The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-03-29

made to the Editor by strangers to
furnish brief information regarding
these islands, their extent, capabili-
ties and products, the following
synopsis has been prepared with a
view to answer such correspondents
as briefly as possible. Further infor-
nation may be gathered from local
publications-the Tourists Guide,
Thrum's Almanac, ETC., which are
always procurable at publishers rates
when applied for by mail.
The Hawaiian Islands were dis
covered by Captain James Cook In
ITS. There are eight principal in
habited islands in the group, with
about twenty islets, including the
chain extending north westerly to
Ocean Island, 1850 miles from Homo
lulu.
The area of the eight larger and in
habited islands is 6640 square miles,
or 1850 less than that of Massachu-
sets, and about $50 more than Con-
necticut and Rhode Island combined.
Hawaii was first recognized as an
independent nation in 1S43-fifty years
ago-and has continued such till now.
The group has several safe harbors,
the principal one being Honolulu, the
entrance to which has 80 feet on the
bar, and the harbor 40 feet depth
capable of receiving and docking the
largest vessels cruising in this ocean.
Honolulu is 200 miles from Sau
Francisco. and 3440 miles from YOko-
hama, Japan.
Honolulu is the capital city, with a
population of about $4,000, twO-fifths
of whom are native Hawaiians. The
port of Hilo, on Hawaii, is the second
in size, with a population of about
$500. Both Honolulu and Rilo possess
good hotels, and travellers can gener-
ally find every comfort Obtainable in
other countries.
The temperature of the Islands va
ries from an annual average of "A deg.
near the seashore and 81 deg. on the
highlands, to 80 deg. on the SUBMITS
of the highest mountains, which are
often snow-capped.
The annual rainfall varies very
largely in different localities-from y
inches each year near the sea, on the
lee side, to $50 inches in the windward
or rainy sections.
The population, according to the
census of 1890, was $1,000. 1t is now
(1S93l estimated at $4,000, of which
$4,000 are pure Hawaiians, $500 half
castles, 1900 Chinese, 10000 Japanese
5000 Portuguese, and the remainder
(14,500) comprises other foreigners anC
their descendants.
The number of voters is about 14,000
of whom o554 are Hawaiians and half
eastes.
GOVERNMENT STATISTICS.
The Government is fully organized
with executive and judiciary branches
the latter comprising supreme, circui
and district courts and judges, witt
an efficient constabulary. on eacf
island.
The public and private schools mum
Der 1853, with 260 teachers and 1911:
pupils. Education is compulsory, anG
very few of the Hawaiian population
are unable to read and write.
The annual revenue of the Govern
ment from iaxes, duties and all othel
sources except loans, is s., 900
The number of Taxpayers is abou
$4,000.
The public debt, according to tn,
last official statement, was So, 217, 161
which sum includes the Postal Saving
Bank deposits, .$9O3,61 Of the entir
debt, less than one million dollars i
held il England, the balance chiefly il
Hawaii and America. Legal interest
nine per cent. per annum, Govern
ment bonds are six per cent.
The currency consists of one million
dollars in silver-dollars, halves, quar-
tiers and dimes, coined at the Unite
States Mint for Hawaii. The gol
currency consists wholly of Unite
States coins, no other gold coins bein
current. The only paper currency ar
Government Treasury notes, of ter
twenty, fifty, one hundred and fiv
hundred dollars, payable in silver.
NATIONAL AND LAND STATISTICS.
The national property-that belong
ing to the GOvernment-is valued i
the last official census returns a
S. $40. This is believed to be
very low valuation, especially of ii
real estate.
The Crown lands, comprising abou
one million acres of the best soil i
the group, which is really Govern
ment property, are probably wort
between three and five millions, wit
a prospective income of between on
and two hundred thousand dollar
Its present income is about S75, 600.
The real and personal taxable prop
erty is assessed for taxation purpose
at over thirty-six millions.
Most of the real estate being held i
large tracts, by the Government, tn
Crown lands, the Kamehameha an
other estates-much of it under Ion
leases-is not readily acquired eithe
by purchase or lease. 1t is const
quently difficult to purchase larg
tracts of land here, except at force
sales, which occasionally occur.
The census of 1890 reported onl
1895 real estate owners. Land title
in Hawaii are among the best, bein
based on awards made by Ian
Commission, whose decision WIS
final. Aliens hold land the same q
natives.
INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS.
The sugar plantations have bee
estimated at $33,000,00O in valu
three-fourths of which are owned
Americans residing in Hawaii ar
the United States.
The sugar crop has averaged, fl
the past few years, about $50, 900 sho
tons, all of which is exported to til
United States. One hundred an
fifty thousand tons are probably tt
highest limit of the capability
these islands in sugar production.
The rice industry is mostly in I'll
hands of Chinese, and the annu
ie &ol