The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-12-08
A CANADIAN PAPER ON
A HAWAIIAN HANDBOOK

The relations between Canada and
Hawaii, though not so intimate as
they might have been, and (some of
us may think as they should have
been, are, nevertheless Of very pleas
ant character. Captain Cook, who
for the modern world at least, must
be regarded as the discoverer of the
group, served part of his apprentice
ship in the waters of the st. Law
renee Bougainville had also some
experience of the same river; and, If
Vancouver was not thus favored, he
is memorably associated with the his
toric beginnings of our Pacific prov
ince. Our great fur companies had
interesting dealings with the islands,
even In their unregenerate state, and
the Beaver forecast a new era in the
navigation of the great ocean. OF
personal interchanges of service there
were a good many after the Beaver
had cleared Cape Horn, and some Of
them were noteworthy enough; and,
although the change accomplished in
1898 which augured for our neighbors
across the border policy of vast sig
nificance, gave the destiny OF the ISL
ands an impulse in a direction some
what aloof from that of the kindly
past, the old ties with Canada have
not been severed. In some respects,
together is stronger than ever before.
If there are any readers Of the The
Gazette who still think of the Sand
witch Islands as a South Sea archipela-
go, ruled in part by savage chiefs like
the King of the old song, and in part
by somewhat aspiring Puritan
theocracy, they will surely modify their
views after reading Mr.. Daniel Logan's
instructive and tasteful handbook
The Pioneer Advertising Company, to
which the world is indebted for this
book on Hawaii, it's People, Climate
and Resources, evidently knows some
| thing about the esthetics of book-mak-
ing. The pictures are an invitation to
a land where it is always afternoon,
and where the sting of winter is UNI
known. Mr.. Logan, however, leaves
the reader no excuse for regarding the
people as community of lotus-eaters.
Indeed, even before the arrival of
Europeans, the natives had attained
progress in the industrial arts, in nav
igation, in athletics, in statecraft,
that gave promise of development to
the ripeness of civilization. For a
time, and with some persons still, per-
haps, the death of Captain Cook has
been cause of reproach to the island
ers. But the careful enquiries on the
spot of the Rev. William Ellis, author
OF Polynesian Researches, have made
it clear that the famous explorer lost
his life by chance medley, and not by
deliberate murder; and that, after his
death, his memory and remains were
held in honor by chiefs and people.
According to Professor Keane, the Ha-
waiians are Indonesians of Caucasic
stock, and some portraits of their kings
and chiefs differ little from those of
Europeans or Americans of the higher
breeds. The story of their conversion
to Christianity is one OF the most re-
markable IN the annals of modern mis-
sions. It is worth recalling that among
the agencies by which it was brought
about was the Presbyterian Church Of
Nova Scotia.
The number of islands in the group
is variously computed. Mr.. Logan,
following the census, enumerates eight
islands, but one of these, Kahoolawe
1.-THE Yahurawe of Eilis) is included in
the district OF Maui. The seven ISL
ands, according to this reckoning are
Hawaii dong ago spelled Owhyhee),
Maui with Kahoolawe), Oahu, Kauai,
Molokai, Lanai and Niihau. The total
population is 154,001. OF these, 1921
were born on the islands, while 90,7S0
are of foreign origin. II we credit the
statements of some early visitors, the
native population must have been al
most literally decimated. BY the last
census $500 the aboriginal population
numbers 54,141-less than a third Of
these being of mixed blood. OF the
remainder, 12,749 are white people; 25.-
767 Chinese, 61,111 japanese, and 233
negroes. Hawaii, though the largest
island, is not SO populous as Oahu,
whose importance is mainly due to the
capital being within it's borders. 1t
contains 49, SAB inhabitants. Its pros
perity has increased greatly in recent
years. In 1901, it's real estate was as
sessed at s11,355. 1872; personal property
at s16,e9s.569. Its physical features
comprise the three volcanic donles of
Mauna ISea, Mauna Loa and Hualalai,