Evening star., 1895-11-01

noble assembly room with nearly lozen
class rooms. This is called "Pauahi Hail.
in memory of the d8cssed princess. 1t is
of cut stone, very beautiful, compact blue
lava. 5000 organ has been added, con-
tributed by the estate Of the late S. N.
Castle.
Mr.: Bishop was for 1thi1y years the chief
the infirmity of agee he mas retired from
business and resides in San Francisco. He
recently sold out his entire banking interest
and capital for ssoQ.QoO to Samuel NJ
Damon. his old partner and Hawaiian
minister of finance. :. The whole of this
large sum Mr.. Bishop has placed in the
hands of a board OF trustees who are
The same persons as the trustees of the
Kamehameha schools. This board is to ad-
minister this fund according to certain in
structions, applying the income to various
specified objects, but in some details, at
their discretion. The Hawaiian board of
missions Is a large beneficiary, Oahu Col
lege another. and several training schools
for girls are largely aided. The particulars
of these gifts are only known to the trus-
tees at present, Mr.. Bishop seeking to avoid
publicity. He has no children, but seems
to have adopted the people of Hawaii as
his heirs, ard especially the native race
He wisely administers his own bequests
during his lifetime One may esteem him
and as not likely to be impeded by uncon-
secrated lucre from passing through 1.-The
needles eye"
Hawaifs Museum.
One of Mr.. Bishops most admirable and
munificent gifts is the splendid "Pauahi
Bishop Museum" which stands prominent
on the kamehameha school grounds, west
of the city. The building is elegant and
commodious. of ashlar rock. blue vesicular
lava. Ivy half covers the walls 1t is de-
voted to Hawaiian and Polynesian an
tiquities. From its inception Mr. Bishop
employed as curator probably the most
competent percon that could have been
found, Professor Brigham, who Is an ac.
&C mplished naturalist and archaeologist.
There is already a very large and costly
collection Of Polynesian idols, implements
fabrics and work of barbarian art, also of
Shells bids and fishes. Mr.. Bishop recently
purchased from the American board at
Boston their precious but ill-cared for col
lection contributed by the early mission
aries here, containing much that could not
be duplicated replaced. Large additions
were secured two years ago by Mr.. Brig
ham in New Zealand and Australia.
Astronomical Advantages.
At nc distant future 1t seems highly prob
able that Hawaii will become an important
contributor to astronomical research. Sew
eral local conditions favor the establish
ment here of an observatory of the first
class. One is an exceptional clearness of
| the atmosphere, even at low attitudes. and
absence of fogs, so that observations can
be carried on with little interruption. A
very important condition is the existence
of a very available site for en- observatory.
| at the height of 10O32 feet. on the summit
of Mt Haleakala, on East Maui. The sum-
nit is most easy of access, a carriage road
already existing one-half the height, and
capable of icing graded at moderate cost
| the rest of the ascent. 1t Is only eighteen
miles from the important seaport of Kahu-
| liu, and twelve from q railway terminus at
| Paia plantation. Although a somewhat re-
cent crater, earthquakes of any force are
great volcanoes a Kindred miles south ap-
parently giving full vent to any restless
| ness of the earth, which there occasionally
shakes things up rohsingly.
At this height OF yearly two miles on
Haleakala the air is Wonderfully clear and
| the stars burn with diamond keenness.
Through that dustlsss. thin. pellucid at
mosphere Il twelve-incf lens will do better
work than Lick's thlrty-six-inch $500 feet
lower down. There lis; doubtless no noun
| tain height on the globe in all respects so
| favorably conditioned Its location within
| the tropics gives itpa vide outlook on the
apart from other possible elevated observa-
| tories makes It an Important site to be oc-
cupied. Cable CONNECTION VIII no doubt
| soon be made with The rest of the world.
supplying one great need of every observa-
| tory. There are never hurricanes in these
| islands to endanger and rarely storms of
i any sort 10 CDSeTVatlOn II seems
| certain that within generation Haleakala
| will be the seat of one of the chief observa-
| tories Of the world.
| Col. Ashforsrx Case.
The case of V. V. Ashford is assuming a
| fresh interest from the discovery of new
evider ce on the government side. 1 think
| l have already stated that in reviewing the
| testimony in the various trials before our
military commission last February, at
| which a number of British subjects were
| convicted of msprision of treason, the juE-
| lists employed by the British government
| found the evidence in the case of Col. V.
V. Ashford insufficient to justify convic-
| ton. He had been convicted and had suf-
| fered some Imprisonment in convict stripes,
| when he was released or account of i'll
| health, upon condition OF leaving the coun-
| try. The case was taken up by this gov
ernment for review. The defect found In
| the testimony was the lack of sufficient
| outside ccrroEorative testimony to sup
| port that of Ashfords accomplces, espe-
| cially the chief Witness Sam Nowlein. who
had turned states evidence. He was the
| leader of the insurgents in the field. Ash
| ford had undertaken to conduct one branch
| of the operations. but at a late moment
alleged physical disability. and backed out,
| which was highly judicious proceeding.
| Ashford had enjoyed some military expert
| ence in the civil war, and later in the Red
| river campaign. He had played fast and
| loose here being sometimes with the re-
| form party ana sometimes WITH w llcOS
| and Liliuokalani. When Col. Blount was
| here he had his reasons for being down on
| the ex-queen, and gave her the VileSt pos
| sible character in widely published docu-
| ment, which was Incorporated in Blount's
| report. Her resentment at his horribly
| gross treatment however. yielded to hel
| desire to purchase his aid as a military
| man, and she signed a commission last De-
| cember, just before the iEsurrection, ap-
pointing V. V. Ashford associate justice
| All this was proved on the trial. but wa
| thrown out by the military commission be
| cause it was not proved that Ashford knew
of his appointment. althc ugh no one could
| doubt of the bargain.
| No one, indeed, doubted that Nowleln was
| telling the truth, and constant interviews
| between them up to the last moment were
| proved by outside evidence. Ashford al
| legged other business causes for those In
| terviews. but they were not such as would
be likely to occupy Nowlein's activity with
a deadly insurrection on his hands. One
| such interview was proved to have takei
| place ON the Waikiki road after Ashford hat
| been driven up and down in a hack for ar
hour waiting for Nowiein.
Clear and Cfreumstnntfal.
Yet perhaps, technically, the evidence o
the alleged aocompliGeb needed farther sup
port. That supporting testimony has nov
been obtained by the goSernment 1t is tina
III o1,or1 .fny-