Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-04-15
SATU RDAY PRESS.
Dispensing the Cloud.
arm 10. 1882

There are abundant indication. percep-
tlbls TO those fairly vorsed in English social
matters that the recent visit Of His Mai.
e'iy, King Kalakoua. to England, las
tended to largely awaken the curiosity of
the English nation respecting country
aud people of which they have heard so
much and know SO little Perhaps the
most frequent mention of Honolulu has
been made by theatrical performers visit.
ing Hawai- during their voyages to and
from Australia. They have generally
spoken in tho kiudliost terms of the city
and it's inhabitants, but their stay has
invariably been too limited to admit of
their becoming acquainted with much of
life outside the walls of the playhouse or
tho hotel. Moreover, nm actor or actress
rarely produces good descriptive work
treating of matters outside the Thespoan
profession. 1t has, however, long been
evident to those who have heard the
knights and ladies of the sock and buskn
recount their Hawaiian experiences, that
tho ploy.goers in Honolulu form an ex-
tretnely intelligent class, evincing keen
appreciation of good acting and good
dramatic writing. Judged by this test it
needed not a voyage to Honolulu to ascor-
tain the fact that the Hawaiian COMMUNE
ty occupied a place in the foremost ranks
of modern civilization that their polit-
ical and sociall institutions were such as
the greatest and most powerful European
sing. The recent visit of His Majesty to
England has given greater prominence to
this, and it is clear from the tone of the
comments of several of the provincial
papers, when abiding to his presence on
English soil, that all with whom he came
in contact were strongly impressed by his
intelligent observation of everything which
attracted his attention. The ordinary
reporters Of English papers rarely possess
much power of discrimination. They arc
generally mere reporting machines, and in
noticing The movements ol His Majesty
they were content with simply chonicliug
each little fact. but tho higher class of
English rossncn, the regular contribu-
tors Of leading or descriptive articles, on
several occasions found in these Journey
ings of Ills Majesty matter for thoughtful
remark. Are we not acting uuwiseIy, "
asked one writer, " considering our enor-
nous interests in the Pacific, in not cult
waiting closer relations with such able and
sagacious rulers as King kalaknua We
know not the character of the motives
which have induced him to leave his dis
tant island kingdom, and make tempo
-, Let hut q Il
ing the important strategical position of
the Hawaiian Kingdom in the event Of our
becoming engaged in hostilities in the
Southern Hemisphere, by no meansi M
probable contingency, the English Gov
eminent might do worse than award him n
reception becoming his rank and real poit-
ical Importance
This expression of English newspaper
opinion is thoroughly in harmony with the
sentiments of many educated and observ-
ant English travellers, who have become
familiar with the countries and peoples Of
the Southern Hemisphere, but it is not
often that an excuse can be found for CIV
ing utterance to them. The English press
10 represented only at Sydney and Mel
bourne, while the Australian papers rarely
display much interest in events transpiring
beyond the limits of the colonies respec-
lively represented by them. Hence the
name of Hawaii seldom finds its way into
the columns of English newspapers, save
in the shape of transcripts from American
Journals. The immediate result of His
Maissty's visit to England was to occasion
run at all the great public libraries on
works treating of Hawaii its people, man
ners and customs, but of such books there
are few really deserving of perusal. Still
a little information is often better than
none at all, and it is not improbable that
London publishers will DO found more
ready than heretofore to accept good works
on Hawaii. In America it is different.
American authors have written much
about Z" tho sland.kingdom," and in n
fashion which has tempted readers who
care little for narratives of travel, but
these articles have rarely found their way
to England or Australia, where, despite the
mass Of enlightened public opinion, there is
vet to be found considerable amount of
ignorance and prejudice concerning a conn
try which is apparently destined to play an
important part in the history OF the future.
10 tho people OF ua"hh IL may perhaps
be matter of indifference whether they
are understood or not by Englishmen or
Australians, but those who have studied
the past history of the leading nations Of
tho world will not share any apathetic
sentiments on this point. If the civiliza.
ton of the Southern Hemisphere is to be
spared, the many calamaties which have
furnished that of the Northern Hemisphere,
tho infant nations of the broad Pacific must
learn to become better acquainted with
each other, and to weave the links OF
mutual friendship, the best security against
the murderous disputes engendered by the
blind passions of ignorance. 1t is not
improbable that something of the kind
suggested itself to the mind of Sir Hsury
Parkss, the Premier of New South Wales,
during his recent brief stay in the
Hawaiian capital. The Gladstone of Aus
tralia, he is most anxious to secure the
cultivation of friendly relations between
che England of the South and the islands
of the Pacific, aud his hasty peep at Hawai-
aud its resources may yet bear good fruits
after his return to the country in which he
10 such distinguished and powerful
leader. Increased intimacy on the part OF
ENGLAND md her colonies with Hawai-