The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1896-02-25
DESIGN FOR GREAT SEAL.
Submitted by Anglo-Dsne.

Hawaii in the matter of scrolls or
escutcheons.
In working out his idess be seems
to have been animated by a desire to
retain from the old eoat-of. arms as
much as possible and to modify it
only sufficiently to meet the exigen-
cies Of the new order of things.
He evidently hsd good reasons for
this, for the old design has much to
commend it, having been executed by
the College of Heraldry in London,
Englsnd, upon suggestions made by
the late Hasiilio, msn whose sbili-
ties were held in high esteem by for
eigners anO natives alike.
Mr.. Jacobson considered that it was
sound principle to refrain from
making a very radical change, there
by avoiding the confusion which
would be caused by the adoption of a
perfectly new composition however
beautiful in itself, which would be IN
fam liar 10 persons at home and IN
recognizable to any one abroad. The
fact that the Government had in its
request for designs shown some re-
gard for traditions gave the designers
ample scope in laying out their work
auc in -mbOdying some OF the es
sentisi characteristics of the old seal
10 the new.
MI. JacOb>ou's design serves the pur-
pose of illustrating the evolution of
Hawaiian history, past, present and
future. Proceeding on these lines the
original great Seal, tile Keystone of
the whole fabric, has been preserved
ia its entirety.
That the eight bars of the national
banner represent the eight Inhabited
islands under one rule is known the
world over, and 10 this connection
Mr.. jacobson submits that the eight
stsrs in the second and third quarter
of the present seal are superfiuous and
lacking in originality, and the reten-
ton of the distinctly typical staff of
authority in the fields il more iustifi-
able. The peculiar significance Is
forcibly set forth in ThIumis An0ual
in an article descriptive of the seal
1.-THE white bali. etc, with which
the second and tbir-i squares are
charged was an ancient emblem
of the country called PuIOulou, and
they were placed at the right and left
of the gateway, or door, of the chi-fis
house TO indicate protection, or place
of refuge, 10 which persons might flee
from danger and be safe"
The substitution, Oh the other hand,
in the center of the single star of
Hawaii Whose ultimate destiny il,
probably, is to become eDgrsfted upon
the escutcheon of the greatest of all
the Republics) for the ancient embel-
ishments, triangular banner, argent,
leaning upon q cross satire, the exact
meaning and origin of which are, TO
large extent, shrouded in obscurity,
and not likely to meet with any strong
objection, while, from an aesthetic
point Of view, il must De considered
decided improvement
The difficult problem of devisiDg
two human figures a. supporters has
been happily solved by introducing
Kamehamehs /. and the Goddess of
Liberty, both representing important
{ lDcuc III tue Ht-toIl Oi haN all liz
old snd new respectively. TD- coz
trast of color and sex suggesting Lot
only reconciliation, but the fusion OF
the races with one another.
The irrsdiatiug sun above the shield 1
l. symbolic of the new era which
dawned upon Hawaii with the advent /
OF the Republic, while the fabulous
bird "PbRuix" is Hawaii nei herself, 1
rising, rrjuyenzted, from the ashes of
the monarchy. The taro leaves, ferns,
ETC., are suggestive of the fruidulness