SAN FRANCISCO TO MANILLA. 
261 
yet spoken. The former 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 
commercial 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, (see Appendix IX.,) which was published in a 
newspaper at Oahu, compiled by intelligent merchants there, gives the 
amount of imports at four hundred and fifty-five thousand dollars. 
These are the amounts of goods actually landed—I do not include 
those that have been brought in, and retained on board ships; while 
the exports of-native produce are no more than ninety-eight thousand 
dollars: one-half of the imports are set down as from the United 
States. From this great difference between the imports and exports, 
it would appear that many of these articles must have been reshipped 
to other ports, or are still on hand. The latter I believe to be the case. 
During the year for which the returns are given, more has certainly 
been consumed on the islands than in former years; but the interdic¬ 
tion of trade by foreign vessels on the coast of California, together 
with the exorbitant duties there, have most effectually paralysed all 
trade in that quarter, and, therefore, the goods intended for that 
market were landed at Oahu, and remained in store there. The 
trade on the Northwest 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 exclusively from the Hudson Bay Company, or by the latter, 
who have adopted the principle of underselling 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 confined to but a few 
vessels. 
Although the Sandwich Islands are not so fruitful as many of the 
other islands of Polynesia, yet their geographical situation has ren¬ 
dered them hitherto by far the most important group in the Pacific 
Ocean. 
They are the favourite and most convenient resort for those whale- 
