The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-04-06
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

In Cuba planters are using mUlas-ts
as a fertilizer. 1t does not pay TO ex-
port, and there is no available home
market. Our planters have not come
to that point. They find a local sale
for the bulk of their molasses, and
export some of it to British Columbia
and the Coast.
The Electrician says that the sub
marine cables now in operation
aggregate about SIS, 900 miles in length.
This includes the Mackay-Bennett
cable. Each cable contains an aver
age of forty strands of wire, so that
altogether there are over $500, 900
miles of wire used in their constTuc-
ton; or ten times the distance from
the earth to the moon. Practically
all of this has been laid within the
last twenty-five years the greater
part within decade. We now want
cable between this city aud San
Francisco, or better still, to the near
est point on the American continent,
to connect with the land telegraph
system. This connection once formed,
would ensure an early extension to
New Zealand, via Samoa. This
would complete the circuit of the
globe, and make Honolulu q very
important station in the telegra phic
world.
Real estate owners in New York
and all the large American cities are
standing out for the high rents paid
to them during the flush times. But
inasmuch as the profits on business
do not leave anything for those en-
gagged in trade, after paying their
help and landlords, stores and trading
premises are fast going out of occupa-
ton. The New York Economist
states that there are about seventy
five large stores now vacant on Broad
way, between Canal and Fourteenth
streets. This state of things is as
cribed to the excessive rents de-
manded by real estate owners Rents,
as rule, are the last things to go
down. There is a conservatism in
property out of sympathy with the
mutations of trade. It is a mistake,
however, to insist upon high rents in
dull times. It diseourages business
men and prolongs the period of
depression.
The New York Herald, a gold
standard paper, gives the whole thing
away in the following paragraph i:
Bank presidents and the Wall
street men generally give high praise
to Mr.. Cleveland's letter to- the advo-
Gates in Congress Of silver coinage"
This is the whole business in nut
shell. President Cleveland represents
the bank interest on the money quss-
ton, as his predecessors did, being
elected by their influence; and it is to
be expected that the spectators of
Wall street should fall into line in
support of their favorite. But the
American people want stable cur
reney, and not one subject to sudden
and violent fluctuations, in response
to the manipulations of Wall street
gamblers. The silver dollar guaran-
tees stability, and therefore its coin
age will be continued.
The Chinese call the mariners
compass the southern pointing
chariots." This is poetic, if not q
strictly accurate definition. The
Celestials are likewise forbidden to
discuss the war news except among
themselves. Late advices from China
state that in answer to a memorial
| from Prince Ch'un, the Dowager En-
pre- SIS has promulgated a decree COM
handing the Viceroys, Governors,
and high officials of the Maritime
Provinces to abstain from the topic Of
the Franco-Chinese imbroglio in their
intercourse with officials Of other ma
tions. Anyone breaking the orders
of this decree will be handed over to
the proper board for severe penalties.