AN AMERICAN PROTECTORATE,

We are informed by a cable message from Washington that the proposals concerning fcho annexation of the Hawaiian Islands by the United States of America have at lasb taken concrete shape, and thab the Ameri can Government has decided to declare a protectorate over the islands of Hawaii. Whether this report be founded on fact or not, the announcement is by no means unexpected. For many years past a certain eoction of the United Statea Congress lias been in pronounced favour of the annexa tion of Hawaii, and it would seem that the Gti'orts of those interested in the hoisting of the Stars and Stripes over the land of tlie Kanaka are at last about to be crowned with success. The American element is pre dominant in Hawaii ; the currency is American, and the whole of the trade of Hawaii virtually is done with the United Statep. There is an English section also at Honolulu, but tho influence of this party is of very little account, against the enormous influence and trade of the States. The present Queen of Hawaii, Lilinoka lani, ib said to rather favour the English than the American interest. The late King Kulakaua, leaned towards the United States. The sugar trade of Hawaii is very considerable, very many thousands of tona of sugar being exported to the Statoß annually, and there is no doubt that the present annexation movement has been largely fostered by Ulaus Spreckels, of San Francisco, who possesses enormous in terests in the Hawaiian sugar business as well as in the shipping trade between Hawaii and San Francisco. Hitherto the policy of the United States has been consistently adverse to anything in the way of forreign annexation. It is possible thab there may be some objec tions raised in English circles to the Ameri can protectorate over Hawaii, but then, Great Britain, with her eternal " grab" policy, always did object to other nations annexing anything at all on the face of the earth. In any case, ib is hard to ccc of what possible use these islands could be to England.
