The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-10-12

have referred 10 this snbiect from time TO
time. and more recently By last mail, N my NO.
l6I showing by analysis Of custom house statls-
tics the proportion of American shipping 70 All
other and the hike suggestive facts.
Three years and half ago, when nrst report.
ed for duty al this post there Was but ono island
steamer; nov there are eight and more ordered
every oue Of them but one, American built Inc
increase IN sailing vessels has been still larger
Besides this, By far the larger portion q vessels
sailing foreign in the Hawaiian trade have re-
manned under the American hag so that they 90
not apr ear in the Hawaiian cnston house statis-
tics For example, one firm in San Francisco,
engaged exclusively in the Island trade nao
added four new fast-sailinc cruisers 10 this trade
within the year, all under the American nag.
or those vessels under the Hawaiian nag there
are chiefly two classes; IL New ships built IN the
United States for Hawaiian owners, and " ships
formerly under the American hac transferred TO
Hawaiian owners. and Hawaiian nag.
In one house German capital has purchased
number Of American vessels and put them under
the American fae. Part of the Glasgow machl-
nery which rubbed sore spot into the treaty, As
/ have often mentioned, was brought here IN
two large American vessels, direct from ocotlanQ-
Il is but fair and Just 70 admit that probably
all this increased demand for American ships and
ship-building grew out of the reciprocity treaty
and volic never have existed except for It's gene
rative power. This cenerdtIve power Is refex as
well as direct Jt creates magnificent increase
Of Island products this creates both demand
and capacity for large increase OF the import
trade from the United States; and these con-
hined create the demand for carriers under TIE
American flag. and for American factors, agents,
bankers, insurers, and producers Of almost every
kind.
The trade with the islands il but drop in the
bucket But. compare the total amount OF her
exchances between the Hawaiian Islands with
those between all other countries and the United
States; then apply 70 this last the same ratlo OF
increase in our carrying trade and shlp-oulidlns
which we have gained here; the result, II seems
to me, would show thAt, under like conditions OF
prosperity everywhere, all fear of the american
flag disappearing from the sea might be aban-
doned.
Assuming that there would have been the same
amount Of Hawaiian sugar produced without the
treaty-which there would not, In fac,-add, that
all OF such sugar would have come TO rs, and
would have paid duty, there would then be the
bare and ine1orable fact of the loss of certain
denonstrable dollars to the United States Treas
ury, IN the shape Of duties abandoned under the
treaty.
II is true also. on the other hand. that the gain
to the United States does not resolve itself into
demoustrable dollars. 1t is somewhat vague and
incompatible. The effort to balance the loss and
gain IS thus difficult 1t is like trying TO settle
the net gain where one has given away sum
certain and found swarm of bees.
If our commercial policy with the Sandwich
Islands Is to be taken only part of the system,
intended 70 take In and bind together all the
tive great continents and their adjacent islands
on our side of the world, 1t seems 70 me that
there are such grand possibilities 70 the near
future of the United States IN srch a scheme as
would make the reciprocity treaty with these
islands conspicuous landmark in our CONNER
cial history. Considered simply by itself II would
seem comparatively feeble and inconsequeut
Its value TO the islands Is very great, undoubtedly
thai goes without telling. Our loss IN revenue,
also is plain enough TO any one with wit enough
10 compute the customs due some millions of
pounds of sugar, rice, &c Our gain, repeat, Is
as incompatible as the future activity and pro
ductiveness of a swarm of bees. After all this,
there are many millions of American capital
invested here under and because of the treaty.
JAsEEs III. CoAILT,
Minister.
Legation Of the United States,
RoHOlHiH, SaRdlrich Islands, june 6, 1851.