Under Hawaiian skies, a narrative of the romance, adventure and history of the Hawaiian Islands, a complete historical account, by Albert Pierce Taylor.

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UNDER HAWAIIAN SKIES

So a U.S. S. Boston was on guard at Honolulu in 1843.
A U. S. S. Bostonz was on guard at Honolulu in 1893.
'I'he importance of making a naval station for the United
States in the Hawaiian Islands was advocated at Honolulu as
early as 1841, when the editor of the Polynesian urged, editorially, such action upon the American government. He stated
that all the commanders of U. S. ships of war visiting the
Islandls had been impressed with what they considered to be such
a necessity, and stated it would be a feature of their respective
rel)orts.
"That the government at home is beginning to appreciate representations to this effect," he wrote in May, that year, "and to
be more fully aware of the great amount of American property
and interests which are in so exposed a situation in this ocean,
we may infer fromi the fact that the sloop-of-war Yorktoiwn,
under the command of one of tie most active and capal)le captains of the navy, has been ordered to cruise throughout Polynesia with a special view toward the whaling interests. When
we consider the extent of the field, the (langers of navigation,
the numerous savage and hostile triles, the semi-civilized nations
so rapidlly rising into existence, the great nulmbler of islands frequentedl b) American shipping, the nulmber of seamen, ships,
amount of property all embraced within its limits, we find that
a niuch larger force could be profitably employed. * * * The
attention of the American government cannot be too often or too
forcibly directed towarls the i ncreasing interests of its citizens
in the North Pacific."
Conmmodore Dlownes, cotmllanding the United States Frigate
Potomac, whiich ma(le a worl(l cruise, stol)ping at Honolulu
about 1832, also foresaw Honolulu as an important base in the
far future, and (lilate(l at length on the possibilities of Honolulu,as a naval base, a l)lace for outfitting and repairing ships, to care
for those crippled by storms or war, and, in effect, appeared to
urge an American foothold in the Islands, without so expressing
himself directly.