Year: 1866

or some other steam vessel will be soon running
again, that our facilities for travel as we'll as
freight will be as good as they have been.
Freights on sugar merchandise generally are
from three to FIVE dollars per ton, according to
the quantity. Bulky freight such as wool,
paddy, fungus or cotton, pays from ten to twenty
dollars per ton, according to quantity. Several
of the plantations own their schooners, which
are generally source of profit to them. The
steady


Trade Winds,


Which prevail here during three-fourths of the
year, render navigation among the islands rs
reliable and safe as in any part of the world.
With ordinary care and seamanship, there is not
Il safer cOasting service in the world than here,
nor one where losses are less frequent compared
with the amount of tonnage employed, and
value Of cargoes carried. The same remark may
apply to the route between these islands and
San Francisco. During n residence here of six
teen years we cannot remember an accident to
any of our regular packets employed between
this port and San Francisco that has called for
n survey any demand on insurance companies.
This is attributable the regularity of our trade
winds, clear weather and atmosphere around
the islands, fogs being almost unknown, except
perhaps during the Southwest winter storms,)
and to the employment of steam tug ut this
harbOr kept always ready for service, to tow
vessels i'll out, or render assistance in case of
necessity. To which may be added the fine
wharves in the harbor built by Government,
which probably not surpassed by those of
any port in the world, certainly by none in this
ocean. Every vessel that can cross the bar can
come up to the wharves. Taking these facts
into consideration, the sums paid to insurance
companies amount virtually to gratuity


The Advent of Steam,


Between San Francieco and Honolulu, which is
now promised us, is hailed by all as the opening
of era, inspiring confidence in the mer-
chant, the planter the agriculturist and traveller
bringing one link nearer to the great CEN
tiers of civilization. Some of our citizens we'll
remember when the semi-annual arrival of ship
from Boston or New York, via Cape Horn,
bringing six months accumulation of letters
and papers, only source of news; and
when for the rest of the year they settled down
in quiet, undisturbed by the fluctuations of
trade or the outburSt of wars in other parts of
the world. That was hardly twenty years ago.
Then came the monthly steamers via Panama,
then the telegraph, and now we have the pro-
mise of the crowning triumph of civilization in
line of steamers to connect us with the conti-
nent. There is but one opinion regarding the
enterprse-that the time has come for it, and
it will be well and profitably supported if judi
ciOusly managed. Packets will continue to run
between the two ports, but with the growing
trade there is room for all. The steamer line
will create its ocn trGde anil trdre and those who
choose to trade or travel by the old slow system
will always have the opportunity of doing
But the man of enterprise, who keeps pace with
the onward march of civilization, or whose brow
is stamped success will never hesitate to en-
ploy steam. when it is offered to him. But with
our foreign steamers, We must have inter-island
steamers, for each line will tend to assist the
other, and both will aid our planting, agricultural
and grazing interests, impartng confidence to
every branch of business, that is derived in no
other way. 1t will also and more especially
develope our fruit trade, which cannot fail to
become important, rs islands almost the
only source where tropical fruits are obtainable
for the Pacific coast.


Freights


If our estimate Of the sugar crop for 1866
is correct, (and we have been careful to place
our figures rather below than above the prob
able yield,) the increase in the amount of freight
offering for San Francisco from this staple pro-
duet alone, will be considerable. The amount
shipped away in 1865 was about 1850 tons,
and estimate gives yield of 1900 tons,
all but five or six hundred tons of which will
be for export, chiefly to San Francisco, Oregon
and Victoria. The rate of freight from Homo
lulu to San Francisco is now Sc per ton. Dur
ing the early part of 1865 it was but four dol
lars, which is less than is paid from Honolulu
to Hilo. Should our other products show a cor
responding increase during the present year,
our exports to California alone cannot be less
than two thousand tons per month, and from
that to twenty-five hundred. OF this total,
probably one-half will continue to be taken by
sail vessels.


Domestic Exports.


The following table prepared by the Collector
General. will exhibit the principle exports of
domestic produced during the past year
sugar pounds. .lO-oLoOsa
Molasses. gallons oSiS3t
syrup. So