The times., 1898-12-07

without fail. deci-1.
dense as to hide from full view the sur
face of the burning, seethiEg liquid far
below.
This is what Is called 'Haiemaumau
the house of fire, when the volcano is
active and in eruption, but IT is now very
quiet and smoky.
Yet even now numerous crevices are
found, some of them two or three miles
from this pit or lake, from which smoke
or steam constantly arises, and in r5hicn
sticks thrust down few inches by lis:
readily took fire.
.'Around some of these crevices an ef-
florescence OF sulphur was noticed, and
on examination We found deposits OF pure
native sulphur so hot from the subte-ran-
can fountain, perhaps three miles away,
that 1t could not be handled. IL must be
remembered that this description refers
only to Kilauea and not at all - the
great volcano itself at the top Il the
mountain, and called 'Mokuaweoweo,'
which during the ages and ages past has
poured the lava over the island many
times
..The magnitude of this mountain is
hardly believed at first sight but the
distance is not less than sixty miles from
the base on one side to the other. And
from the crater of kilauea, on the side Of
Mauna Loa. to the crater of Mokuaweo-
weo. at the top of the same mountain, is
about twenty-five miles.
THE side slopes of these great noun
tains comprise practically all the agricul-
tural land upon .nis island. This can
nearly all be cultivated after it is cleared
of its luxuriant vegetation. Some Of it,
however, has such a rank growth of tree
Wild and all n from
ical trees and vines. as to cost from $40 TO
$50 per acre TO clear II. There are great
fields of sugar cane on this island, the
best of which yields under favorable con-
ditions from five to eight or more tons OF
sugar per acre.
The Value of Pearl HarbOr.
Referring to harbors and landing places,
the report dwells especially on Pear Har-
Dor, within six or seven miles of Honolu-
lu, which is regarded as the most valua-
BILE feature of the acquisition. 1t is the
only place capable OF use as a naval sta
tion in the North Pacific ocean except i'm
mediately upon the American coast. II
consists of an inland lake containing eight
square miles of water, about half of which
is from five to fifteen fathoms deep ad-
mitting the largest ships. The remaining
portion has a depth of from two to four
fathoms.
1t is accessible from sea by a passage a
third of a mile in width, which, after a
small amount of dredging, will become a
safe and excellent entrance for vessels.
The harbor is many times larger than
that of Honolulu, and, according to the
report offers to the United States facili-
ties for the increase of Pacific and Orien-
tai commerce the value of which cannot
be estimated. 1t offers the key TO the
commerce of China. Japan and Australi
The report goes into the subjects of tenn
perature and rainfall. newspapers and
periodicals. churches and the public
health, and recommends the construction
of an oceanic cable from the islands to
the United States. On the latter subject
1t says:
THE necessity for an oceanic tele-
graph cable between the Hawaiian ISL
ands and the United States has been en-
phasized during the military and naval
warfare with Spain during the current
year. 1t is believed that such a cable
under the control of the United States.
as means of speedy communication
with the remote parts of our own coun-
try, is demanded by the military condi-
uons existing or liable to exist at any
time. 1t Is also believed that the COM
mercial interests of the United States
and of Hawaii require that such a Pa
cific cable should be laid at the earliest
date"
The Public School System.
According to the report the present
public school system is very satisfactory
and efficient. 1t says:
The present public school system OF
Hawaii is very satisfactory and efficient
The conduct of the public schools and
the tendency of the entire educational es-
tablishment of Hawaii is in the highest
degree advantageous to the United States
The laws of Hawaii already provide that
school attendance by all persons of school
age shall be compulsory and also that