Evening journal., 1897-01-27
HAWAII AND TIE CABLE
Significant Appearance Of Brit
ish Enjoys In Honolulu.
SAID TO WANT NEoKER ISLAND.

AdvIces from the Pacific Islards Indicate
That the Midooean Republic Has Had
aProsperous Year-Japanese Aggression
Is Feared by the Hawaiians.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 27-A Pacific |
steamer brings the following interesting |
advices from Honolulu: Much interest |
is excited in this city by the recent ar
rival of two Canadians who represent |
themselves as wealthy investors on a tour
through the islands of the Pacific. Their
conversation in the clubs and elsewhere
has been mainly of the British Pacific
cable project and the desirability, from
an investors standpoint Of making "a
landing for the cable on the Hawaiian is
lands
Cautiously they have broached the idea
of the purchase from the Hawaiian gov
ernment of NecSer island. This island Is
uninhabited and is scarcely more than a
bare rock, over which, two or three years
ago, it was rumored that Great Britain
was about to raise its flag. 1t is 100 miles
or more distant from the remainder Of the
group and never has been distinctly
claimed as the property of any govern
ment. The British government agent, who
was sent to Honolulu to collect informa-
tion concerning the island and its status,
was not prudent in his manner of prose
cutting his inquiries, and the real object of
his mission became clear to the Hawaiian
government. Immediately a party was
sent out which landed on the island,
raised the Hawaiian flag and took posses
sion Of it in the name of the Hawaiian
government.
BY many it is believed that the strangers
1..s4
out for the purpose of obtaining, if posi-
ble a cOmmittal of the Hawaiian govern
ment to a cession of NecI,'r island, sub
ject, of course, to the consent of the gov
ernment of the United States under the
treaty existing with that government
Prosperous Year.
The Hawaiian Gazette in its annual re-
view of the year, says that the past year
has been financially the most prosperous
in the history of the islands The exports
from the islands for the year ending Sept.
30, 1895, were about 81, 500, 600; for the
corresponding period of 1896 they amount
cd to S14, 45O, ,OOO-four-fifths Of which
went to the United States Exact statistics
for the entire year Of 1896 are not yet
available, but it is certain that the exports
for the calendar year will amount to Sl6,-
500, 600.
The japanese government has recently
sent to this city class of men who are
designated as students. - just what they
came to study is something of a mystery,
for they are connected with none of the
educational institutions of the islands.
Their presence here has created a feeling
of uneasiness, which has been intensified
by the reports which have come from
Washington that the Japanese embassy
there recently has been engaged in gather
ing all the information respecting the is
lands to be had at the government depart
mcnts and especially information respect
ing the mutual relations of the United
States and the Hawaiian government
now and in the past. 1t is feared that ia
pan is preparing for some aggressive move
ment against the islands in the event ol
the failure in the coming administration
of the movement for Hawaiian annexa-
ton.