The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-01-10
Twenty Fifth Anniversary of the Honolulu
Sailors Home Society.

u The annual meeting Of the above society, which
constituted its 25th anniversary, was held at the
Home on the Sd January, 1880, at IL a m, Hon. 8.
N. Castle presiding.
The Treasurer reported a balance Of $50. 80. ON
hand. The report Of the Chairman Of the Executive
Committee is given below.
The election of Trustees for a term Of three years,
\ closing on the 3lst Dec. 1882, resulted as follows
Messrs c. R. Bishop, Z. c. Jones, J. I. Waterhouse
Jr, j. b.. Atherton, A. Fuller, and VIM. Babcock.
The Trustees elected the following officers by bal
lot viz S N. Castle. President: O.. r. Bishop.
Treasurer +. A. Schaefrr, Secretary.
Executive Committee, Rev. 8. G. Damon, L. o.
Hall and z. G. Jones.
The Sailors Home continues its usefulness In this
community, although il has changed in Its character
to a great extent in proportion to the general change
which the twenty-five years Of it's existence have
wrought in this city. The Record Of this Institution
is full of interesting "reminiscences, aud calls TO mind
a number of our best and most useful citizens Of
whom many have since departed to a better life.
Ofthose who constituted the first body Of TrusteesA
4 eighteen in all, only six are now living, and OF these
THE Rev. DIR. Damon and Hon. s. N. Castle have ever
been active members and officers Of the Board
Great credit and the thanks Of this community arc
especially due 10 the Rev. DIR Damon for his iude-
fatigable labors in the interests Of the Sailors Home,
and the occasion Of its 25th university is q ft oppor-
tunity TO give public expression to these sentiments.
In that gentleman's report as Chairman Of the Ex-
eoutive Committee, will be found an interesting bio
Of international history an evidently well founded
presumption that American legislation relating 20
seamen received some hints from that Of Hawaii ON
the same subject.
Annual Report of the Executive Committee.
Whatever changes have passed over the world
during the last quarter, the Honolulu Sailors Home,
has continued onward in its career Of usefulnese.
Its doors have always been open and accommodations
always provided for those for whom IL was built and
others who concluded TO avail themselves of its priv
ileges. Many thousands Of seamena and others have
here found n quiet temporary resting place. 10 re-
viewing the history of the Society, we notice thaN
some of the original officers are living, while others
have passed away. Judge Allen, our Minister at
Washington, was the first President Judge Lee.
one Of the Trustees Judge Robertson another and
s. N. Castle another, while Capt. Babcock was one Of
the Floating Committee. Mr. Castle has been among
those of the Trustees during all the period Of the
society existence. and be is now our honored Presi-
dent, while the Seamen's Chaplain has always acted
as Chairman of the Executive mi In prepar-
ing the Annual Report.
The corner stone was laid by His Majesty Kane
hemeha WITH on Restoration Day, 9th of July, 1866.
We have always admired the address of His Majesty
ON that occasion as peculiarly appropriate and we re-
member it was written out in his own hand writing,
when called for by the printer.
The laying Of the corner stone Of AN edfhce destined TO
sm ,on " t tare"ti ~ e. aha nspPlness Oh Seainen u an occa-
The hardships with which the sailor contends, and the
he never steered his ships into our waters. Honolulu
might simply have retained its position as a hshing VIII
day has passed for any class of men to be valued onl- for
lutlT stftHRIHi u uuhptdDliltl 10 tile purposes OF others.
The sailor, the miner, the seaInstress. and even the slave,
for generations to come, will all have cause to bless the
to act in accordance with the Spirit Of the Age, by seek
ing TO ameliorate the condition of a preponderAting ele-
ment OF our foreign and a very considerable one of our
native, population.
The moral wants Of the sailor demand our care equally
with those that are physical. The facilities offered TO
him on shore as a reasonable and responsible being
should be multiform. in order to counteract the disadyan-
tages inseparable from a life at sea. For his own sake,
and that of every community he visits, he should ever be
found AN orderly and intelligent member of society IN
stitutions Of this character will help 10 make him so.
hesitate TO assist in the ceremony of to-day, and I esteem
work.
The Society has always been peculiarly Fortunately
in securing coed and reliable managers Mr.. aud
Mrs; Thrum, ls66-ls59 Capt. and Mrs. Dat,
1860-I863 Mr. and Mrs. Miller. l864-ls66.
Mrs. Crabb, 1S66-1871 Mrs whiteous, 1S7I-
1878 Mrs. and Mrs. Dunscomb. 1866
During the last ten years, the Y. NJ. G. A. has
sustained a Reading Room at the Home, which has
been much frequented and never more than at the
present time.
Although whaleships have ceased to frequent this
port-only one coming this yeaT-yet merchant YES
sells have increased, and vessels Of war coming COCA
sIonally as IN former years. The necessity for sus-
tanning such an Institution remains as urgent az
ever. 1t formes a centre place Of resort for friends
OF many good enterprises, including Bible and tract
distribution. So manifest has been the usefulness
Of this institution that IL has never been allowed TO
become encountered with debt, and the community
has always most generously responded when appeals
have been made for it's support.
1t should not be forgotten that 10 the early days
of the Home, representation Of Government officers
among the Trustees led to a tboi ough review and
remodelng Of Hawaiian Laws relating to the pro-
per treatment Of seamen. Some years ago, when
the friends Of seamen in the United States desired
the enactment Of new laws relating TO seamen,
copies Of our Laws and regulations were applied for,
and when the newly framed laws we're passed by the
United States Congress, it wac manifest that hints
at least were suggested by Hawaiian Laws and reg
ulations relating to seamen. No candid observer can
possibly review the history Of the Home for a quar-
ter Of a century and not acknowledge its great use
fitness to seamen, strangers and others. At the
present time all our Consuls send their Distressed
seamen thither when they are not under medical
treatment at the Queens Hospital. Many of the
bOarders Of late have been sent by the planters
agents ; hence to close its doors and suppress its
various agencies would be a serious loss to the COM
munity. SAML G. DAMON
Chairman of Ex. Com.