The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-04-08
The Island of Scio.

The following is a full copy of the letter ad-
dressed by Mr.. Marques to His Majesty the King
on the subject of the un fortunate Sciotes and the
probability Of their proving a suitable source Of
population for this country.
.tTo His Majesty King Kalakaua."
"SIRE,-Knowing the great interest Your
Majesty takes in all the questions which may be
productive Of good and benefit to the Hawaiian
Kingdom, | assume the liberty of calling Your
Majesty attention on the following facts, which
have just been purposely brought to my know
ledge by a friend of mine in Leghorn (Italy),
MIR. Constantin e. Theodorides (of CONSTANT
nople) and in which it seems to him and to my
self there might be a new opening for the Ha-
waiian emigration schemes.
1.-The Island of Chic (Khios or SciO), in the
Ionian Archipelago, near the coast of Asia Minor,
has recently been ruined by earthquakes of ex-
traOTdindry violence which have continued for
months all the towns, | may say all the dwell
ings have been destroyed, burying under their
ruins many thousand victims and reducing the
whole population TO utter restitution. but this
is nothing compared with the fate which now
seems to be awaiting this unfortunate country.
Since the shocks have subs:3cd. it has been
noticed that the whole island is gradually 1ut
continuously sinking down, SO that if the action
of the subterranean fires do not stop. it will soon
be possible to estimate in how many months Scio
will have disappeared under the sea.
q In presence Of this appalling visitation, 1t is
useless to say that the population have taken
alarm and have already begun to emigrate in
haste, ard they would at once e~migrate IN mass
if thew only knew where to 90 to. But they are
ruined and therefore unable to 90 far away, and
the other islands near them, or the coast of Asia
are already overcrowded with population, and at
the same time-through the recent disorder of the
grape vine, a cause which similarly impoverished
Madeira and the Azores-haveb been made too
poor to give any encouragement or opening to
their emigration.
Now the population of Chic, which was
lately valued between 90 and 20 thousand in
habitants, seems to me to possess all the features
and qualities to be most warmly to
Your Majesty Government, as well f.ted for
being called here, in this Kingdom T"cn under
Your Majesty's benevolent and intelligent rule,
only awaits a thick population Of good and steady
agriculturists to take rank amongst the happiest
and richest countries of the world.
= The principal interest of the Island of Chic
consisted in its agriculture and it is a well known
fact that 1t has always been recorded as the garden
of the Archipelago, the best cultivated and the
wealthiest, in which every available spot of land
was carefully brought to bear only the most pro-
ductiye crops. The population are consequently
thoroughly agriculturists, brought up on agricul-
ture and so very successful by it from generation
to generation that they cannot even now con-
slider a change of profession.
"They are Of Greek origin and therefore
Christians.
"Greeks of the Peninsula, or Kingdom of
Greece, are Justly dishonored by their brigand-
age and turbulent character, and for such
reasons would not be a desirable element to be
introduced in any quiet place, but the Chians,
from their special situation, as is explained by
the historians themselves, have been at all times
free from the Grecian vices and even though
thew have also been for centuries and are still
under the despotic rule Of Turkey, they have not
from the special treatment bestowed on them
suffered from the demoralising effects of that
rule, but only derived from it such an influence
as, in connection with their natural mild DISPOSE
ton, renders them easier to govern and manage.