SAN FRANCISCO TO MANILLA. 263 



is the interest of the United States that they should maintain the 

 neutrality that they seek to establish, and should not be permitted to 

 fall into the hands of any other power. 



I am rather disposed to think that, in the progress of civilization in 

 the South Seas, this group will be considered of less importance than 

 it now appears, and instead of its being looked to as it now is, as a 

 point of attraction, or a place wherein to obtain information and 

 supplies, it will be only visited by whalers for recruiting. Their growth 

 has already arrived at the greatest extent to which it can ever reach. 

 A direct communication with Oregon and California will do away with 

 the necessity of intercourse through the islands; they must, conse- 

 quently, be left to their own resources to maintain trade ; and when 

 California and the Oregon Territory can afford the whalers equal advan- 

 tages, which, when settled, they will do in a few years ; the advantages 

 derived from this source will be withdrawn. Unfortunately for these 

 islands, a fictitious importance has been ascribed to their geographical 

 position, in the belief that much political ascendency in the Pacific must 

 accrue to the nation which may possess them ; this state of opinion has 

 been brought about by the exertions of the American missionaries, who 

 have been the means of raising the natives so rapidly in the scale of 

 civilization, and from whose success our countrymen have acquired 

 much influence. This ascendency, however, has been partly the means 

 of provoking a sectarian war, which has brought about much trouble, 

 and been the cause of great distress both to the king and people. These 

 troubles have probably been of some advantage to the people, and 

 afforded the means of increasing their wealth, and causing a demand 

 for their products, which, though trifling as to amount, yet in such a 

 small community has been sensibly felt, and has enabled them to obtain 

 many advantages they could not have had otherwise. I have some 

 doubt whether the Hawaiian Islands can ever become an independent 

 nation by the exertion of their own people, since they have unwisely 

 invited foreigners to reside among them, and given them equal rights 

 and privileges with natives. Endeavours are now making to introduce 

 foreign labourers and capital, which, although proceeding from a dispo- 

 sition to advance and develope the resources of the islands, will have a 

 tendency to injure the native labouring population. The introduction 

 of foreign labour will necessarily bring with it foreign habits and 

 custom, which the natives are, even now, too prone to imitate ; and the 

 examples that are set before them are generally, if not always, of the 

 worst description. 



The inducements held out to the king and chiefs to make large 



