The evening times., 1899-04-19
GREAT increase IN
HAWAIIAN COMMERCE.
Lions Share of Import Trade
Comes to America.
Prosperity of the Islands Depends
Upon Sugar.
Arrivals and Departures of the DIFF
fcrent Nntionalities-Decr I'm
the Purrhase of Gunp0wder.

In its Consular Reports the State Depart
ment has just issued an interesting paper
! on Hawaiian commerce in 1898. from VIII
liam Haywood, late Consul General.
The paper begins with the statement
that a comparison OF the annual report OF
the collector general Of customs OF the
Hawaiian Islands for the year 1898 with
that of 1897 is very interesting showing
an increase in almost everything imported
| and some gains that are significant.
1.-THE decrease in the importation OF gun
powder and firearms" the report con-
tinues, was undoubtedly caused by the
islands becoming part Of the United States.
LESS fertilizer. by over $4,000. was i'm
ported though the consumption increased.
This is accounted for by the fact that the
local works manufactured more than ever
before
Light wines decreased in value SIS. .666.-
81, due to the smaller importations Of high
| priced European wines. The consumption
| Of California wines has increased 15.163
gallons during the year, the figures being
1S5, ,573 as against 1904 last year. :
THE total receipts from customs were
| $896. $3.50. as against SOS, ,493. .O5, an in
crease of $1ss. 1895.
| 1T has been stated that the merchants
here have been buying goods since annex
| alton, in anticipation Of higher duties. By
| comparing the value Of imports for the
past seven years. il will be seen that the
apparently large increase over the importa
| tions Of 1897 is no greater in proportion
| than the increase of former years. l am
| surprised that the increase has not been
| greater.
| sugar aud Prosperity.
Few persons who have not lived here
can fully appreciate how much the general
prosperity of these islands depends upon
the sugar market. Except the transients,
every one makes or loses according to the
| profits of the plantations. With annexation
| came feeling OF security of a market, and
| when you add 10 this an abnormally large
crop with high prices, il is not surprising
that new plantations should be promoted.
These plantations are capitalized for
amounts varying from 81 900 600 to So, 500,-
900. every cent of which will be expended.
before anything is received from the sale
of the sugar. A great part of this money
goes toward the purchase of machinery
and supplies.
''Of this money. l should say that 10 per
cent is spent in the United States. In
round numbers. probably s250o0.O00 is in
vested in sugar practically all of which is
is held by all classes. Every cent not
needed in business goes into sugar. Those
who bought sugar stock last August will be
able 10 realize by August next 100 per cent
profit on their investment. Does it seem
likely, as prominent merchant said to me
the other day. that importers would tie
their money up in merchandise they did not
need, with a possible chance Of making a
profit of 90 per cent by the extension of
han fhay 10 hy
investing it in sugar stock? II must also
be borne in mind that in this climate. there
is great deterioration. and merchants do
not carry too large a stock.
Statistics of Imports.
Hawaiian imports since 1892 have been
as follows: 1892. s46Si. .201.31; 1898, s5.S46,-
S0s.5s; 1894. s5.7i3. .1sl.43; 1895, s5.114.-
017.54; 1896 s7.I64. SCI 40; 1897, sS.sSS,-
203.99; 1898. 81. .s5I. .SsOS1.
The value of imports from the different
countries during the year 1898 is shown by
the following statistics: United States.
value. $685.. .591.63: increase. 81. S95. .563 80
Great Britain. value 81 2S7. 1861: increase,
si21 1882. Germany. value, 1852. .043. .65: in
crease, sl5s.1ll,i6. British colonies, value.
$4S1, ,16S.01; increase, 5000. $3.50. China,
value, S32S, S51.s7; increase, s6S. .434.47.
Japan. value. 1854 i.32i.9S: increase. S62,-
G0S64. France. value, $43, ,65555; increase,
s12. 2.65s.23. Pacific islands. value, ST. 292. 12;
| increase s1,i2S.0S. The imports from coun-
tries other than those mentioned IN the
table were valued at s99 636 33, decrease
of $114. .965 81
l The large increase from the British COL
onies was coal. the greater part of which
was imported by the United States for the
use of the army and navy during the late
war.
OF the imports 81. .ss2. .O75.72 was specie
of American mntage.
The percentage of vessels by nationali-
ties was follows: United States, 6O.32;
British. 21l1: German. 4.6; Hawaiian,
1929; all others. 81.
The Exports.
The exports for the year amounted to
the total sum of 17.346 744.7S, as against
16,021. 1873 for 1897. an increase Of ST.
'24.969.60. The ports of Honolulu and Ma
hukona fell far behind 1897 exports; while
Hilo and Kahului forged ahead.
The number of vessels to enter at the
custom house during the year. excepting
transports. naval vessels. and coasters,
was 4S1, against 427 for 1897. an increase
or o4. OF this number. 209 were of Ameri-
can register. This is falling of from the
ngures OF American vessels for 1897, but
Is explained by the fact that a number of
American steamers which made regular
stops here were taken for transports last
summer, and are not included in the above
figures.
During the year 1898. 1929 persons
landed on the islands and 1913 departed
The arrivals and departures by nationalities
were as follows: Chinese. arrived, 3.100:
departed 1.7Si. Japanese. arrived, 9,434; /;
departed, 2.l93. Portuguese. arrived. S0
departed. l72. All others, arrived, 4,615;
departed. 3164.
1t will be seen that the prosperity of
these islands depends almost entirely rpon
| its one great staple-sugar. Any cause
which lowers the price of sugar will make
everyone here poorer. BY the annexation
of Hawaii the United States gained terri
tory with a population. if We except the
Asiatics. as rich per capita as one will find
in any place in the world. In their present