Herron found guilty and fined. . 

 Trade and resources of the Ha- bAJN 



TO A1A1STTTT A waiian Group-Future prosperity 

 1U MAINlIOjA. o f the Hawaiian islanders. 



keeping of persons who would inflict punishment 

 with so much precipitation. This caused his de- 

 livery. Shortly after, I received a letter, telling 

 me that the corporeal part of his punishment was 

 remitted, but demanding the fine. I took this oc- 

 casion to write the governor a letter, pointing out 

 wherein he had erred, in order that he might not 

 fall into a similar error. 



The next day I was notified that he would be 

 again tried before a legal tribunal, viz. the go- 

 vernor and the United States' consul. The day 

 after, he was accordingly sent on shore to undergo 

 a trial, which he himself wished, for the purpose of 

 proving whether he was guilty and subject to the 

 fine. The trial of Herron took place in the grass- 

 house of the king; the scene was characteristic, and 

 will show the manner of conducting trials in the 

 Hawaiian Islands. Governor Kekuanaoa, the 

 American consul, Captain Hudson, Dr. Judd of 

 the American Mission, who acted as interpreter, 

 and several officers belonging to the squadron, as 

 well as those of the government police, numerous 

 residents, of all colours and classes, the prisoner, 

 his friends and accusers, were present. At one 

 table the governor and Dr. Judd were seated, at 

 another the consul and Captain Hudson, while the 

 prisoner and witnesses, with the spectators, were 

 standing in groups around. The court was opened 

 in due form, and Dr. Judd stated the indictment, to 

 which Herron pleaded not guilty; every thing was 

 conducted with due solemnity: the oath was then 

 administered by the American consul, to the wit- 

 nesses on both sides. Dr. Judd examined and in- 

 terpreted the whole. During this proceeding all 

 were deeply intent in ferreting out the truth, with 

 the exception of his excellency the governor, who 

 was occupied most of the time in searching his little 

 white pet dog, that was lying on the table before 

 him, for fleas. The whole trial was, however, fairly 

 conducted, and resulted in proving that Herron was 

 guilty. Herron was fined fifty dollars, which was 

 paid, and the business ended. 



I was satisfied, however, that the governor had 

 in this case acted with unbecoming haste and in- 

 considerateness, and at the same time was wanting 

 in delicacy to his best friends, for we, of all nations, 

 are the most inclined to respect his laws and uphold 

 his authority. I called upon him before my depar- 

 ture to take leave, when he admitted that the 

 course he had pursued was an unusual one, when 

 foreigners were concerned ; but from the explana- 

 tions he made, I was satisfied his intention was to 

 do right, but like many others when vested with 

 authority, he was not inclined to delay action on a 

 case he considered so clear as this. It proved a 

 good lesson for him, and I do not believe he will err 

 in the same way again. 



The trade of the Hawaiian Group is, at present, 

 confined within very narrow limits. The islands 

 produce but little, and their consumption of foreign 

 products is necessarily small. The capabilities of 

 the islands have generally been underrated, for 

 their soil and climate are suitable for raising all 

 tropical productions in considerable quantities, and 

 at a moderate cost. But very little investment of 

 capital has yet taken place, and the business that 

 has induced the establishment of several commer- 

 cial houses has been more that of transit than for 

 the purpose of supplying the consumption of the 

 islands, or obtaining their exports. A table of 



statistics, which was published in a newspaper at 

 Oahu, and compiled by intelligent merchants there, 

 gives the amount of imports actually landed at four 

 hundred and fifty-five thousand dollars, while the 

 exports of native produce are no more than ninety- 

 eight thousand dollars. From this great difference 

 between the imports and exports, it would appear 

 that many of these articles must have been re- 

 shipped to other ports, or are still on hand. The 

 latter I believe to be the case. The trade on the 

 north-west coast, formerly so much resorted to by 

 our vessels, is entirely broken up by the Russians, 

 who have interdicted the taking of furs on the coast 

 of their territory, and obtain their supplies exclu- 

 sively from the Hudson Bay Company, or by the 

 latter, who have adopted the principle of under- 

 selling all competitors, and have thereby caused a 

 monopoly, which effectually shuts out all small 

 traders. Some articles of Chinese manufacture are 

 sent from the Sandwich Islands to Mexico, but to 

 no great amount. There are, comparatively, few 

 transient vessels that call at these islands on their 

 way to China, and the whole trade seems now con- 

 fined to but a few vessels. One-half of the imports 

 is set down as received from the United States. 



Although the Sandwich Islands are not so fruit- 

 ful as many of the other islands of Polynesia, yet 

 their geographical situation has rendered them 

 hitherto by far the most important group in the 

 Pacific Ocean. 



They are the favourite and most convenient re- 

 sort for those whale-ships whose cruising-ground is 

 the North Pacific; and the amount of property en- 

 gaged in this business, visiting the ports of the 

 Sandwich Islands annually, is equal to three mil- 

 lions of dollars. To the supply of this fleet, the 

 labour of the inhabitants has principally been 

 directed. 



The chiefs have ceased to look to their groves of 

 sandalwood as a source of profit, and have begun 

 the cultivation of sugar, which, together with silk, 

 now attract much attention; but until some capital 

 be invested in these cultures, and the business be 

 better understood, these articles cannot be raised 

 to any large amount; yet the provisions and sup- 

 plies to ships, suffice to afford all the necessary 

 comforts to the inhabitants of this group. 



Fortunately for the Sandwich Islands, they have 

 no port that is defensible against a strong naval 

 force, and therefore their consequence will be com- 

 paratively small in a political point of view. No 

 foreign power, in fact, could well hold them, with- 

 out great expense and difficulty. Honolulu is the 

 port where vessels can best receive repairs, but it 

 can only be used by the smaller class. By these 

 circumstances, the neutral position of this group I 

 think is insured ; and this is most desirable for its 

 peace and happiness. This fact seems to me to be 

 tacitly acknowledged by the maritime powers, as 

 no attempt has as yet been made to take possession 

 of them, and they will, in all probability, be long 

 left in the enjoyment of their neutrality, which 

 king Kamehameha III. is now endeavouring to 

 establish through a formal recognition of his king- 

 dom by the United States, England, and France, 

 by negotiations that are now pending. Such re- 

 cognition will render them less liable, if not alto- 

 gether exempt from aggressions. These islands 

 seem intended for peaceful occupations alone; their 

 products, situation, and inhabitants, require and 



