July 23, 1886.] 



SCIENCE. 



75 



Meanwhile the native poi)ulation is steadily de- 

 creasing. In 1823 there were 142,000, against 

 40,000 in 1884 ; and the foreigners, including the 

 half-castes, are now as numerous, the sum total 

 of the population being 80,578. The Chinese are 

 the most numerous of the foreigners, amounting 

 to about 18,000. Of the Caucasian element the 

 Americans exceed all others in number. In fact, 

 the islands are practically an American colony, 

 and hence are entitled to such consideration from 

 the U. S. government as is afforded by the reci- 

 procity treaty. The decrease of the native popula- 

 tion is due to bad influences introduced by for- 

 eigners. If it were possible to enforce rigorous 

 laws relating to intemperance, licentiousness, and 

 leprosy, and to train up the natives to engage in 

 the most suitable occupations, the decrease might 

 be stopped. 



The most extensive business is that of raising 

 sugar and selHng the raw product to the Califor- 

 nia refineries. About eighty companies and firms 

 are engaged in the business, and it is estimated 

 that 90,000 tons, worth seven million dollars, will 

 be shipped the present year. The best machinery 

 and the latest improvements are employed in the 

 manufacture of a superior grade. Most of the 

 companies are controlled by Americans or persons 

 of American descent, and the money hired to car- 

 ry on the business is also American. Some prej- 

 udice has been felt against the business, because 

 of the connection with it, in a very prominent 

 way, of Mr. Claus Spreckels, an American 

 citizen who has been very successful. He 

 formerly controlled the sugar business of the 

 islands, and was able to dictate his own prices 

 to the planters. But the planters are now inde- 

 pendent of him, as a new refinery has been started 

 in Cahfornia which actually buys and refines 

 more sugar than Spreckles' establishment. It is 

 fortunate for the Hawaiian government that 

 this gentleman is so largely interested in the 

 islands, as he is able to assist them by loaning 

 funds, though, it must be confessed, with large 

 interest. Perhaps for this reason he has recently 

 reaped a golden harvest by carrying out the prin- 

 ciples of the silver metallists. He had the con- 

 tract for furnishing the government with a million 

 dollars' worth of silver coin, according to the 

 American standard, and realized from the trans- 

 action the difference in value between the silver 

 and the gold. 



It is unfortunate that the politicians stopped the 

 investigations of Dr. Arning into the nature and 

 possible cure of leprosy. He had instituted experi- 

 ments with animals and condemned criminals, 

 illustrating the propagation of the disease, and 

 had discovered methods of ameliorating certain 



stages of the malady. Nothing could contribute 

 more to the welfare of the Hawaiian kingdom than 

 researches of this character ; and the removal of so 

 efScient an experimenter for merely political rea- 

 sons shows the prime cause of the decadence of the 

 nation. What the government will be in the 

 future, with its mixed population, no one can 

 predict. 



There is a social science club in Honolulu, meet- 

 ing once a month, where questions of social, politi- 

 cal, and physical science are ^dgorously discussed. 

 The June assembly was held at the house of S. E. 

 Bishop, whose name is familiar to the readers of 

 Science as the discoverer of • Bishop's rings ' around 

 the sun. Mr. Charles Cooke read a paper upon 

 corporations, enumerating all the legal corjiorate 

 bodies in the kingdom, followed by Chief Justice 

 A. F. Judd upon the early liistory of the nation. 

 The premier, Mr. Gibson, had said that the natives 

 had done the most for the welfare of the nation, 

 but Mr. Judd showed conclusively that the early 

 missionaries had often saved the kingdom from 

 destruction, especially when tln-eatened by the 

 irresponsible American, English, and French 

 naval commanders. Had it not been for the pru- 

 dence of Richards, the elder Judd, and other 

 Americans, bombardment would certainly have 

 followed the threats of those dissolute foreigners. 

 The admirable constitution is due to the advice of 

 the same missionary worthies. K. 



Honolulu, July 4. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



The U. S. geological survey has partially 

 mapped out its work for the jDresent year. It will 

 extend over a large portion of the United States. 

 There will be nine parties at work in Virginia, 

 West Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, North Caro- 

 lina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee. 

 Prof. A. N. Thompson will have charge of two 

 field-parties in Oregon, two in California, one in 

 Arizona, three in Texas, and three in Montana. 

 Professor Renshaw will have charge of three par- 

 ties which will do work in Kansas and Missouri. 

 Four parties working in Maryland, Massachusetts, 

 and New Jersey, will be under the direction of 

 Professor Baker. The chemical laboratory of the 

 survey, which is located in the national museum, 

 will continue during the summer months the 

 examination of rocks, minerals, soils, and other 

 matters necessary before the survey's work is 

 published. 



— The coast - survey work is still embarrassed, 

 owing to the lack of funds to continue operations ; 

 and no further instructions have been given for 

 field-work, pending the passage of the appropria- 



