The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-12-24


New York a couple of days late, the
Mariposa has been detained one day in
San Francisco.
The Sugar Market.
There is no change to report in the raw
sugar market which remains firm at 63s
cents Tor 90 degrees. Mr.. LIGHT has re-
duced his estimate of the beet sugar crop,
and the prospects are that the present
prices will be fully maintained for some
time to come.
The electric sugar machinery has been
run in New York, and worked satisfactor-
lily till break occurred in the machinery.
In San Francisco the California Rein
cry made a reduction of one cent per
pound on December 18th, thus bringing
it's prices down to the same level as the
American Refinery. On December 14th
a further reduction of q cent was made
on all grades, making present quotations
cents for granulated and 738 cents for
cube sugar.
Hawaiian Commercial stock, 3514.
That Java Sugar.
After the Rio de Janeiro sailed on De-
cember 9Th, the San Francisco papers
were filled with news, reliable and other
wise, relating to the cargo of sugar that
arrived on the S. S. Westmeath. 1t has
proved to be the weeks sensation. The
facts already sent you were hurriedly
gathered on the day the Rio sailed, as
they had then only become public pro-
perty.
Samples of the Westmeath's cargo
~ J0r Pol ~ I fho
Government Examiner of Drugs, ETC., for
analysis and examination. While this
was being done, the order for the steamer
to haul into the stream was rescinded,
and she was permitted to continue dis
charging her cargo which was placed in
charge OF the Customs Department. On
Monday, December 10th, DIR. Bowie sub
mitted his report. stating that he had
made q careful examination of the sam
plies of sugar by Westmeath and found
that the polarization of fifteen samples
varied 93.5 to 99.4. The sugar was un-
even in color, and contained seven-tcnths
of l per cent. moisture. The coloring
matter was found to be present after test
ing, and absent after treatment with al
cohol. The residue was quite light in
appearance, approaching No. 20 d. s.
Comparative tests were carried on stimuli
taneously with another similarly graded
sugar, convincing the examiner that the
sugar had been artifcially colored. The
polarization entered on the invoice, viz:
''SS degre s." was purely an arbitrary
one, as shown by the results obtained
from fifteen separate samples taken at
different times and from different bas-
kets.
Upon receipt of this report showing
that the sugar had been colored, was
over Is Dutch Standard, and polarized
from 5 to 10 degrees higher than it had
been entered at the Custom House, Col
lector Hager telegraphed for instructions
to Washington. Mr.. Havemever of New
York had meantime fastened there, and
the Collector was instructed to release
the cargo upon deposit of sum sufficient
Tn cover the estimate of additional duty.
This was done on the same afternoon,
the American Refinery depositing at the
Custom House $62 ,40l 81 under protest.
this being the amount of duty to which
the cargo was liable, under Dr. Bowie's
report, in addition to $l44 900 previously
paid.
The American Refinery chemists claim
that the sugar has not been colored, and
that the duty was not underpaid in the
first instance. This, however, remains
to be determined by the authorities at
Washington. Collector Hager states
that the examination was made at the
request of Mr.. Claus Spreckels. who