6 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



The cultivation of sugar, coffee, and rice is carried on with 

 much success, and large fortunes have been made by Americans 

 and others ; but until quite recently the great difficulty has been 

 labour. To meet this, the Government have encouraged 

 Chinese immigration by giving $25 to every celestial who lands. 

 The passage from China to Honolulu costs a coolie about $4r>, 

 which amount is advanced by one of the six large coolie com- 

 panies in the Canton province who rule this business. The $20 

 due by the man is repaid to the company's agent out of wages. 



The number of Chinese in the Hawaiian Group is about 

 6500. The whites and Kanakas speak highly of their general 

 conduct, and owing, I suppose, to the laziness of the native 

 islanders there is none of that bitter feeling of unsuccessful 

 rivalry displayed by the working-classes on the Pacific slope of 

 the States. 



The average rate of wages paid by the sugar and rice planters 

 is from $10 to $15 per month, with rations, and about 6000 

 coolies are employed in this fashion. 



In Californiaj the Chinaman's wage averages from $25 to $30 

 per month. It is nominally much more, but all holidays are 

 deducted, and with the ordinary coolie these are numerous 

 enough. The Californian coolie, however, has to find himself, 

 and the necessaries of his celestial existence are much dearer 

 in 'Frisco than in the Sandwich Islands. 



Taking everything into consideration, I think the Chinese 

 emigrant is better off in Hawaii than anywhere else. 



A reciprocity treaty exists between the Hawaiian kingdom 

 and the United States, the effect of which is of course to confine 

 nearly all the trade to San Francisco and other American ports ; 

 the consequence being that you have to pay Californian prices 

 for many things which, if shipped from a British port like 

 Sydney, would be only a fraction over London figures. I was 



