Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-03-25
The Rawaiian Islands and Tn VI Trade.

AN tA6 atstFAt SO t
We have received n COPY Of a pamphlet
entitled, Commerce Of the United
States with the Hawaiian Islands from
1871 10 1892. prepared by the Chief of tho
Bureau Of Statistics" Washington, D.. c.
Doubtless a good many Of the details
contained in his little pamphlet have
already and otherwise been presented 70
the public. vet a. they now appear IN Al
official and reliable form they will possess
nm interest OF which unofficial statistics
cannot boast.
OF the population in 1870 about 10000
were natives and haif-castcs, and 5000
were Chinese and japanese, the japanese
numbering about n.7s0. The res. were
Portuguese. Americans. and other Cauca-
SLAMS. we note with pleasure that the
head of the Bureau Of Statistics recoR-
Mes tho distinction between Caucasians
and Anglo-Saxonsl.
The pamphlet saws there is much COM
mendable thrift aud enterprise both pri-
waite and public IN these islands. There
are good public schools. Ia most Of them
the English language Is taught. Nearly
all the natives read and write" In 1892
there were 10, 7l2 pupils in all the schools,
public and private.
Tho reader Will be surprised to learn
that the Hawaiians have poStal-saylnGs
banks. They are ahead Of Us in this mat
ter.
The present bonded indebtedness Of the
islands Is S2.3li.0JO. The revenues for the
biennial period ending March 81. 1892. arc
stated at 1921, $40, and the estimated
pubic expenditures for the same biennial
period were $i,o95, sQl.H.
Hawai- has "a postal bureau q bureau
q immigration, \ bureau of survey, IL bu-
rcau Of pubic works. q bureau of water
works. q bureau Of customs, and a bureau
Of public instruction. Also. all the various
departments of an established govern
ment-such as department oithe judiciary.
department Of foreign affairs, department
of the interior. department Of finance, &c,
&C., 6c.
In his report for 1890 the Minister Of FL
nance estimated the actual cash value OF
government property of all kinds at
S5.797.576. This estimate includes cash,
public lands. government buildings,
bridges. wharves. landings, lighthouses,
buoys, water-works. electric-light plant,
fire department, marine railway, steam
tue, school property. &c, &c. The reader
will note that Hawaii Is "upto the tines
and not By any mcausa " poor relation
Honolulu. the capital. has 20. 900 popu'a-
ton. 1t has a fine harbor. Regular lines
of steamers run between Honolulu and
san Francisco. New Zealand, Australia. and
China. Eighteen steamers and a large
number of schooners are now engaged IN the
inter-island trade. On the three largest
of the Hawaiian islands are hity-slX miles
OF steam-railways. Good waGon-roads con-
meet many of the towns and villages. IN
which there are numerous elegant resi-
dences. attractive homes, churches, and
school-houses. Most of the traffic Is car
RED on by water.
The currency Is mostly United States
money. though there IS a Hawaiian coin
ace of silver OF the same denominations,
weight, and fnencss as our silver CONS.
There are between seventy and eighty
sugar plantations owned largely 10y Ameri-
cans, who have an interest of S2i, 735, $40
out of SS3.9 go in sugar plantations of
one SOU anu hIbihti. lub iSlduAo "a
ported in 1891 ga. )s3, $50 barrels of sugar.
The total value of the Hawaiian domestic
exports of merchandise during 1891 was
SOLO .S16.
The Hawaiian islands are sltuatedin mid
ocean in the direct channels of the great
and growing between the west
ern coast of America and New Zealand,
Australia. the Indies. China. and Japan.
They afford safe haTbors for shelter, re-
pair, equipment, and supplies.
From Honolulu to San Francisco is 2,lOO
nautical miles; Sydney, 400: Auckland,
1000; Yokohama. 800; Hong Kong, $500;
Valparaiso, $500 mote that; Callao,
400; Panama, 1920. and Puget Sound,
1900.
After bordering the facts stated the
reader will be almost compelled to favor
the annexation of Hawaii to the United
States. Manifest destiny" points the
way 20 this extension of the territory and
the of the United States.