A HAWAHAN KING VISITS HONG KONG, 1881
95
accomplished linguist, went as personal attendant, to make up the Royal Suite of four.*
In personal appearance, the King was a thick-set man with dark curly hair, long sideburns, and a drooping mustache. He had a striking appearance and a warm outgoing personality. His social ease and scholarly intellect brought dignity and prestige to the Hawaiian throne. To some people, however, the "Merry Monarch” was looked upon as a spendthrift who loved card games, feasting, dancing, and horse and yacht racing,
5
Armstrong had the exceptional opportunity to gather information, and he recorded his observations in a book, Around the World with a King. In the Hawaii State Archives are three folders containing correspondence and reports of Armstrong and Kalakaua about this long trip. For easier reading of the King's holograph, the Hawaiian Journal of History has published "The Royal Tourist-Kalakaua's Letters Home from Tokio to London.”7
As a farewell to the King, a Sunday morning service was held on January 16, 1881 at the Catholic Cathedral with over 1,000 people attending. The January 22nd issue of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser also reported a Sunday evening service at the Protestant Kawaihao Church which was filled to capacity. The Honorable J. N. Kapena took the occasion to note that His Majesty spoke at the church six years ago on the eve of his visit to Washington where he was successful in making the country richer and in the betterment of his people, as evidenced by new houses, ships, railways, and other improvements. This time the King was taking a Royal Commissioner of Immigration with him to look for people of brown skins to repeople these isles. Also, the King was going to observe other governments. "The great nations now look with respect on this little Kingdom and will have still more, when they see our King travelling among them for information to benefit his people." With this Aloha send-off, the Royal party started their nine-month tour.
Hawaiian Minister of Foreign Affairs, W. L. Green, had already written ahead on January 15, 1881 to R. W. Irwin, Hawaiian Consul General in Japan, to anticipate the King's visit. Minister Green had also sent out a circular letter on January 17, 1881 to Hawaiian consular officials abroad about the Royal tour that "one of the objects is to obtain the best possible information in the different
A HAWAHAN KING VISITS HONG KONG, 1881
95
accomplished linguist, went as personal attendant, to make up the Royal Suite of four.*
In personal appearance, the King was a thick-set man with dark curly hair, long sideburns, and a drooping mustache. He had a striking appearance and a warm outgoing personality. His social ease and scholarly intellect brought dignity and prestige to the Hawaiian throne. To some people, however, the "Merry Monarch” was looked upon as a spendthrift who loved card games, feasting, dancing, and horse and yacht racing,
5
Armstrong had the exceptional opportunity to gather informa- tion, and he recorded his observations in a book, Around the World with a King. In the Hawaii State Archives are three folders con- taining correspondence and reports of Armstrong and Kalakaua about this long trip. For easier reading of the King's holograph, the Hawaiian Journal of History has published "The Royal Tourist -Kalakaua's Letters Home from Tokio to London.”7
As a farewell to the King, a Sunday morning service was held on January 16, 1881 at the Catholic Cathedral with over 1,000 people attending. The January 22nd issue of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser also reported a Sunday evening service at the Protestant Kawaihao Church which was filled to capacity. The Honorable J. N. Kapena took the occasion to note that His Majesty spoke at the church six years ago on the eve of his visit to Washington where he was successful in making the country richer and in the betterment of his people, as evidenced by new houses, ships, railways, and other improvements. This time the King was taking a Royal Com- missioner of Immigration with him to look for people of brown skins to repeople these isles. Also, the King was going to observe other governments. "The great nations now look with respect on this little Kingdom and will have still more, when they see our King travelling among them for information to benefit his people." With this Aloha send-off, the Royal party started their nine-month tour.
Hawaiian Minister of Foreign Affairs, W. L. Green, had already written ahead on January 15, 1881 to R. W. Irwin, Hawaiian Consul General in Japan, to anticipate the King's visit. Minister Green had also sent out a circular letter on January 17, 1881 to Hawaiian consular officials abroad about the Royal tour that "one of the objects is to obtain the best possible information in the different
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