The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1893-01-10

Nicaragua; ~ The resolution 10 see if i
is advantageous for this Kingdom to com
bine with foreign countries or corpora
tions proposing to lay an inter-ocean ca
ble joining with these islands, and lSl
The petition from Eva, 0ahn, prayin.
that Pearl Harbor be leased, big to re
port as follows
Your committee have held severa
meetings, OF which public notice was
given, and have given full consideration
to the matters referred to them.
The proposal to aid the Nicaragua Ca.
nal by joining the United States to some
limited extent in guaranteeing the bonds
of the Canal Company would meet the
hearty recommendation of your commit
tee if the present state OF national tinan-
ces justified so doing. As it is, your
committee can only express its firm con-
viction that the completion OF the pro-
posed canal will enure to the great bene-
fit OF Hawaii, TO degree which is not
easy to exaggerate. The worlds COM
merce moves largely on eastward and
westward lines, so that the Hawaiian
| group will become, when this canal is in
| operation, great central depot or dis.
| tributing point, as well as calling place
for vessels crossing the Pacific ocean.
This view is forcibly expressed by Hon.
j. NJ. Ho ner. in tn appended statement
OF his remarks made before the commit
tee.
Your committee recommend that the
Minister o: Foreign Affairs be requested
to inform the United states Government
OF the extreme interest taken by Her
Majesty's Government in the completion
OF the Nicaragua Canal, and the desire
OF er Majesty's Government to do any
thing within its power to facilitate its
operations.
In regard to Pacific ocean cable, as
well as the Nicaragua Canal and Pearl
Harbor questions, your committee heard
theremarks OF Messrs Hartwell, Marques
and j. NJ Horner, which are hereto ap-
pended. 1t appears to be clear that no
cable between Hawaii and the North
American coast will pay commercially
at the present time, unless connected
with an Australian line, and hence that
no cable company is likely to lay and Oh
crate it, unless heavily subsidized.
Your committee learn that a plan is
plete system of Pacific ocean cables, IA
dating from Honolulu to California or
British Columbia, to Yokohama and to |
Auckland, by the cooperation of the |
English, German, United States, Rus.
sian, Japanese and Chinese Govern
ments. and that there is considerable /
hope that such cooperation will soon be
obtained. The Act OF 1890 authorize
the Government to contract for a cable |
TO be laid not later than January !, 1894,
with subsidy OF $25 900 year for if
teen years. Under that Act a contract
was made with Mr.. Hartwell, who has
given much time and effort to its accom-
Dllshment, and who has shown to your
committee the estimates ofcost OF cable
made on full specifications by several of
he largest cable construction companies
md the correspondence between himself
md the United States Government.
Ii cable be laid during the time lin
ted by the above Act, no one can doubt
he immense benefit which would result
herefrom to this country.
And we recommend that the most
arnest efforts be made to encourage the
aging OF such cable and ifprivate par
les cannot undertake it, that the matter
'e laid before the United States Govern {
nent and every means be exhausted in 1
rying to induce that Government TO j
AXE such steps as will accomplish the
bject.
But the question which appears to i
our committee to be OF the most imme-
late and vital concern to Hawaii, is the
natter of commercial relations with the I
United States. q
The United States is our market; the ]
larket in which almost all OF our pro-
uce is sold, and from which the bulk of |
ur imports come The present Treaty I
elations are not satisfactory, the United I
tates tariff on certain classes of products e
excessive and we'll nigh prohibitive. /
If all restrictions were removed and all
our products admitted into the United
tates free of duty, it would be OF incal- =
llable benefit to US. 1t is impossible to I
stimate the extent OF our undeyeloped 7
hitherto our main dependence
as been upon sugar and rice, and all n
her agricultural interests have lam :,
lished. =
Under free trade with the United States =
lose who would receive the first and \
-eatest benefit would be those having =
tile or no capital, for there would then =,
, an opportunity for them to engage in =
dustries within their means and with a I
II prospect of profit. !,
The temporary loss OF revenue to this y
overnment under a free trade treaty 2
ould be insignifcantas compared to the =
ltional benefits that would be gained, =
I'd in very brief period the gain in -
venue from other sources would far -
,ceed the loss. :,
We believe that with a free trade | -
eaty and cable communication with the =,
nited States, these Islands will attain a E,
gree OF prosperity never before expe-
enced.
The present treaty OF reciprocity with r
e United States will expire within two hi
'ars and unless renewed we will lose
EN- that benefit, and steps of some kind II,
i'll have to be taken.
We therefore believe it of vital import
ice that every effort should be made
ID without delay, to establish these
oser commercial relations with the 70
nited States, and if the United States ~ ~
ould require, in return, that they re-
i've lease OF Pearl Harbor we should ~
prepared to grant the lease.
But perhaps before giving legislative n,
thority to the Government to negotiate
ch an important matter, more informa-
IN ought to be obtained, showing pre- o.
ely what advantages can be secured.