The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1880-03-26
IA sonth Sea Paradise.

The receipt Of the first directory OF
Fiji, published in 1879, suggests some re-
marks about the group, whichis destined
TO occupy a prominent place in the flu
ture of the Pacific half of our globe.
The islands are situated in latitude
eighteen degrees south, nearly in a d.
rect line between San Francisco andSyd-
ney, 1.400 miles from the latter port
and about the same distance from New
Zealand, Tahiti Honolulu, the Marshall
Islands Carolina Islands, the New
Guinea, and half SO far from New Gale
donia, and the New Hebrides, Solomon,
Ellice, Samoan and Friendly groups.
Amidst ali these, Fiji is a central point,
with the prospect Of great commercial
facilities when Micronesia name in
Guiding those small islands Of the South
Pacific - is well supplied with steam
vessels.
Five years ago Fiji became British
colony, but the civilized authority was
SO weak in some of the smaller Islands
or districts remote from the seaports,
that cannibalisp, did not cease till two
years later. Long Pig has ceased to
appear on the native bills of fare. There
is an orderly government, with police,
courts Of justice, public records, and
last, but,not least, regular system OF
taxation. The group has an area OF
| 100000 acres, much Of which belongs
to the G0lonist Government, and is
! offered for sale at S. an acre for first
class, and less for poorer qualities. The
area cultivated by white settlersis 10000
acres, and no mention is made of the
greas sold 10 white men, belonging to
natives, or Of unsold of the first quality.
The group has eighty islands, making an
4 archipelago 37O miles long by 260 wide.
There are 20, ,000 natives, including 20,-
4 600 available for work, but, when en-
/ poyed as laborers they idle away their
4 time, unless closely watched. Their
4 wages are $50 a year, besides food,
clothing and tobacco, costing $50 more,
! making the total expense less than 81
month. Natives Of New Britain and
New Ireland, hired by terms of three
4 years at $40 year, are more industrious.
With such wages there is no chance for
Y white man 10 make anything as a la
boref, and there is little opportunity to
make much as anemployer, unlesshe has
0,000 capital to begin with. The chief
exports are cocoanuts, cotton and sugar,
, and it is supposed that coffee will be
largely cultivated The dried coeoanut,
called copra, makes up nearly two-thirds
OF the full exports and Of the $4,000
acres planted bv white settlers, 5000 are
in cocoanHts, 2,600 III cotton, 500 il
sugar cane, | 900 in coffee and $50 il
arrow root. Wesare told that all thesC
can be cultivated prolitably.
january, The hottest month, has !,
mean temperature Of S4o, with maxi
mum Of 99o in the shade and 1902 in tht
sun, and July has q mean Of 77e, will
a minimum Of 67o three feet from tn,
ground, 55o in the grass, and a maximum
Of 85a in the shade and l40o in the sun
There is never month when the hea
does not 60 TO 1902 in the sun. Th
eoldest month Of Fiji is about 20o hottie
than the warmest III San Francisco, i
the adjective cold can be applied to an,
month in the former place or warm Il
any in the latter. Though Fiji has 10
inches Of rain in the average year, it ha
only 150 rainy days, and the climate i
generally considered very pleasan
Z one for those accustomed TO the tori
!. zone. There are no malignant feyers o
4 malarial diseases, and the vegetation
( most luxuriant and beautiful. Take
+ altogether, Fiji will always be consil
:, cred tropical paradise. i7Hi