The herald., 1922-11-23

ish naval commander In the Pacific,
realizing the strategic Importance Of
the Hawaiian group, seized the is
lands, but his country promptly dis
avOwed his act. After some difficult
ties with France over the islands in
the forties, the United States declared
a sort of Monroe Doctrine toward
them. AS early as 1851 the island
government, fearing trouble with other
nations, Professionally ceded the islands
to the United States. But the
cession was not accepted, and numer-
Gus efforts to become a part of the
United States were made in the fol-
lowing half century.
Annexed by Uncle Sam.
In 1887 the United States obtained
a concession for the use of Pearl har-
Dor for a coaling station. When
Queen LiliuOkalani attempted to abol-
ish the constitution in 1898, the con-
stitutional party, led by American
settlers, brought about a revolution
and dethroned her. One of the first
acts of the provisional government
was to apply for annexation to the
United States. Germany was seizing
islands right and left in the Pacific,
and the Hawaiians wished TO get
under a sheltering wing. Politics
in the United States delayed action,
and in the meantime the Republic of
Hawaii was organized. Then in 1885,
during the Spanish-American war,
congress suddenly voted to make Ha-
wall American territory.
Though the Hawaiian islands are
known as ''the halfway house of the
Pacific" in reality the distance from
San Francisco to Honolulu is only
about half that from Honolulu to Aus
tralia. the Philippines or Japan. All
the islands are Of volcanic origin,
out coral has grown on the shores
of many Of them. The disintegrated
lava has formed a rich soil which re-
spends literally to irrigation. Only
Cuba and Java produce greater total
crops of sugar, and the per acre yield
Of Hawaii is the greatest in the world
-four tons without irrigation and six
tons with. The sugar crop for the
year ended June 20. 1920. was worth
$7S,5O0,OO0. The pineapple crop, sec
ond in Importance. was valued at $751;
100000.
Mauna loa Volcano.
Perhaps the Hawaiian group is best
known to most people because Of the
huge volcano Mauna Loa on the island
Of Hawaii. In September, 1919, this
great safety-valve 'blew off steam,"
giving a most unusual demonstration
of natures forces. From huge vent
In the mountains side, flood of mott
en- lava was belched forth. Spread
ing out into great shallow stream, 1t
came roaring down the mountain
slope, burning forests, carrying huge
trees and immense boulders on its sur
face-sweeping everything before It.
With speed varying from 1 to 20
miles an hour, according to the coun-
try 1t was passing over, 1t broadened
out until 1t was nearly a mile In width.
After wiping out the government belt
road, razing telephone poles and de-
stroying a vast amount of property,
the red-hot lava tumbled over a high
preclpice and plunged kissing into the
sea nearly 20 miles from its source.
In approaching the flow from the
sea in the early evening the glow from
the lava was visible for many miles.
AS one drifted within 200 yards of
the point where the liquid rock was
rushing into the sea, the scene was
awe-inspiring. Slowly the smoky haze
from the burning forests, which hung
over the source 20 miles away, lifted
and the river of fire stood out in its
full glory. Leaping from pail to val
ley, rushing uphill and roaring down,
the fiery flood Numbered down the
mountain slope, carrying on its bosom
rocks as big as houses.
As the stream of blazing lava neared
the coastline, It appeared to gather
more speed, taking the final plunge
over 1O0foot cliff at a terrific rate.
and looking for all the world like a
merry Niagara. AS the red-hot lava
came In contact with the water great
columns of steam and gas, like huge
waterspouts, were forced hundreds Of
rect into the air. Huge boulders.
hurled into space, exploded with thun.
derous reports into auras of red and
green lights, while flashes of what |
looked like lightning added to tho !
chaos