The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-11-19

harbOrs ought to be crowded with |
American-built and owned ships,
flying our flag, and thus re
tanning in this country for the
benefit of its own citizens the
S200,000,000 or more freight money
now paid to alien owners ard alien
ships. Such a spectacle was COM
mon enough in our seaport towns a
quarter of century ago; but now
the visitor might imagine himself in
some European capital if he made a
tour along the water front Of this
city and counted the flags that float
from the masts of ocean-going ships.
To attempt to bring back the old
order by the free ships formula is a
course repugnant alike to the die
tates of patriotism and sound bust
ness sense. It's like administering
a sugar coated pill to man suffer
ing from a lightning stroke. The
treatment to be effective must be
radical and drastic. Our natural
position is first among the great
maritime nations of the world. We
can attain to it by practicing the
employment of American built ships
NOT by purchasing fleet of for
eign vessels. To this end Congress
should pass we'll considered naval
reserve bill, similar to the legisla-
ton England has applied so success
fully to her steamship lines to this
port. Vessels built according to
naval requirements for passenger
SI1h
ton equal to say, three per cent.
upon their cost for term of years
during which time, in case of
war, they could be made available
for defense. Add to this subvention
a compensation for mail carriage and
postal service on scale with for
eign expenditures under this head,
and we should soon find a feet of
magnificent vessels swifter and bet
ter than any that can be built
abroad, turned out of our own yards
and fit to carry our flag around the
world.
The report that the Canadian
Pacific Railway steamship service
between Japan and Canada will ter
inmate on November ed is untrue.
On that date the three Cunard yes
sells chartered two years ago will stop
running, but the other steamers
which have been on the route since
the inception of the service will con-
tinue to make fortnightly trips.
There is another European sub
sidized steamship enterprise on the
tapis. It is to be German Line to
Zanzibar, and is to receive a subsidy
of $2,500,000 annually. 1t is also
stated that another line is to be put
in operation in the Pacific, under the
Portuguese flag, its termini to be in
the Portuguese East Indian port of
Macao and at Salma Cruz in Mexico.
These steamships, it is said, are to
be subsidized by the Mexican and
Portuguese governments, and are to
call for passengers and cargo at
Hongkong, and touch at Hawaii and
San Francisco for the purpose of
cutting into the Pacific Mail and
Spreckels' lines.
|. Australian Federation.
Sir Henry Parkes in a circular
letter to the Prime Minister of the
Australian colonies, after pointing
out the difficulties in the way of the
creation of federal army, gives in
detail the objects of the convention
recently proposed by him in
speech. According to his plan
convention of delegates from the
various colonies would be held for
the purpose of constructing fed
eral government on the basis of
Federal Parliament. He further
says that the scheme will necessarily
follow closely the type of the Gov
eminent of the Dominion of Canada,
and adds that the delegates to the
proposed convention will also be
guided by the rich stores of political
knowledge collected by the trainers
of the American Constitution and by
others since their time.
News from Brisbane, dated Aug
ust 81, 1889, reports that the British
ship Windhover, so we'll known on
this coast as one of the flyers, Cap
tain Plank, master, from Newcastle,
n. S. W., for Batavia, with coal,
struck on Bramble Cay reef, about
forty miles south east from the
mouth of Fly river, New Guinea, on
the night of August Goth and was
abandoned next.morning, being then
almost completely under water
Crew saved Wreck and cargo have
since been sold.
Sporting News.
John l.. Sullivan offers to meet
any pugulist before the California
Club for $4,000 purse. He per-
sonally guarantees Jem Smith of
England, $4,000 for expenses to reach
San Francisco.
Mayor Pond has vetoed the slogg-
ing ordinance imposing a license of
$4,000 per annum upon athletic
clubs, on the grounds that slogging
is violation of the law of the state
and cannot therefore be made legal.
Young Mitchell the champion
middleweight of the Pacific Coast
wants to fight Jack Dempsey.
James Faulkner in a wrestling
match for the lightweight champion
ship of the world defeated Chas f.
Eaton of Australia at Tacoma for
$500 a side.
Jake Kilrain says he wants to
meet J. L. Sullivan after their Miss
isssippi troubles are all over.