Nuhou, Volume II, Number 26, 24 ʻOkakopa 1873 — Commercial Importance of the South Sea Islands. [ARTICLE]

Commercial Importance of the South Sea Islands.

I j An earne=t etrugglc for counuercial sapfeinacy j \a thc I*oljnc6ian Archipclago iBquictlyprōgress-j iug. England, the Unitcd Statcs, Fraacc, and-j Gcrmany arc thc chicf competitor3. Australia, j is reprCĒcnting England, is rcally master of the ■ sītuation, but her povrci- is l)eing jealously eheek- j , „mated tvhcrevcr possible. Thc resourecs of the Saoioan or Navigatofs* Islands, the Society īsl■,vnds, thc Fi}is, ctc., aro immcnse, but as yet p:U'tially \lcvclopeii. Teri or a dozen ycavs ago the tradc of the Navigator»- Islanda was limitcd toan occasional eall froui a whaler. But in lS0t) therc werc 13,4X2.t0ne qf ehipping entercd aini cleāreil, u Samda,Vf wliieh 5.402 wcrc Tsritīab. 5,690 \uicrican, 3,23(1 («eniian, and l.luO T.aliitian. [n 1872 this total liad inercascd ncark fifty per ccnt. Alrcady tho trade of thc Fijis, whieh \vas >pcu to anybody a fcw y.-u> ago, 'h in i :.>«o īop>līscd hy t!ic Australiims. Thc Frs iu '< \\d thi' • Jcruians !iavc also heon ,«fr : iving to sec;u-c a share olse\vhcre, lmt hii!icrto \vithout iiuc!>. Neithcr nation is popular. if we may annly the csprcs?ion, in thj|£- part (il thc \\orUi. lhe Frcnch arc virtual \ wi-o-.-oi'-* of t!ic S viety lslind?. and tlic Ip'ii' i!;n«\nuicnt lia- o!Ecial reprcscntativcs at 'l' hiti. Thc trai' 'vtwcen t!ic Fijis and Austraha is vcry lumo. -n-1 M-lmn " rcaps a rich harvcst t!i;crcfro;n.

! Thq Amcrican puhlio hok but ai'luni unJ | practic*al kn<)wlclg<j of t!ic Pu 1 yne;i aiL ArchipelltI go. < r uid fcbe Ncws Lelter, whieh ls au ii3terrui~ tional journal, hai* taken a deep interest in t;jc South Sea lsknds and deiires to nave reliablc iiiformation thercupon. llenee our eorre.spondent, Mr. B. Adonis, who sail« to-day for Ilonolulu, ! wil! ivon\ therc proccei to the arehipelago. He ; i> a gcntlcman who, divcstc l of all prejudictv, ; will bc able to givc our homo and forcigti readcrīs • accurate and truthful nccpunt-« oi' the resouicesof i of the islands, their pcoplc, hnbits 5 and customs. | He wiii be the first journalist from these shores ! who visits tnc distant und iutere.sting islands j the »Soutu Scas,—Ncv:s Lcitcr.