The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-11-01
ABOUT HAWAII.

duced from the London Times of
September 23rd, and looks very
much as if written in Honolulu and
not in London +
The Kingdom of llawaii-to give
the official style and title of what
have been known to Englishmen
since the time of Captain Cook rs
the Sandwich Islands-enjoys the
proverbial happiness of having a
history which does not largely interest
the outside world. 1t is II contentcd
and thriving community, governed
on constitutional principles by II
native Sovereign, Il responsible
Cabinet, and a Legislative Assembly.
Under this constitution, which was
promulgated in its present form by
King Kamehameha V. in 1864, the
kingdom has prospered and grown
in stability and commercial resources
until it is now one of the most
fourishing communities in the Pacific
Ocean. Its position is singularly
advantageous. 1t is the nearest inn
portant group of islands to the
Forth American continent, and it
stands in the direct line of commu-
nication between San Francisco and
the ports of Australasia. With its
internal politics we do not here con-
cern ourselves; but its foreign rela-
tions, actual and prospective, are, as
VIC shall presently show, not without
considerable interest for English
readers. We have before us the
.sReport of the Minister for Foreign
Affairs to the Legislative Assembly
of 1886" in which the Foreign
Minister, the Hon. Walter M. Glib
son, gives an account of the foreign
relations of the Kingdom, of the
negotiations in which it has taken
part, and of the policy by which it
endeavours to maintain its acknow-
lodged position as the prerogative
community of the Pacific Islands.
.'Hawaii," says Mr.. Gibson in the
conclusion of his report, maintains
an honorable position among the
family of nations, owing to her
Christian character and enlightened
fultilment of her obligations as an
independent State at home and
abroad. Her satisfactory relations
with foreign nations constitute the
bulwark of her independence. a
patriotic Legislature will help TO
strengthen these relations, by
strengthening the hands of u Minis
try whose leading policy is to inspire
national sentiment and devotion to
national independence by n just adj
ministration of government and a
faithful observance of our inter-
national obligations. Thus the
keynote of Hawaiian foreign policy
is that of national independence,
while subordinate to this there is
manifest in Mr.. Gibson's report Il
desire on the part of Hawaii to eX-
tend its own political advantages by
all legitimate means to such of the
Pacific communities rs are still in
dependent of Foreign Powers and
remain in more or less backward
political and social condition.
The geographical position of Ha-
waii determines the main direction
of its external political relations.
Its chief trade is at present with the
United States. In 1885 the total
value of its exports to and imports
from the United States amounted in
round numbers to II ,S74 900 dol.
lars, being rather over 90 per cent
of the value of its whole foreign
Rrit tain
next, though with only about 81 pei
cent, thus leaving only trife over
per cent to be divided among the
rest of the world. This preponder-
ance of trade with the United States
is not, however, to be accounted fo
by natural and geographical causes
In 1875 a Reciprocity Treaty wa
concluded between Hawaii and th,
United States, in virtue of whicl
the great bulk of the indigenous
products and manufactures of botl
countries was to be admitted dut,
free into each. The effect of thi
treaty, which was originally con
cluded for seven years, was tha
Hawaiian goods, including sugar
which is the staple product of tn
islands, were freely exchanged
against American manufactures o
all kinds. The treaty came int,
force at the end of 1876. In tina
year the exports from Hawaii wer
valued at 2,24l, 900 dollars; in 1885,
they were valued at S,95S,OOO dol
lars, of which sugar accounted fol
no less than 1886, 600 dollars. Thus
the export of sugar alone was raiset
under the operation of the treaty tc
very nearly four times the value OF
the total exports of the kingdom in
1875. Hawaii, however, is now in
some danger of losing this adyan-
tage. Since 1883 doubts have arisen
as to whether the United States
Government would consent to renew