The times., 1897-06-18
THE HAWAIIAN DOMAIN.
The Island. Its Climate. the People
and Their History.


pelago in the Pacific Ocean about 8 500
miles west Of Mexico and 3,700 miles
southwest of san Francisco. They lie be-
tween latitudes 1 g degrees 81 minutes and
% degrees and 80 minutes north and longi-
tudes 54 degrees so minutes and 161 ie-
grees 10 minutes west There are twelve
OF them, covering an area of 6,677 square
miles. the largest of the group being Ha-
wall, whose area is about 1000 square
miles. There are two active VOLCANOES on
thisisland -Klauea aud Mauna Loa. Many
eruptions, attended with loss of life, have
occurred.
The highest point on Hawaii, Mauna
and there are other great attitudes on tie
island.
The rock of the whole group is volcanic.
The following are some of the minerals
that have been noticed: sulphur, pyrites,
common salt, sal ammoniac, limonite,
quartz, angite, chrysolite, garnet, labra-
dorite, feldspar, gypsum, soda alum, cop
peras, glauber-sait, inter and calcte. The
vegetable Kingdom is rich in interesting
forms, and many new species and varieties
have been discovered.
The climate is much affected by locality,
duQ Writes iIulil COOit lTOSby weather 10 u
high average of heat The northeast trade
winds flow the greater part of the year,
and prevent the heat from becoming op-
pressive.
The soil is fertile and well adapted to
planting and grazing 1t is estimated that
there are nearly 2 900, ,0o0 acres of grazing
land, and 29O, 900 acres OF arabic land. The
mountain sides abound in forests, in which
there isplentyor ship timber and ornamental
woods. Sugar, Of course, is the principal
product.
There were in 1890 between forty and
fifty plantations, which raised and manu-
factured about 40, 600 tons Of sugar, be-
sides quantities OF molasses. Wool, aides,
tallow, rice, and bananas are exported in
considerable quantities. Nearly all the
crops Of temperate climes can he grown,
but they are not profitable, because Of LACK
OF markets. In 1890 the value OF the
sugar plantations was estimated at S32,-
BAT $50, owned as follows: BY citizens OF
the United States, S24, ,735, ,610 by British,
$6,03S, 80; by Germans, S2,00S 500; by
Hawaiians, 1866 ,250; by all other nation
alities, S299, 100. The area of land under
sugar cultivation was 81 sac acres, and
the exports of sugar were 232, $50
pounds.
There are two theories of the origin
Of the Hawaiians. One contends for their
relationship with the Toltec branch of
the great NaEoa family OF Mexico. This
makes the Hawaiians the Oldest Polyne-
sian colony, from which the other branches
Of the family sprang The other theory
supports the hypothesis that all the Pa
cific archipelagoes and Islands Were col
onized by successive nierations from south
ern Asia. This theory has the support
of Hawaiian traditions.
In 1891 the real and personal property
was estimated at $50 600, 600, the public
debt was S2313 800, and the postal saw
ipgs banks held deposits of 1852 ,66i. The
foreign trade was SIT ,6ee, 2T0, of which
the United States had S15, ,490, ,556.
The population in $50 was 50 $50. The
natives were 24,436; half-castes, 6,1S6;
born in Hawaii of foreign parents, Z, 495;
Chinese, l5.301; japanese, 1890; Por-
tuguese, 8. SOC; natives OF the United States,
1928; British, /, "A; Germans, 1,O34; Nor
wegians, 227; French, 20; Polynesians,
5Ss; other foreigners, 419.
The islands were discovered in 1912
by a Spanish navigator named Gaetauo.
Long before this several Spanish vessels
had been wrecked on the coast of Hawaii,
and the survivors had intermarried with
the natives. Capt. Cook visited the isl
ands in 1T78, sighting the islands of
Oahu and Kauai on January Is, and an
choring at Waimea, Kauai, January 10
After visiting the island of NiInau, he
sailed for the American coast, but re-
turned and was finally killed by the ma
tives.
The Hawaiians at this time supported an
elaborate feudal system, closely analogous
to the system in Europe in the middle ages
Karehauieha l was the first king In
1892 and the two following years Van
couver visited the Hawaiian Islands, and
introduced cattle on May g, 1919.
Kamehameha died after a successful
reign. in which he had established his
Kingdom over the whole group. His eldest
son, Liholiho, succeeded him under tile
title of Kamehameha II with Kaahumanu,
widow of Kamehameha 1 as premier, and
She, in influence and power, was the real
sovereign. Shortly after, on April 4, 1890,
the first missionaries arrived from the
United States-seven men, with their
wives. They Immediately began To- reduce
the language to writing. The filst print
Ing wasdone 1922.
In 1923 the King and Kainamalu, his
queen, visited Great Britain, where they
both died the year following. Then the p:e-
niier became regent and governed untilthe |
ma jority OF Kauikeaouli II, brother of |
the late king, a period of nine years
In 1925 the Ten Commandments were |
adopted as laws, and few criminal laws
were enacted in 1927 and 1929 The first
Roman Catholic missionaries arrived July |
z, 1927. Kauikeaouli assumed the govern
ment in 1898 as kamehameha III In
1910 the King and chiefs promulgated
the constitution granting civil rights to
the people On February 20, 1S43, the
provisional ceSsion of the islands To Great
Britain occurred in consequence of the
harsh demands of Lord George Paulet.
This arrangement was terminated and the
Hawaiian flag was restored by Admiral
Thomas on July 81 of the same year In
1S46 Kamehameha III approved the IA
nous land act, by which he released the
royal right to large portion of the lands
of the kingdom and provided for their
to the people.
In 1849 the temporary occupation and
embargo OF the port OF Honolulu by the
French took place. In 1852 free sUf-
frage was granted as a civil right. The
King died in 1854, and was succeeded by
Alexander Lholiho, son of Kinau, the
daughter of Karnehameha I. He reigned
as Kamahameha ". Lot Kamehameha,
brother of the late king, succeeded as
V and dabrogated the national
and promulgated new one,
lifniting the right of suffrage by property
qualification He died December il,