The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-08-13
TOUR OF THE PRINCESS REGENT
TO HAWAII.
Plans TO Save a City, and to Shelter
Homeless People.

Her Royal Highness and suite, who left
the capital per Likelike on the End instant,
arrived in Hilo Bay on Thursday morning,
the 4th inst. A large %concourse of people, |
foreign as we'll as native, had assembled to
welcome the Princess. The natives came
with full hands-with products of the soil,
with little articles of value, with coins, and
even with curious specimens from the great
lava fow-as hooktqOu offerings, prompted
by the affection of a people for their chief.
The circumstances attending this visit of
the Princess were ominOus and affecting.
The beautiful town of Hilo-presenting
such a fair picture of peace and order, and
Christian hope-was b~eleaguered by an
irresistible, alf-destroying enemy. Her
Royal Highness had hoped that this enemy
might have stayed his progress ere she
arrived; but his banner of vaporous and
gaseous cloud was hanging over the spires
of the invested city his electric projectiles
were darting through the air. Already
homesteads and cultivated fields, and a por-
ton of the beautiful forest that forms the
fringed Outskirt of Hilo had been devoured
and obliterated, and the devastating force
moving like an army of fiery serpents,
wound here and there a sinuous course,
| HISSlLB' tIdchilHBi IOdIlHB AIN tlISalohAu5 -
march to the sea, the destruction of a city,
and the desolation of a fair haven.
The anxious mind ofthe patriotic Princess
could not accept the rejoicings and parade
of a public welcome under such circum-
stances, and she forbade the band to play
when she stepped ashore. The artillery of
the Almighty was laundering in her an
cestral mountain. The island of Keawe
4 urao r0uF;nr ont ;tS ffarxr haarf1s blood an6
the daughter of Kapaakea commanded
silence in the presence of the Ruler of the
elements riding on the volcanic cloud.
Her Royal Highness did not go ashore at
the usual wh~arf-landing, but disembarked
quietly on the Waiakea shore.
One of the first acts of Her Royal High
mess was to order the call of a meeting of
officials and. private citizens, at the resi-
dence of Captain Thomas Spencer, whose
1 guest she was. Mr.. Green, the Premier,
! took the chair ON this occasion, Her Royal
Higness being seated near him.. Lieut..
Governor Lyman urged the feasibility of
| making e~ndeavours to divert, by stone
walls and entertainments, the flow of the
lava under certain conditions and urged
that the civil engineering ability at the
command of the Government be employed
without delay in studying the various
grades and conduits of the land. Sheriff
Severance supported the view of the Lieut..
Governor, and spoke of conferences with
planters, who would supply a force of hands
if the Government would provide food and
implements. Sheds should also be pro
Vided for the houseleSs. il. Austin, Esq,
of Onomea, urged prompt action without. q
days delay to try, with all the men ano
means at their command, to save Hiio
Captain Tom Spencer could not help with
either men or means but old and crippled
ias he was, he would offer himself, and lead
younger men to the charge. GovegnOl
Dominis felt that it was the duty of the
Government to meet this emergency. Hon
A. s. CleghOrn felt hopeful that human
effort would not be unavailing to meet thi:
great danger, and he urged immediate anC
constant effort. Hon. j. NJ. Kapena saiC
THAT the native people would readily CO
operate with the Government.
h result of this conference at Hilo is
that the superintendent of Public Works
accompanied by one Of the Surveyor
II Generals staff, left per Likelike on the 9tl
Il instant, with a large supply OF shovels
: picks, barrows-sufficient to keep $50 meT
engaged at work. There was forwarded by
: the Government, at the same time, a supply
I of ~food-paiai, rice, meat, &c.-to supply
] this working gang for ten days. There ha
! also been forwarded a quantity of CORFU
gated iron as covers for sheds, the lumbe
5 being obtained at Hilo.
4 In view of the emergency, the presen
! devastating advance of the lava flow, ant
possible destruction of a portion or all o
Hilo, it is proper that men of means ant
l citizens generally of Honolulu, and t
; parts of the islands, should begin to con
, slider in public assemblage the means o
I averting danger to a sister city, or of pro
; yiding for the relief of fellow citizens
5 should the providence of God permit a visi
tation of disaster to a portion of the king
dom. The Princess Regent is faithful.
I performing her duty as a ruler. Let tn
! people strengthen her hands.