concerning the loss OF The 1hhfIa'
which was consigned to G. w. MartdI.ane q TO.
of this city.
"a Lloyd's telegram states that the barque
Thalia, of Belfast, Glasgow to Honolulu. with beer
spirits, sugar-making plant, and %sundries. has
foundered at sea. Part Of the crew were landed
at Valparaiso. The Thalia, on iron barque Of
1862 tons register, was built Glasgow in 1876 for
Messrs Workman Brothers. Belfast. She held
the highest class, 100 at LlOyd's and was built
under special survey. Captain White was in
command, and she had a crew of 10 men all told
when she sailed from Glasgow on the 10Th Of
August. The value of the cargo was eos 900, and
of the ship 10000. The loss will fall largely on
Glasgow underwriters"
STEAM FIRE ESGINEs.-By the steamer .fustrGIia
Of this week from San Francisco the Fire Depart
ment has received the steam Fire Engine which was
ordered some time since. The Chinese machine Of
the same pattern has also been received. 1t is very
much desired by the members of the Department
that the new machines may be got into a condition
to be carried in procession on the day Of the
annual parade, February 3d,-next Monday. Mr..
Hopper has them in charge at his machine shop,
and ia doing his best to get them in order. Now
that we are provided with steam fire engines, look
out for fires.
Honolulu No. l." will be tested by the Com
pany this afternoon at 4 O'Clock, at the junction Of
Marine and Kaahumanu streets, adjacent to this
Office. At the conclusion Of the drill, the machine
will be duly housed on which occasion all the
members of the Fire Department are expected TO
be present and participate in the ceremonies and
festivities. We learn that cur community is not a
little indebted to the firm Of Williams, Blanchard &
Co., for their active assistance in forwarding these
machines.
RAINFALL FOR JANUARY.-While for a number Of
years past this island has been short Of its former
winter allowance of rainfall, the present year ap-
parently bids fair to make amends for the droughts
Of the past. Everybody has noted the fact Of the
heavy rains in Honolulu district the PAST two weeks,
but the results Of careful observation by means Of
rain guages are something wonderful, and show
that our climate is apparently returning to what it
formerly was at this, the winter season. During
the month just past. the reports show that more
rain has fallen in this district than in the same
period during eleven years last past. The follow
ing aie the figures, as furnished by an obliging
correspondent
At the Ice Factory. observed by Mr. John wilder. 49,. 1851
At Capt d Smiths residence, Waikiki-kai. .....-.....ll05
| At DIR Robert Mckibbin's, Beretania Street-.......-. 942
At the residence Of W. W. Hall, Nuuanu street ....l3Oo
Captain Smith says that on the 25th Of the
month of January this year. his rain guage showed
a fall Of over five inches in less than tweniy-four
hours. DIR. McKibbin reports for two days-tbe
oath and 25th-no less than seven inches 37-lOOths.
For a number Of years past, writers in the
advertiser have been frequently urging upon public
attention the fact Of the decrease Of the rainfall
year by year, and warning those in authority Of the
inevitable ruin that was coming upon the country
through the destruction Of the forests. 1t is in
structive to examine the record Of FIVE years kept
by MI. w. W. Hall, on Nuuanu Avenue, showing
the great decrease in the annual rainfall. AS
follows-1S74. 1896 inches ; 1876, 1904 1876,
sc. 56 1877, 90 20 1873, % 81. Let US hope
that 1879 will give a proof of a turn in the tide.