Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-04-23


IT may be remembered by many that when
the provisions of King Lunalilo's will were
first made public, a frequent remark was, "Of
what use will be the building of home for
aged, infirm and impoverished Hawaiians,
when there is no provision made for the main
tenance of the fabric and its inmates ?" To
this we are happy to be able to answer that
the estates of the late King have realized in
the hands of the Trustees 80 considerable a
sum above their first antcipations, that after
the completion of the building, purchase Of
site, ETC., there will be available sufficient
amount, which, carefully invested, will yield
an income sufficient to inantnin the establish
ment in thorough efficiency, and its inmates in
comfort. The will of Lunalilo gave rise to no
small amount of litigation, sundry of its pro-
visions being keenly contested. In the end,
however, the Trustees gained almost every
point, and the death of Kanaina released the
property from its sole charge, and vested the
whole extensive estates in tho Trustees, ex-
cepting only the marine residence of the late
King, at Waikiki, bequeathed by him to HIM.
Queen Emma. The whole bequest is expected
to realize considerably over one hundred thou
sand dollars, though some portions having
long leases yet to run are not available for i'm
mediate sale. 1t is expected that the building,
as such, will be completed by the end of this
year, after which the furnishing, water supply,
ETC., will occupy some little time longer; but
by this time next year we hope to see the
crowning of the edifice" by the admission of
the first recipients of Lunalilo's bounty as
publicly and as satisfactorily accomplished as
was the laying of the foundation stone. Floren
WE publish elsewhere a letter to the
Foreign Office, recountng the "Progress
of the Ali Kalakaua" in Japan. 1t
will be seen, as was anticipated. that the
Japanese Emperor elected to overlook the
incoqaito under which, as his Government had
besn advised, it was intended by the King to
travel, and has received him right royalty as
o brother Monarch. The welcome accorded
to him was so cordial, so thoroughly hos
pitab!e and withal so truly regal, that we earn
estly congratulate the King. the royal suite,
and the Hawaiian people at large on the course
of events as related in this letter. 1t is
interesting to note the meeting of two friendly
rulers, each representing nation which has
but comparatively recently taken, and been
accorded by all the civilized world. position
amongst the great group of civilized and pro-
gressive peoples. In this respect the Hawaiian
nation has the priority, and naturally the En-
peror and his officials were anxious to show
their distinguished visitor the progress they
themselves have made in adopting the ideas,
the inventions and convenences provided by
modern industry and science, which not long
ago they had repelled and jealously excluded
from their shores, while Hawaii was already
advancing with rapid strides on the pathway
of progress. Perhaps no two moro remarkable
events of their kind can be quoted in the
worlds history than the spontaneous repudia-
tor Of their old idolatries, with their cruel
rites and barbarous customs, by the Hawaiian
chiefs aud people on the one hand, aud the
sudden revolution in Japan, the abolition Of
the dual monarchy aud the eager adoption of
new laws, manners and customs, even, we may
say, modes Of thought and action, as seen in
that country at the present day. II was only
in 1883 that Commodore Parry reached Jeddo,
and in the five following years commercial
treaties were concluded with America, Great
Baitain, and Russia, and Nagasaki and Hako-
dadi opened to their commerce. Ten years
more were taken up by revelations and counter
revolutions, and wars foreign aud domestic !;
and only in the last ten years has Japan been
adopting the inventions aud improvements
brought from abroad, receiving and sending
forth embassies, establishing schools under
foreign superintendence. and sending abroad
her youths 70 bs educated. IN thess ten years
what wondsrs have been wrought; railways,
telegraphs. steam printing presses are familiar
in the nsighborhood Of treaty ports and are
constantly spreading. Such fundamental
changes as these cannot be thoroughly ac-