The times., 1898-07-07


Caroline Islands .-..................26o .26o2
Hong Kong ..........................4
Yokohama, Japan .......-........-.33 .3399
Unalaska. ,Aleutian Islands. .20l6
Sitka -............----...-...--. .25so
Vancouver ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .2305
Number and Area of Islands.
The group contains eight inhabited ISL
ands and large number of small unin-
habited ones of a total approximate area
of 600 square miles, or 1880 900 acres; be-
ing nearly the area of Massachusetts,
and considerably larger than Connecticut
and Rhode Island combined. The group
extends east and west distance of l2oJ
miles The eight principal islands cover
300 miles at the eastern end OF the
group. They are Hawaii. Maui, Oahu,
Kauai Molokai Lanai, Kahoolawe and
Niihau. There are valuable guano and
phosphate rock deposits on some OF the
western islands
Situa. ed on the island of Oahu is the
principal city and the capital of the re-
public
1t is located on small but safe harbor
and has a population of 10000.
The business portion is well built OF
stone and brick the residences of wood.
The city has 81 miles of streets and
drives. of which % miles are macadam
lied, has a street railway system; pub
lie and private electric light systems;
telephone system extending throughout
the island and using 1870 telephones.
well regulated state prison: handsome ex
ecutive buildings, custom house and
court house: an insane asylum, public
hospitals, maternity home. old folks home,
public library a well equipped Young
Mems Christian Association Building;
banks: churches; public and private
a
ervoir and pumping plant: paid fire
department equipped with the most mod
eril steam and chemical engines has d
G.. a. r. Post; branches of the societies
of Sons and Daughters of the American
Revolution. ard numerous Masonic. Odd
Fellows apd other similar lodges. In
other words. it has the appliances and
conveniences of an up-to-date American
city. with the added charm of a profuse
tropical vegetation. and a climate unri-
vailed the world over for mildness and
evennesS.
The city lies on level strip of land
along the sea a mile or two wide and five
miles long, and extending back for sew
eral miles into five valleys which cut
deep into thictxiy wooded, loud-capped
mountains rising to an elevation of near
~ 1900 feet at distance of six miles
from the sea.
Physical characteristics.
The islands are all high mountains. ris-
ing 70 a height of 1909 feet on Oahu, TO
10. 900 on Maui. and 14.000 feet and perpet-
ual snow on The island of Hawaii The
whole country is volcanic in origin, there
being hundreds OF extinct and two active
volcanoes.
Each island consists of one or more
mountains scanned with valleys and
gorges. with rolling plains lying between
the mountains and generally fringed with
a comparatively level belt along the sea
shore.
Some portions of the coast are protect
ed by reefs of coral. while others are
sheer precipices rising out of blue water
10 height of thousands of feet
The soil, consisting of decomposed lava
is fertile; but has 20 be irrigated in many
places, the water coming from mountain
streams artesian and surface wells
Some of the largest steam pumps In the
world are used. raising water to an eIe-
Yation of 900 feet.
Fertilizers are used in large quantities.
thousands of tons per annum being used
on the sugar plantations.
The climate is mild and even being of
an average weekly maximum of "A in
Winter and 81 in Summer. There are no
extremes of heat or cold. The lowest
temperature at sea level in Winter is
about 56 degrees and the hottest Is Sum
mer is SS degrees. A temperature OF 90
degrees In the shade is almost unknown
At higher elevation above the sea almost
any desired temperature can be found.
On two mountains there is perpetual
snow.
The cool northeast trade winds blow
for nine months of the year Except when
the south winds blow the humidity of the
air is low.
The country at all elevations, ssnd
throughout the year, is healthy. the death
rate among whites being exceptionally
small. None of the fevers and other typ
ical diseases of tropical countries are
found there, and the diseases of the tenn
perate zone are usually of a mild char
acter.
The climate is so balmy and natural
conditions SO delightful that. by common
acceptance, Hawaii is known as The
Paradise of the Pacific" Although spoken
of as tropical country it is barely on
the edge of the tropics, and the same
Arctic current that cools San Francisco
gives Hawaii a climate many degrees
cooler than in the same latitude in the
Atlantic. 1t is a climate well suited to
the physical and mental development of
the AngIo-Saxon.
The principal products are sugar rice
coffee bananas, pineapples, guavas and
other tropical fruits, many of which
grow wild.
The area cultivated with sugar cane is
approximately $4,000 acres. The export of
sugar in 1896 amounted to 221 900 tons.
The output of sugar cannot be much in
creased, as most of the sugar lands are
already occupied.
The cultivation of coffee is rapidly in
creasing 1t will soon rival sugar in
amount and value, as there are large
areas of rich but yet uncultivated land,
not available for sugar, but peculiarly
adapted to coffee. This product is the
hope of the country. as it can be pro-
dueed profltably by farmers with small
capital.
The principal supply of bananas and
pineapples consumed on the Pacific Coast
is from Hawaii. 1t is a growing trade.
The rainfall varies greatly, ranging
from so inches In some quarters to 175
inches in others. Irrigation supplements
the rainfall in the dryer section Two
thirds of the sugar is produced by irri-
cation.
There is a highly organized system of
free public schools, modelled on that of the
United States. in which the English Ian
guage is taught. There are also number
of private boarding schools and schools
ranking with high schools in the United
States.
The public school year is eight months
and all children between six and fourteen
years of age are compelled if physically
able. to attend school.
All the Hawaiian born poDuIat tion of all