Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-03-18
English Notions Of Hawaii.
CORRESPONDENTS FROM SYDNEY.
DY JOHN PLuMMER.
MARCH Is. lst2.

by JOHN PLUMAEk.
Somebody has said give mo the making
Of nations ballads, and care not who
makes tho laws" and from tho earliest
times popular ministrelsy has largely aided
in the formation of public opinion, not in
frequently Mt the sacrifice of both truth
and justice. OF this a notable instance is
afforded by the well.known English song
"The King of the Cannibal Islands"
which has for many years formed favor
tic feature in music-haIl programmes in the
United Kingdom. The author of this
nonsensical jingle is stated to have become
amazed Mt the widely spread popularity at
tanned by his effort, which is utterly desti.
tute Of both literary aud musical merit.
like many of the songs which have of late
years acquired such an enormous amount
of popularity in England. Still more as
tonished must he have been on discovering
that which no wrote as n merry Jest, should
have been taken ms earnest by thousands.
and tens of thousands of his fellow.coun.
Of n cheap and sound instructive literature.
Readable and intelligently written works
on Hawai- abound, but these arc perused
by the educated few. To the uneducated
many, Hawaii is still the land Of the savage
cannibnl This may seem extremely alb.
snrd, but it is none the less true. England
~ Mt once the best and worst informed
country in the world. The travelled Eng.
lishman will describe Honolulu rs q city in
which civilization has reached its highest
stngc of development, while his less in.
formed brethren instrnctively regard il as
the metropolis of sem.bnrbaric power.
Hence the numerous ridiculous, because
ignorant, allrsions by English comic ora
tors on the occasion of the recent visit of
His Majesty, King Kalakaua, which has
done mnch in the way of correcting the
erroneous impressions which have so long
prevailed among the English people respect
ing the true character of the monarchs of
Hawaii. 1t is to be regretted that His
Majesty did not find tims to make himself
personally known to the Industrial popua-
tons OF Lancashire and Yorkshire, who
are among the most intelligent and best in
formed of their class in the world, not ex-
cepting those of the nited States. Their
interest IN foreign countries especially
those with which commercial relations can
be successfully developed, has made them
extensive readers of books of voyage and
travel, as shown by the annual reports of
their numerous libraries, mechanics insti-
tutes, and similar institutions. When tho
intelligence of the arrival of King Kala.
kaua IN London was flashed along the wires
through the length and breadth of the
country, more than one North of England
journal treated it's readers to tolerably ac-
CITRATE description of Hawaii, it's Govern.
ment, institutions, and commercial pros
poets, while in the English metropolis, the
digniied yet courteous demeanor of the
Hawaiian monarch created most favora-
BILE Impression in every section of English
society. This cannot fail in being produc-
tive of good. The CHEEKY accounts of
English visitors passing to and from Aus
tralia via the Californian mail route, have
done much towards dissipating existing
prejudices against Hawaii and it's people,
but the European tour of His Majesty,
King Kalakaua, has effected more, by in-
duciug the English people to ask of them.
selves whether they have not been unjust
towards Hawaii, its ruler and inhabitants.
Some few years ago, the members of
Yorkshire debating society found them
selves discussing the question of the advisa-
bility of an English protectorate of Ha-
waii, rs naval station in the Pacific, when
several of the speakers limited at the proba-
bic necessity for keeping the uncivilized
natives" in subsection. This reminds us
of a similar occasion when speaker Oh
lected to emigration to Australia ION &C.
count of the tendency of the children of
white parents to assume the dusky hue of
tho aborigines." All this, however, has
become a thing of the past. There may
yet remain kind Of misty idea respecting
the real character of the Hawaiian King
dom, but the popular conscience feels that
both the country aud it's people have been
unfairly judged, and were His Majesty,
King kaakaua, to repeat his visit to Eng
land he would receive welcome far warmer
than on the previous occasion. But would
this influence English emigration to Ha.
waii9 Very little. At present the fav Or.
lite destination of the British emigrnnt is
the United States. The reason of this is
simpe enough. The cost of a passage is
small, the duration of tho voyage is brief,
while the opportunities of obtaining en-
ploymeut in any branch of industrial pro.
duction are abundant. The capabilities of
Hawaii rs a field for the aborer or the cap.
italst are to this day unknown both in
England and Europe. Hawaii is destined
to become the England of the eastern Pa.
chc, although there are many who hold
otherwise, who maintain that the climate
is too enervatiug for any save Polynesian
or Asiatic labor, as of the English work.
man were not found in every zone. That
the American element should SO largely
prepouderate in Hawaii in no wise dis
turbs the equauimity Of the English pso.
pie. They have long ceased to DO Jealous
of American influence, regarding them.
solves and the American people-and very
properly so-as branches of one great and
powerful family. Still they would like to
know more of Hawaii, its capabilities, both
as producing and as a consuming coun.
try, and its character as commercial
market Should Sir Henry Parkes sue.
coed in persuading the United States Gov.
eminent to assist moro literally in the
nj ,c tha