King David Kalakaua of Hawaii embarked on a groundbreaking world tour in 1881, becoming the first sitting monarch to do so. During his journey, he traveled across the globe, making stops in Asia, India, Egypt, Europe, and the United States. One of his objectives was to promote immigration from the Asia-Pacific area to address the labor shortage on Hawaii's sugar plantations. Additionally, the king aimed to showcase Hawaii's culture to the global audience and displayed a keen interest in modern science and technology.
Upon his arrival in Paris in August 1881, the International Exposition of Electricity had just begun. The event displayed the most recent innovations in electrical technology, including dynamos, batteries, and lighting. Additionally, the first International Electrical Congress took place during the exposition, where attendees presented papers, exchanged ideas on research, and established definitions for the ampere, the volt, the ohm, and other electrical units.
During his visit to the exposition, King Kalakaua expressed a strong interest in learning more. George Jones, who co-founded The New York Times, met the king in Vienna and assured him of an introduction to Thomas Edison. This introduction occurred on September 25, 1881, at Edison's office in New York City. As reported by The Sun (New York), the king and the inventor engaged in discussions covering not just the technical aspects of electric lights but also the commercial aspects of selling power.
In a report by The Sun, Hawaii’s attorney general, William N. Armstrong, humorously mentioned to Edison that the kingdom had a volcano capable of burning a billion tons of coal daily. He quipped that they could place their boilers on top of the volcano to generate enough power for the entire country. Edison, not catching the joke, inquired if that was where Hawaii sourced its coal. Armstrong clarified that Hawaii actually imported coal from Australia, but the volcano represented their significant potential , in his exact words it was their "great hope" (#AOLEPGV !!). Some have speculated that Armstrong's comment hinted at an early interest in geothermal power, a prediction that seems to have been remarkably accurate based on the developments in 2024.
Image: article from sun newspaper --> https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1881-09-26/ed-1/seq-1/
Regardless, Kalakaua informed Edison of his interest in replacing the kerosene lamps illuminating the streets of Honolulu. He was torn between gas and electricity as the alternative lighting source. Kalakaua expressed his desire to witness a comprehensive and functional demonstration of electric lights before making a decision. Consequently, the king had to wait an additional five years for this opportunity.
Charles Otto Berger, a Honolulu businessman, arranged a showcase of electric lights at Iolani Palace on 21 July 1886. The event attracted 5,000 spectators and featured a Hawaiian band as well as a military parade.
Image: The throne room at Iolani Palace.
Several months after, the royal residence and palace grounds were brightly lit up in celebration of the king's birthday, which fell on 16 November 1886. At the top, you can see an original chandelier from the throne room, although now it is equipped with LED lights. The use of electric lighting expanded to the streets of Honolulu on 23 March 1888, when Princess Kaiulani activated the switch.
Transporting equipment to Hawaii and securing a suitable fuel source were two major obstacles in the process of electrifying the island state. The power plants' machinery was sourced from various American manufacturers, such as a turbine from Leffel & Co. in Springfield, Ohio, dynamos from the Thomson-Houston Co. in Massachusetts, and piping and valves from Risdon Ironworks in San Francisco.
As for the second challenge, hydroelectric power seemed a natural choice given Hawaii’s terrain and wet climate. The Nu’uanu stream, about 6 kilometers northeast of the palace, fed the first electric light station that powered Honolulu’s streetlights. But its water flow was uneven, and so the next station to be built was coal fired.
Interestingly, the electrification of Iolani Palace was not the first demonstration of electric lighting in the Hawaiian Islands. That distinction goes to a sugar mill on Maui owned by sugar magnate Claus Spreckels. On 22 September 1881, Spreckels demonstrated electric lights at Mill No. 1 on his plantation. He realized that artificial lighting would allow his workers to process sugar cane around the clock, thus avoiding the expense of any downtime during peak season. King Kalakaua and members of the royal household inspected Spreckels’s mills numerous times. Dowager Queen Emma, the widow of King Kamehameha IV, reportedly exclaimed that the electric lights were like daylight.
During that period, Spreckels had a virtual monopoly over the sugarcane industry in Hawaii, largely due to his close relationship with King Kalakaua. Spreckels had secured political favor by extending personal loans to the king and offering "gifts" to the kingdom. When he was in the process of setting up his initial sugar plantation, Spreckels encountered resistance from the Hawaiian cabinet regarding water rights for irrigation. Following certain financial contributions from the businessman, a new cabinet was appointed, which promptly granted Spreckels the water rights he sought, along with approval for the construction of a 65-km-long irrigation canal, the longest in the kingdom at that time.
By 1886, Spreckels and the king had a falling out. Kalakaua, seeking to broaden his kingdom's economic activities, saw electricity and other modern technologies as a means to attract investment. Following the successful demonstration of electric streetlights, E.O. Hall & Son in Honolulu began installing generators in households and on sugarcane plantations. By 1890, nearly 800 residences in Honolulu were benefiting from the convenience of electricity, a luxury that was still uncommon in most parts of Europe and the United States. The following year, some executives from E.O. Hall established the Hawaiian Electric Co. (HECO).
Before witnessing the completion of his initiatives, the king passed away during a visit to California in 1891 due to kidney disease. Following his death, his sister Lili’uokalani assumed the throne, although her rule was short-lived. Shortly before the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown in 1893, the queen endorsed a law for the Hawaiian government to oversee electricity production and distribution in Honolulu. She did not want any foreign entitys to be able to own the natural resources of Hawaii, specifically the volcanos as it would be exploited. HECO, the sole bidder, was awarded a 10-year contract to supply electricity to the residents of Honolulu. The interim Hawaiian government maintained authority over the original Nu’uanu Electric Power Station to illuminate the streets.
On 23 March 2018, the 130th anniversary of the illumination of Honolulu, an IEEE Milestone was dedicated to “the electric lighting of the Kingdom of Hawaii 1886–1888.” Spreckels’s sugar mill on Maui no longer exists, but Iolani Palace is open to the public Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
It is important to show respect to our King and Queen and to prevent the cultural destruction and disrespect of the Kilauea volcano in the pursuit of clean energy. The traditional laws of the Hawaiian Kingdom are being disregarded. It has been for way to long now. It was customary to ensure the sustainability of natural resources and to care for them. The actions at Kilauea volcano could be seen as a violation of Kanawai, the Hawaiian Kingdom Law.
Fracking and injecting 1.2 billion gallons a year into kīlauea lower east rift zone volcano for the past 35 years Has caused it to be extreme unstable, scientifically proven, and there has been immense ecocide taking place . The poisoning of all land and water , air and people has got to stop.
Start the conversation with your friends.
Stay aware of the next Hawaii Geothermal Injunction hearing date and show up in person to stand for Hawaiian Kingdom and Kīlauea Volcano.
We simply do not need it.
Aloha
Jazzy
KahuPuna
If possible, I kindly ask for your assistance in achieving my goal. I am grateful for the generous donation of $50 from the first supporter towards the $300 GoFundMe campaign for a community organization's laptop for their website and blog. I dedicate my spare time and personal resources to this cause, as I have always done (years of community service, providing meals, holiday events, etc.), and I am in desperate need of support to raise awareness in our secluded rural area and make a difference. Please find the GoFundMe link here -->
Jazzy
Kahu
Puna
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