The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-02-10
FREDERICK w. BAKER. Editor.
TIE HIWIIIiN iFEiIE.

views with Secretary OF State roster
Their mission is to bring about the
annexation of the islands they repre-
sent with the United States. PTesi-
dent Harrison, Secretary Foster and
other government officials are anxious
to promote the desires of the colnm;s-
sioners but recognize the necessity Of
making haste slowly in a matter So in
portant. If the United States were to
annex these islands at once it might
bring on a war with England or per-
haps with Germany. The latter, from
indications already seen, would claim
Samoa, over which the United States,
England and Germany have joint
protectorate. The administration at
Washington, it is stated, is waiting
for dispatches from the U. s. minister
at Honolulu, which will arrive by the
steamer from that place this week.
The Hawaiian or Sandwich Islands
as they were originally called, con-
sist of a group of twelve small is
lands in the Pacific ocean, about 2, 600
miles southwest of California. The
largest is only about eight times the
size of Hartford county, the smallest
being not much larger than Abingdon
district. They were discovered in 177S
by that remarkable English navigator
Captain Cook, who was treated with
great kindness by the natives Upon
his return the following year, how
ever, he was killed by them, and his
bones preserved in one of their temples
and worshiped. The natives were
idolaters of the lowest type and even
cannibals, eating the hearts and livers
of human victims offered in the tenn
pies, the warriors supposing that by de-
vouring certain parts of their slain enc
mics they would inherit their valor
The Islands have long been missionary
ground and cannibalism and open
idolatry have ceased to be praeticed.
When Captain Cook discovered this
territory each of the islands was gov
erned by its own chief. In 1892 Kane
hameha, chief Of Hawaii, having pro-
cured few vessels and some firearms,
overthrow the other chiefs and be-
came sole master Of the entire group.
Kamehameha encouraged trade
with foreigners and became wealthy
while consolidating his power. The
monarchy has withstood number of
revolutions but each of them has left
it shorn of some Of its powers King
Kalakaua, who died in 1891, became
greatly impoverished, chiefly from his
fondness for poker, which he is said to
have learned from American settlers
He was succeeded by his daughter,
Queen Llliuokalaue, or Mrs Dominis,
who is the widow of an American clerk
in Honolulu shipping house, whom
she married thirty years ago. She is
fifty years old, fat and good natured,
speaks English fuently and is well
educated. Her salary before she was
deposed was $40, 900 a year. The mon
arcty was practically overthrown in
1887, when Kalakaua was compelled
to sign a constitution for the islands.
Since that time the government has
been mainly run by Americans
The population OF the Hawaiian Is
lands is about 10000, OF whom less
than one-half are natives and half
breeds. OF the remainder 10000 are
Japanese, $4,000 Chinese, 5000 Portu-
guese, 1000 Americans and the others
of various nationalities. The pre-
dominance of American influence ON
these Islands has led to favorite trea-
ties and the products of the islands
have been greatly developed by Amer
lean capital and energy. They are
situated on the direct route from Aus
tralia and New Zealand to the British
possessions in North America, and are
likewise the stopping-place for steam
ers plying between California and
Australia, China and Japan. Their
Importance as the crossroads Of the
Pacific will be greatly enhanced when
the Nicaragua canal is opened and
vessels from our eastern seaboard pass
through it on their way to China and
Japan. Thus, these islands are very
convenient as a rendezvous and coal
@ing-station for any country which has
interests bordering ON the Pacific
ocean. They are coveted by England
for strategic purposes and for the
same reason the United States will
scarcely consent that she should con-
troll them.
The deposed Queen has sent digni-
fled protest to Washington, complain
ing of the aid given to her enemies by
marines from the u s. Steamer Bos-
ton, and this, probably, has delayed
the action of our government.
The climate of Hawaii is said to be
healthy and delightful. There are
large sugar-plantations corn and
wheat are grown, together with coffee,
pine-apples, oranges, bananas and
other Southern fruits. Many good
roads have been made of coral and
several railways are in operation.
The islands are noted for their volcanic
mountains, all of which have extinct
craters except Mauna Loa, which
breaks forth occasionally with fiery
flood of lava. Like Ireland there are
no snakes in the Hawaiian islands.
GOV. BROWNS TAX CONTENTION.
Governor Brown on Monday made
publicsa list of delegates invited to at
tend his proposed tax convention.
The delegates he has invited from
Hartford are Messrs. John A. Russell,
of Havre de Grace, and Nathan Graf
ton, of Forest Hill, with Mr.. d. c.
Wharton Smith, of Darlington, as
delegate at large. AT the request Of
the Governor the various trade organ
nations of RaltimOra citv and the