HONOLULU, capital and principal port of Hawaii (q.v.), and seat of the city and county of Honolulu, is situated in 19' N., 157° 52' W., on the south coast of Oahu island 2,091 M. S.W. of San Francisco. Pop. (1890) 22,907; (1900) 39,920; (1910) 52,183; (1920) 137,582. The city ex tends 1 o m. along the shore and 4 m. inland across a plain a mile wide and up ridges and valleys to a mountain range 2,000— 3,100 ft. high. Near the middle are the modern harbour, business section, civic centre, and, a mile back, the crater Punchbowl (500 ft.) ; at the east end stands, like a lion couchant, the crater Diamond Head (76o ft.) ; at the west end are the lower Salt lake craters. With foreground of opalescent waters, middleground of colourful exotic vegetation, background of deeply-cut verdant mountains and a sky of azure, it is reputed one of the most beau tiful of cities. Tempered by cool trade breezes, the temperature on the plain is 56°-88° with a mean of 74.6°, while annual rainfall averages 28.6 in., the temperature decreasing and rainfall increas ing with altitude. At the cross-roads of trans-Pacific trade routes, arrivals of ocean steamers average three a day. The city is head quarters for a fleet of inter-island steamers. Rural Oahu is reached by railway and concrete and macadam roads. Honolulu is well served by electric railway, light and power, gas, automatic telephone, water and sewer systems, inter-island and shore-to-ship wireless and trans-Pacific cable and wireless. The civic centre, a spacious park, contains or is bordered by the Federal building, the Territorial capitol (formerly palace), judiciary, office, library, archives and armoury buildings and several fine quasi-public and private buildings. The new Royal Hawaiian hotel at Waikiki beach is notable among other fine buildings. There are many drives, parks and playgrounds, the largest being Kapiolani park, between Waikiki and Diamond Head. Much has been done for beautification, including elimination of bill boards from the island. There is a profusion of introduced plants : monkey-pods, Indian and Chinese banyans, silk, cotton and umbrella trees, Norfolk island pines and Australian ironwoods, numerous palms, variegated coleus and Croton shrubs, bougainvillea, bignonia, cup-of-gold and night-blooming-cereus vines, flame trees, shower trees, and the jacaranda, coral and African tulip trees, and over 2,000 varieties of hibiscus ; the whole city indeed is a botanical garden. The principal manufactories are pineapple canneries and iron works. There is a chamber of commerce and a stock and bond exchange. Periodicals are published in seven languages. There are numerous civic, scientific, historical, literary, art, dramatic, music, profes sional, industrial, religious and social welfare organizations. The United Welfare Fund (community chest) contributes $450,000 annually towards the million-dollar expense of 25 welfare organiza tions. The principal clubs are the Pacific (oldest west of the Missouri), University, Commercial, Oahu Country, Mid-Pacific Country, Honolulu Hawaii Polo and Racing and Pearl Harbour Yacht. There is an excellent art museum. The Bernice Pauahi Bishop museum, besides having the most extensive Polynesian collections, maintains a large staff of scientists and is now making a scientific survey of the Pacific. Honolulu is a centre for Pan Pacific conferences, notably those of the Institute of Pacific Relations and the Pacific Science Association, and others under the auspices of the Pan-Pacific Union. Pearl Harbour, with the largest U.S. naval station, is 7 m. west. Schofield Barracks, largest U.S. military post, is 20-25 m. west on a plateau 800-1,000 ft. high. Ft. Shafter, 3 m. west of the civic centre, is military head quarters of the Hawaiian department. Forts Ruger, De Russy, Armstrong and Kamehameha are respectively at Diamond Head, Waikiki and the entrances to Honolulu and Pearl harbours.
(W. F. FR.)