444 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The United States have always led in the matter of imports, San 
Francisco of late years being the principal port from which goods 
were shipped from the United States to the islands. Previous to the 
opening of the transcontinental railroads most of the shipments came 
either by vessel to Colon, thence by rail across the Isthmus of Panama, 
and by vessel from there to the islands, or by means of vessels which 
came around the Horn. Many of the whalers which rendezyoused at 
the islands previous to 1875 also brought out considerable cargoes of 
general merchandise, including cod, mackerel, and other products of 
the New England fisheries, which met with a ready sale or barter to 
the natives and the white people settled on the group. 
On January 30, IST5, a reciprocity treaty between the Hawaiian 
Kingdom and the United States was signed. This treaty went into 
effect September 1, 1876, and was to continue in force for seven years, 
and for twelve months after notice of its termination. By its terms 
in compensation for the free entry to the United States of certain 
natural products of the islands, notably sugar, the government per- 
mitted the free entry, among many other articles, of fishery products 
of American origin. As the same products from other countries were 
compelled to pay an ad valorem duty of 10 per cent, this gave the 
United States an immense advantage. By mutual consent this treaty 
continued in force until the islands were annexed to the United States 
on June 14, 1900. The treaty proved of great mutual benefit. For 
some few years previous to 1876 the sugar industry of the islands 
had been languishing on account of the duty imposed by the United 
States on shipments to that country from the islands. As a result of 
this depressed condition and the consequent inability of the people to 
buy imported goods, shipments of dried and salted fishery products 
dropped off until in 1876 they amounted to only $17,891.81. Under 
reciprocity the imports rapidly increased until in 1899 they amounted 
to $120,374.83, the greater part of which came from the United States. 
The following table shows the value of dried and salted fish imported 
into the islands from 1865 to June 14, 1900: 
Value of dry Value of dry 
Years. and salt fish Years. and salt fish 
imported. | | imported. 
Ee eee a ee ee $58; 224: GS |) A8S42 2. ee ee es eee $74, 751. 85 
TRG ee a ee eee 31, 609: OF [1885.22 2. 222s e ene een ee 70, 977. 04 
Ee ae ee ee oe eee eas 47, 900:61 || 1886... --22.2.-23-2<- Siete S Sena ae 97, 148. 12 
BBS eee noes coo eee es 23,025, 69 Ih 188 fac sos sn en ee aes 96, 759. 83 
Wess aces Oe on see ee ae eee oe 20, S08; O6.)1), 1888 |. <2 22s eh cee ces catee cas 88, 673.17 
1 1:7] | ES aa een eee, ae 39, 406.1951) NOOO sce ee ene eek oe ace ee 90, 555. 23 
PN re ee he aa wae ns oes $2,459. 51.4) 1800_. 5 ee ae Se cee ea cae e nee F 105, 962. 91 
Leet eo Se eae ee Res eee 719: 490 GON 1BOl ee ee ae trees are ae eee 102, 073. 65 
Tee oe a oe Sees 2 | 18; 383-02 |) 18008 = oe elaine Se 78, 839. 93 
if ee See ees oe Soe ato TAs 30 W 80des = eee ee eee 89, 865. 02 
I a a ori s wae oe ose chews! $4,781: 74 ||) 1894) cies ects se oe or eee 89, 270. 24 
Ailes Soak ee Les 495891; SU l) 18955. 2. 3 oe ee Be scecee eee 66, 780. 80 
DSI Se ce ele meen ae 0 ERD) th AC ee a Bee ee 80, 341. 34 
a Lf tes ee ee 4, 206-95 \) ASOT os ee ono S swe ects ae eee 109, 827. 68 
TBO eo ee Soo sa wesc sindsisisjn- 35. oA e ee | 66;978:39 || 18982. 22222 nosso eas aaeeee 96, 670. 23 
i bss | eae epee fea oy ee ee a 35; 216: 72 ||) 1809 22 ooo eee eco eee 120, 374. 83 
UST ns eee ee ee ae se eee | 63,576.95 || 1900(to: June 14).22 2-2 = = Ss 59, 820. 27 
ct: Rees ee ._e JR a ereny as aeecaaae 65,701.27 || 
9SSS ate nathan See oes oe woke 96, 630.12 || otal =. esse ae eorp aoe 2, 268, 129. 98 
