The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-02-15
As carnAl seamcn in a storm
Turn pious converts and reform

We will briefly point out evident errors,
which appear in the dispatch, and which are
calculated to create an injurious impression
abroad as to the working of the Treaty. The
Minister says
1.-The impetus given to the sugar and rice trade by
the reciprocity treaty has brought not only agents
but principals from British manufactures to the Is
lands TO extend their trade by furnishing machinery
for sugar and rice plantations but l have yet to
learn of one American agent or principal who has
made his appearance here to take advantage of our
benefits through our reciprocity treaty"
The truth is, that before q single agent or
principal from British manufactures arrived at
the Islands, there had been two American agents
here, who were quite successful in procuring or
ders. Two entire sugar plants have been con-
structed in San Francisco for the Islands. Again:
1.-The San Francisco Iefner, on the other hand, for
some reason incomprehensible to me, does not seem
to create or demand q market here for the refined
sugars he produces from the island growth. On the
contrary. l am assured by the merchants in the
trade that the island planter, after selling his sugar
10 4 San Francisco refinery, takes Of that very mon
ey and purchases for his own use German refined
sugar, or some other, according to the representa-
tions made him.
Since the date when the Treaty went into
effect, September, 1876 there have been no i'm
portations of sugar from Germany, with the ex-
ception OF one small lot IN 1878, valued at less
than $1,000, imported by a German house here
IN one Of their own ships in the regular trade.
On the other hand, there was imported from
California, duty free. in 1877, crushed and cube
sugar 20 the value of S47 ,OO9 and in 1878 from
the same source, duty free, to the value of $780,
600.
1.-The Hawaiian rice crop is sold almost entire to
the United States. The Hawaiians buy for home
consumption. direct from China, Japan, or the East
Indies, a cheap rice or paddy Of inferior quality, but
equally satisfactory to the Chinese plantation labor
rers, who are the chief consumers here. l state this
simply as one of the series Of facts Offering no special
opportunity TO American interests"
According to the S. F. Journal Of Commerce of
Jan. 2nd, 1879, the receipts of rice from the
Hawaiian Islands from Jan. lst, 1877 to Jan. l,
1873, We're 1892, 300 pounds. The monthly
consumption of HatCaian grorn rice in these Is
lands, as ascertained from competent authority,
averages 5000 one-hundred pound bags, or ., GOO.-
600 pounds per annum. We buy direct from China
japan, or the East Indies, no cheap rice or
paddy. y ship bringing Chinese immigrants
from IIOngkOng often has a small surplus of stores
OF this cheap rice, but it does not amount To an
IN the proper sense of the word.
And 1t occasionally happens that Hawaiian rice
is high priced in the California markets, and it
will then pay to ship from San Francisco small
lots hither Of the cheaper grades. But by refer
encc to the above figures it will be seen that we
consume fully one half of our Hawaiian grown
at home.
In conclusion We will add, that IN portions of
the dispatch the Minister is correct in his facts and
in his deduction, in ONE degree making
amends for thOse.in which he has evidently been
We trust that n longer residence IN the
country will enable him To learn from more reiIa-
sources than he seems to have had arcess to,
the real facts in regard to Hawaiian trade and
Nu,unarna