The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-12-26
Timely Discussion of Needed
Improvements on Oahu.
VALUABLE LANDS LYING WASTE.
Production of Sugar and Its Possible
Increase-Hope of the Country II in
small HoIdings-Ewa Plantation as
a Factor of Local Trade, Etc.

EDITOR ADVERTISER:-In your re-
marks in the ADVERTISER referring
to the island of NauriJius and the
possibilities in store or the land own
ers and business people of the island
of Oahu, you touched upon a subject
which has beau for several years o!
special Interest t. me. If you will
kindly allow m- space in your valu
able paper, I will vnn,uie to make
some statements CLEANED from the
EucyclOI 3ejia Britannica, followed by
some Observations concerning the de
velopment of the resources of the
island of Oahu.
Mauritiu*, formerly called the Isle
uf France, lies iu he southwestern
portion If tue Indian Ocean, between n
SO 1S/ AID SO 49, east longitude and
19o So aud 2O0 81 south latitude. 1t
will thu be- seen that Mauritius is
about 5 far south of the equator as
Oahu is north.
The island is somewhat triangular
in shape, is thirty six miles long and
about twenty three miles broad. 1t i
$50 miles in circumference, and its
total area about 713 square miles. The
highest summit is 271I feet above the
sea. The geological formation of
Mauritius is undoubtedly volcanic.
The climate during the cool season of
the year is pleasant, but OppTesSively
hot in summer December to ApriD,
except in the interior plains, whore
the thermometer ranges from 700 10
so, while in Port Louis and the coast
generally it ranges from 900 to $50.
In 1854 visitation of Asiatic chOl
era swept off 1900 people. In 1867 q
still more destructive iurOad of ma.
larial fever-of an unusually fatal
type-almOst paralyZed the whole
community for many weeks, carry ing
off 10000 people and greatly affecting
the finances of the colony.
From the month of January to the
middle of April, Mauritius, in COM
mon with the neighbOring islands ami
surrounding ocean from 50 to 300 of
south latitude, is subject to severe and
destructive cyclones, accompanied by
torrents of rain, which often cause
great des tructiOn to houses and plan
tations The soil of the island is of
considerable fertility; it is ferrugin-
Gus red clay, but so largely mIngte ed
with stones of all sizes that no pIOW
can be used, and the hoe has to be EN-
plOyed TO prepare the ground for cul-
tivation. The woods, with which the
island was largely clothed when first
discovered, have been TO a great eX-
tent cut down, and the greater portion
of the plain is now a vast sugar plau-
tation. The soil is suitable for the
cultivation of almost all kinds Of
tropical produce, and it is to be
regretted that the prosperity of
the colony depends entirely on
one article of production, for the con-
sequences are serious when there hap
pens to be failure, more or less, o.
the sugar crop. GuanO is extensively
imported as manure, and by its u-e
the natural fertility of the soil has
been increased to wonderful extent.
The prosperity of Mauritius, as al
ready mentioned, depends almos: en-
tirely upon its sugar crop, ami the
export trade of the island greatly in
creased during the twenty years end
ed 1880 In 1864 the imports we're
S12, ,914, 900, with exports S1l, AS 600
In 1880 the imports were SO, S4S, 900,
exports SIS, 17S 600.
"Mahe de LabOurdonnais," (1735 46),
q LII al vi CIIlhCAG anu IuC
introduced the culture of sugar cane
and thus laid firm foundation for
the future prosperity of the islanr.
The construction of the Mauritial
railway has given great impetus 10
the trade of the colony; the system
embraces two lines cf a total length of
81 miles. In 1854 the sugar crop
amouuted to 102 900 tons. In 1877 it
reached 1S9, I64 tons. The total pOpu-
lation in 1851 was 1S3. sos; in 1881 it
was $50 SAT.
The island of Oahu is not quite a
large as Mauritius, having an area Of
500 square miles, and population o.
only 50, 900. Prior to 1890 there were
on this island five sugar plantations
with an annual output of 1900 10 5000
tons of sugar, besides the rice industry
with annual crops Of 4, 900 TO 6, 900 tons
of paddy. Bananas exported, 10000 to
81, 900 lunches. TO this list may be
added a few hundred bullock hides
and as many goat skins, to complete
the entire export product of the island
OF Oahu. Since 1890 two more sugar
have been added, with an
increase in the production of sugar
for 1896 of a possible II, 600 tons, or q
total crop from this island of 10000
tons.
The starting of Eva plantation may
yet prove the salvation of the trade