Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-03
MILITARY INFORMATION.
The War Department Issues q Pamphlet In
Regard to Hawaii.

The division of military information of the
War Department. organized by ex-Secretary
Elkins. has just issued its first publication for
the information Of the army. 1t is a pamphlet
OF thirty-four pages, including six carefully
prepared maps and charts, and relates to the
Hawaiian Islands. subject Of general interes.
just at present. The pamphlet prepared
from the best available sources Of information
by Capt George B. Scriven, signal corps and
Lieut.. J. Y. NJ. Blunt, fifth cavalry, under the
direction of Maj J. B. Babcock. assistant adj
jutant general
THE PHYSICAL FEATURES.
1t comprises generally a report on the physi-
cal features of Hawaii its ports of landing,
supplies. climate, diseases. &C.. AMI will prove
of great value in the event of military opera
tions the islands. The pamphlet is princi-
pally devoted to the geographical situation and
characteristics Of Hawaii including the dis
tances, routes, winds. &C., from the Pacific
coast Carefully prepared data as to the physi-
cal features of the islands. such area. soil
and products, are presented. The population,
religion and education of the natives are also
treated good deal of space is devoted to
the laws. military forces. languages, currency.
finance. commerce, industries and other mat
tiers of importance to the people of the United
States at this time. Reference to the manners,
customs. clothing and individual character
isiics Of The Hawaiian people is not omitted.
REVENUES OF THE ISLANDS.
According to the pamphlet the revenues of
Hawaii for 1892 were s4.40S, O33. while the ex-
penditures were S4O95.89 The revenues de-
rived from customs were 81 ,204. 305; internal
taxes. S963. 1875. The largest item OF expendi-
t1re was for the interior. Sl.6il.StS. The total
Hawaiian debt at the last statement was S3.217.-
162. interest upon which varies from to ~ per
cent. sugar and rice are the staple industries,
coffee. hides. bananas and wool being also ex-
ported. The imports are mainly groceries. pro-
visions. clothing. grain. timber. machinery,
hardware and cotton goods; 81 per cent of the
trade is with the United States. The native
food of the islands consists largely of taro plant.
Sweet potatoes grow even among the rocks and
flourish abuudantly in good soil Wheat and
corn are raised The quality OF coffee raised
equals the choicest. Hawaii is the land of
tropical fruits. which grow in great abundance
In 1891 the islands exported pa. 983, $50 pounds
of sugar. 4.SOO450 pounds OF rice and 1l6,6OO
pounds of bananas.
The pamphlet states that the native language
of Hawaii is largely made up of vowels. giving
to the spoken tongue pleasant, liquid sound
somewhat difficult to acquire. The colso-
nants all have the English sound, the vowels
that of the German vowels, except IL" which
is the same as the German lie" There are no
silent letters In tine Hawaiian language. English
10 'eAy 6ShoiohF sPOACh tniouSHous tAo
group.
The business Of the islands is almost entirely
carried on by foreigners. principally Ame-l-
cans. English, Germans and Cinnamon. Gold
and silver coins of all nations are current
legal tender at real nominal values. From
1884 only United States gold coins have been
legal tender for amounts exceeding $40; no pa
per money exists except in the form of treas
ury certificates for coin deposited.
NATIVES AND CLIMATES.
The natives of Hawaii are a good-tempered.
ight-hearted. p!easure-loving people. II is
probable that little difficulty is found in gov
erning them, as of themselves they are not in
clined to turbulence nor disposed to revolt
against any form of government. Like chill
dren, they are easily led and controlled. Even
when the Hawaiian Islands were discovered the
people were by 10 means savages, but had an
organized state of society.
The climate Of the Hawaiian Islands is warm
but salubrious. tine temperature equable and
the sky usually clear. In the shade it is never
hot and is seldom chilly. and there is SO little
humidity in the air that it is rarely sweltering
Relatively to human comfort the climate is
perfection. The heat OF summer is never suf-
ficient to bring lassitude and labor out of doors
is far more toierable than in the summer of
New England or Minnesota.
Upon the islands themselves it NAV be said
that there are almost many climates as there
are square leagues. and the differences of eli
matte conditions exhibited by localities sepa-
rated only half a dozen miles are extreme.