Sandwich Islands  Notes  Source  Whalesite

Extracts from a letter of John C. Jones, jr., Consul of the United States for the Sandwich Islands, to Captain Wm. B. Finch, dated 30h October, 1829.

      "You have requested me to give you such information as I may be possessed of, relative to the state, extent, value and wants of the American commerce at these islands, in consequence of the Government of the United States having evinced a lively interest for its better protection and more successful prosecution.

      In complying with this request, I shall endeavor to be as concise as possible, and give you such information only as shall be conceived may be most desirable for our government to be informed of. Since the discovery of the whale fishery on the coast of Japan, and the independence of the republics of the western coasts of North and South America, the commerce of the United States, at the Sandwich Islands, has vastly increased. Of such importance have these islands become to our ships, which resort to the coast of Japan for the prosecution of the whale fishery, that, without another place could be found, possessing equal advantages of conveniences and situation, our fishery on Japan would be vastly contracted, or pursued under circumstances the most disadvantageous.

      The importance, also, of the Sandwich Islands, to ships bound from the western coast of North and South America to China or Manilla, has of late years, been fully tested; the number of such vessels is annually increasing which visit these islands, and they have been found to afford them every advantage for repairing, refreshing, &c., and generally a market for parts of cargoes, which such vessels commonly have remaining unsold at the time of leaving the coast of western America; these vessels, also, generally obtain from these islands a freight of sandal wood, either from Canton or Manilla, which is quite an inducement of itself to attract them to these isles.

      The commerce of the United States which resorts to the Sandwich Islands may be classed under five heads, viz: first, those vessels which trade direct from the United States to these islands for sandal wood, and from hence to China or Manilla, and return to America; 2d, those vessels which are bound to the northwest coast on trading voyages for furs, and touch here on their outward bound passage, generally winter at these islands, and always stop on their return to the United States by the way of China; third, those vessels which, on their passage from Chili, Peru, Mexico, or California, to China, Manilla, or the East Indies, stop at these islands for recruits or repairs, to obtain freight, or dispose of what small cargoes they may have left; fourth, those vessels which are owned by Americans resident at these islands, and employed by them in trading to the northwest coast, to California and Mexico, to China and Manilla; fifth, those vessels which are employed in the whale fishery on the coast of Japan, which visit semi-annually. Of the first class of vessels, which visit these islands annually, the number may be estimated at six, the amount of tonnage eighteen hundred, and the value of vessels and cargoes at three hundred and twenty thousand dollars; of the second class, the number may be estimated at five, the tonnage one thousand, and the value of vessels and cargoes two hundred and fifty thousand dollars; of the third class, the number may be estimated at eight, the tonnage at two thousand five hundred, and the value of vessels and cargoes at five hundred thousand dollars; of the fourth class, the number may be estimated at six, the tonnage one thousand, and the value of vessels and cargoes at two hundred thousand dollars; of the fifth class, the number may be estimated at one hundred, the tonnage thirty-five thousand, and the value of vessels and cargoes at four millions; thus making the commerce of the United States, which annually visits the Sandwich Islands, amount to one hundred and twenty-five vessels, estimated at forty thousand tons, and valued at five million two hundred and seventy thousand dollars. This estimate is made from the average number of vessels which have visited these islands during the last three years, and will, I believe, be found to be very near the extent and value of our commerce at these islands.

      The importance of the Sandwich Islands to the commerce of the United States which visits these seas, is, perhaps, more than has been estimated by individuals, or our government been made acquainted with. To our whale fishery on the coast of Japan, they are indispensably necessary; hither those employed in this business repair, in the months of April and May, to recruit their crews, refresh and adjust their ships; they then proceed to Japan, and return in the months of October and November. It is necessary that these ships, after their cruise on Japan, should return to the nearest port; in consequence, a large majority resort to these islands, certain here to obtain anything of which they may be in want. A small proportion, however, of these ships have proceeded, for supplies and refreshments in the fall, to ports on the coast of California: but as the government of Mexico have now imposed a duty of two dollars and one-eighth per ton on every ship that shall anchor within their waters, whether in distress or otherwise, this will, of course, prevent our whale ships from visiting that coast, and the Sandwich Islands will then remain the only resort for them after their cruise on the coast of Japan.

      As the governments of the republics of South America become settled, and peace established on their shores, our commerce with those nations will, undoubtedly, increase; and the result will, of course, have a tendency to bring more commerce to these islands. Here all vessels bound to China, Manilla, or the East Indies, will stop on their passage; and the more the advantages which these islands afford to such vessels are known, the more they will become frequented.

      When we come to reflect that, only a few years since, these Sandwish Islands were known to exist, and no more; that but lately they were visited by a few ships bound to the northwest coast of America, and they merely stopped to procure a few yams or potatoes; and that there now annually come to this remote corner of the globe forty thousand tons of American shipping, and the prospect is sure that, in no long protracted period, this number will double; we are led to conclude that the Sandwich Islands have been, and will continue to be, immensely more important to the commerce of the United States which visits these seas.

      The annual, if not semi-annual, visit of one of our ships-of-war to these islands is conceived to be necessary, and would, no doubt, be attended with the best advantages, affording to our commerce in these seas, protection, assistance, and security.

      For this station a sloop-of-war would be sufficient for every purpose required; and, if so arranged as to visit these islands in the months of March, April, and May, and again in October and November, every desired object would then be effected, and the result be that our merchantmen and whalers would come to these islands with perfect security, their stay here be made safe, and many abuses and inconveniencies with which they are now shackled would be done away; the very knowledge that a ship-of-war would semi-annually be at the Sandwich Islands, would be of infinite service to our commerce in general which enters the waters of the North Pacific ocean. — Since my residence on these islands, as an officer of the government, I have repeatedly, and oftentimes in the discharge of my official duties, felt the want of protection and aid from the power of my government. I have been compelled to see the guilty escape with impunity, the innocent suffer without a cause, the interests of my countrymen abused, vessels compelled to abandon the object of their voyage in consequence of desertion and mutiny, and men who might be made useful to society suffered to prowl amongst the different islands, a disgrace to themselves and their country, and an injury to others, whom they are corrupting and encouraging to do wrong. From such sources our commerce in this quarter of the globe has suffered much, and I have the confidence to believe that the regular visits of our ships-of-war to these islands (their commanders being clothed with sufficient power to act) would have the best tendency to regulate all things, and secure to our commerce everything which it now so importantly feels the want of."

This letter may be found at:

"Extracts from a letter of John C. Jones, jr., Consul of the United States for the Sandwich Islands, to Captain Wm. B. Finch, dated 30h October, 1829."
      American State Papers. Class VI. Naval Affairs, Volume III.
(Extract from the report of Captain Finch, &c. [A, No. 2]))
Documents communicated to Congress by the President at the opening of the Second Session of the Twenty-first Congress, accompanying the Report of the Secretary of the Navy [Dcember 6, 1830].
Washington: Gales & Seaton, 1860.

"Extract from a letter of John C. Jones, jr., Consul of the United States for the Sandwich Islands, to Captain Wm. B. Finch, dated 30h October, 1829."
Salem Gazette. January 25, 1831.
[1].

Sandwich Islands  Notes  Source  Whalesite