The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-03-03

THE Grand InternationaI Fisheries Ex-
hibitiOn, which takes place in London in
the month of May next, has attracted a
very wide attention. and viii be one of the
most extended and interesting International
Exhibitions that has ever taken place. AS
Hawaii has been especially Invited to par
~ticipate, we are led to a consideration of
what sort of a contribution il is possible for
us to make towards the Great International
Exhibition. In times past our Islanders
were pre-eminently fishermen. Fish was
their staple food, and the industry of cap
turing them engaged all people, from the
chief to the poorest serf; but now, with the
introduction of civilization and its arts, new
staples of food and new people, the Hawai-
iaus have lost their former arts and par
TALLY relinquished the pre-eminent fishing
industry of the past. Fish has become a
comparatively scarce article of food in the
Hawaiian Islands considering the mex
haustible abundance of our seas, and that
inlet, cove and shore swarm with fish as in
the olden time If the fishing industry was
pursued as generally and with the same
skill as in the past, fish ought to abound on
every table, and at such an economic rate as
to preclude the possibility of eXtOrtionate
prices on the part of stock-raisers and other
producers OF food. Our fish supply is very iF-
regular, uncertain, and sometimes the price
is higher than that of other articles of food,
which ought never to be the case in Ha-
waii. A scientific gentleman engaged years
ago in The collection of fish specimens, and
who had become familiar with the shores
of Oahu, Maui and Lanai, expressed his
amaZement at the evidences of the wonder
full fish supply in our seas; stating fire.
QuentlV, that with the organization of an
effective, fishing industry carried out in
all it's details, he doubted not, that the
waters of these islands would readily sup
ply fish for food for a nation of millions
but the most that we obtain in our market
is a precarious supply of mullets. 1t is to
be hoped that the Grand International
Fisheries Exhibition viii give a stimulus
to the fishing industry throughout the
world. We will, no doubt, derive some i'm
pOrtant lessons therefi ON. We can only
present a very small showing there in
relation to our fishing industry, yet it may
be of interest. We shall exhibit What has
been enquired about from abroad speci-
mems of all our edible MOSES mounted
on cards, specimens of our edible
fish preserved in spirits, ancient fish
ing implements the OLOnd bark twisted
into lines and made into nets, Hawaiian
specimens of the auhuhH plant, commonly
used by natives as an intoXicant to
Supply fish specimens of the different
varieties of the publ, or Hawaiian eel
specimens in jars of q great variety
of our edible limplets, of crustacea,
crabs, and crawfish. The object of the Great
International Fisheries Exhibition is, not
to- merely exhibit the euriositles of the
ocean, but to collect specimens of whati is
from the sea as articles OF food for
man, and the details of the industry of pro-
curing them. 1t is desired to have the
fisherman, his habits, clothing, manner of
living, and methods of pursuing his occu-
patton, fully represented. One feature of
our small Hawaiian exhibit will be photos
of staIwart Hawaiian fishermen in attitudes
as spearing their prey, and in other aspects
peculiar to their customs as fishermen
About eight months g the Government
received q proposal, coming through the
British Foreign Office, to take part in the
Grand International Fisheries Exhibition;
and, while the proposition was most favor
ably received, it was not deemed expedient
for the Government to take any part in the
Exhibition, chiefly for the want of means
but subsequently the proposal was renewed
in such gracious form, and we received
such kindly assurances from our repre-
sentative at London of the friendly interest
manifested in respect to Hawaii, that she
should have a place in the Grand Exhibit
ton, that the Government has felt con-
strained not to neglect the kind and
gracious overtures coming from eminent
official sources, and have resolved to make
the best endeavor under the circumstances
to have Hawaii put in an appearance at the
Grand International Fisheries Exhibition.