Arizona silver belt., 1888-01-28
A SKETCH OF HONOLULU.
Unpaved Streets and Some Modern In

Unpaved Streets and Some Modern Im~
 Provements-HilO-King Kalakaua.
 Honolulu has a well sheltered harbor, with depth of about twenty-five feet of water over the coral reef at it's entrance. The city stands upon low plain, crescent shaped, with its opening toward the sea, about three miles long and one mile wide. On the landward side this plain is in- closed by mountains of considerable .ele- vation, several of which are extinct vol canoes. Noticeable among these are Diamond Head and The Punchbowl, prominent headlands as you approach the city by water. Honolulu has a population of 25,O00, of which 10000 are natives and 10000 Chinese, Ja- panese and South Sea Islanders, and 5000 Americans and Europeans, the latter English, Germans and Portuguese mainly. The city is irTegularly laid out. Its streets are unpaved, and there are few sidewalks; hence it is very dusty in dry and very muddy in rainy weather. It is abundantly supplied with good water, but Is wholly unprovided with any sys- tenn of drainage or sewerage. The tele- phone has been introduced, and Is ill very general use.
 The residences are widely scattered, are mostly frame of one story, with broad verandas about them, and surrounded by. ample grounds tastily ornamented and eTnbowered within a rich profusion of tropical trees, shrubbery and flowing plants. Aside from the royal palace, there are no public buildings having any claims to special notice. There is a small mu- scum containing a poor collection of an- cient weapons and other native articles, a small public library, and the Young Mems Christian association has a lecture hall and reading room. There are daily and weekly newspapers published in both the English and Hawaiian languages.
 The descendants of the early mission aries now resident here, together with the better class of Americans who have since arrived, constitute highly cultivated, re- fined and agreeable society, ready to give cordial reception and generous hospitality to all visitors manifestly worthy of their attention. There is another class, quite as numerous, who neglect no opportunity to sheer at and denounce the missionaries, and who constitute the patrons of saloons, gaming places and low dives, of which Honolulu is by no means destitute. Hilo on Hawaii Is the second town in size and importance. It is beautifully situated upon Byron bay, and contains popula- lation of between 5000 and 4,000 The other towns are inconsiderable villages.
 King Kalakaua is 90 years of age, is dissolute and hard thinker. and is fast treading the footsteps of his predecessor, Lunallo, who died from the effects of dissipation at the age of 39. He had no children. The heir apparent is his sis ter, well advanced in life, after whom there is a girl 19 years of age, upon whose death the royal family becomes extinct. What is to be the future of these islands Nine-tenths of all the most intelligent citizens are republican at heart, and would rejoice to see the Ha- waiian Islands annexed to the United States. From their position off our vest ern coast and on the great highway of commerce between our Pacific States and Australia, China and Japan-as an i'm portant coaling and naval station for our vessels in the Pacific, it is of the first i'm portance that they shall not be permitted to pass under the control of any Euro pean government. Both England and France are keenly watchful, are desirous and, no doubt, hopeful, of their acquisi- tion whenever a change occurs. s.-Hono- lulu Cor Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.