The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-03

including Victor Hugo, Leon Gambetta
and De Lesseps. Finally he was sent
to Tonquin by the French Government
in some official capacity, and after a
term of service in that quar-er of the
world, during which he projected a ca
nal across the neck of land near Sing
apore, he drifted to China.
TRANS PACIFIC CABLE PROJECT.
In the land of the Celestials, Moreno
quickly gained favor with high officials.
and was given certain commissions
there, officially or semi-oficially. The
project Of building a trans-Pacifc cable
from San Francisco TO Honolulu, China
and Japan, which became the hobby of
his life,. originated with him while he
was resident of Shanghai and shortly
after the Civil war he landed at San
Francisco. He had experience with
legislators Oh the Pacific coast and Sc
cured the enactment of what came to
be known as the Moreno laws for the
protection of coast fisheries. Finally,
by 1872, after much agitation, he sue
ceeded in organizing a trans-Pacific
cable company, in which Leland Stan
ford and Ralston, the builder of the
Palace hotel in San Francisco, We're
prominent. There was a long campaign
before Congress, and in 1876 a charter
was obtained for building a cable that
would cost about so, 900 900. Then there
was period of reverses. Ralston COM
mitted suicide and Senator Stanford
was not inclined to proceed with such
a great undertaking. Moreno was then
a man of some means, but unable to
lay the cable without powerful assist
ance.
He took a steamer back to the ORR
ent and entered upon a career there
more wonderful than in his previous
visits. In China he met Ii Hung Chang,
by whom he was made an agent to es-
tabIish steamship line under the Chi
nese flag, to sail between Shanghai,
Honolulu and San Francisco. He visit
ed the Sandwich Islands and to a re-
markable degree gained the confidence
of Kalakaua, reigning king. He was a
vigorous opponent of missionaries,
which alone was sufficient to commend
him to Kalakaua, and entered upon eff
forts to get several measures through
the Hawaiian Legislature. One Of these
was to provide a subsidy Of 100000 a
year from the Hawaiian monarchy for
the Chinese steamship line. This bill
was eventually passed. Another bill
was to authorize a loan of S1,000,000 by
the Hawaiian Government for the lay
ing of the cable. King Kalakaua was
favorable to the loan but his Cabinet
opposed it, and ultimately succeeded in
defeating the measure.
KALAKAUAs NEW CABINET.
/ At the adjournment of the congress-
King Kalakaua, determined on revenge
dismissed his Cabinet and selected TOUR
new counseIors, Moreno being designated
as the Prime Minister. The ether mem
/ hers were a Mr.. Jones. now dead; John
2. Bush. Attorney General, the sole sur
vivor now, and NJ. Kuaea. The last two
were Hawaiians. But q terrible outcry
was raised over this innovation. Prime
Minister Moreno who had formerly be-
come a naturalized citizen Of the United
States. carried things with a high hand,
and even threatened to furnish the resi-
dent diplomats with their passports. The
I American Minister, Mr.. Comley. was
said to have been especially active IN
protesting against the appointment and
retention of Moreno in office, charging
that he was an adventurer. The British
Minister, Mr.. Woodhouse, and the
French charge daffaires Joined in the
protest, and all together were able to
crystallize a strong sentiment among
merchants and sugar planters against the