Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-11
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

GaetanO, Spanish navigator, first
saw these islands in 1912, but it can
cot be said that anything was known
of them by Europeans until they were
visited by Cook in 1878. This discov-
erer gave the group the name of the
Sandwich, islands, after Lord Sand
witch. then Chief Lord of the Admiral
itv, but the inhabitants have always
called them Hawaiian islands, from
Hawaii, the name of the largest is
land. There a:c ten islands in the
group, only four OF which are large
enough 10 be of any real importance.
Hawaii has an area of 4.O40 square
miles, and is twice as large as all the
Others together. When first discOv-
cred each of the islands had king.
Though the origin of the Hawaiian
race is still matter Of dispute-the
weight of evidence, however, CHASING
them with the Malay tribes-there is
no doubt that they are 4 nation of con-
siderable antiquity. The genealOgy
of the kings On the island of HAWAII.
which hus been kept from time inn
memorable by native chroniclers, has
list of over seventy kings. In 1881,
on the death of the reigning king, Ka-
lan.o Ku, his nephew. Kamehameha Of
much spirit a5d ability, became head
chief Of the western part of the island.
In self defence lie waged war, first with
the other chiefs of his island, and then
with the kings of other islands, and at
last brought the whole group under
his control. and announced himself king
OF all the islands in 1909. In the follow
il g year he wrote to George Iii :, ex-
pressing his desire to acknowledge the
king of England as his sovereign and
to place the islands under British pro-
lection. plan t. which King George
readily consented. Kamehamcha
abolished the tattoo system and human
sacrifices. organized an army and navy,
ubdcr him the inhabitants made great
advances in civilization. Most of his
ideas Of enlightmcnt were earned from
th explorer Vancouver, who while
| survc, ing, the west coast Of British
Anne. lea, spent several winters at Ha-
wall. In 1919, kamehsmehs ]. died,
and was succeeded by his eldest son,
Liaaliho, vino, on assuming the power,
adopted his fathers nsmt as title,
| and became known as Kamchameha III.
l N.>lit.t WIN 4uCCu, Auu
both died there in July, 1924. He was
succeeded by his brother, who. how
ever, did not assume the royal power
until 1888. the kingdom being under
the regency of Queen kaahum-
anu, the dowagcr of Kamehamcha |.
Under Kamehameha I'LL, in 1910, the
people were granted a written cOnsti-
tuition, recognizing the three grand
divisions of king, legislature and
Judges, and in his reign the Christian
religion became the established
national religion Of the islands. Great
Britain, France and the United states
acknowledged the independence of
| his government aud treaties were
made With these and other powers.
On his death in 1854, he was sue
ceeded by his nephew and adopted son
as Kamehameha w. After brief but
talent and public spirit, this ruler died
in 1868, and the royal power passed to
his brother, kamehameha V. This
king changed the constitution, max
ing it more absolute, aud the change,
after considerable opposition, was
adopted by the people. At his death
| in 1872. the line of Kamehameha |. be-
came extinct.
William Lunalilo, one of an old
family of powerful chiefs, was
elected by the legislature to succeed
him. Upon Lunalilo's death in Feb
ruauy, 1874, David kalakaua, the pres
ent ruler, was elected in the same
manner. The executive power in the
Hawaiian kingdom belong to the king
and a privy council, the latter made
up of four governors of the principal
islands, and four resposiple ministers.
The legislative power resides in the
king and the parliament, the latter be-
ing composed of fourteen mobiles and
twenty-eight representatives. These
two classes discuss and vote together.
The judiciary power is n supreme
court. with chef justice and two
other judges. and inferior courts. Suf-
frage had been universal until the con-
stitution of Ksmehameha l., which
imposed both an education and prop
erty qualification.