The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-02 00:00:00

NAVIGATION BETWEEN GREAT

BRITAIN AND THE PACIFIC.

EXTRACT CF A LETTER FROM CAPTAIN PEACOCK, OF THE
PACIFIC STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY'S STEAM-VESSEL

PF Ali

VALPARAIII3, OCT. 17, 1840.---I left Rio de Janeiro,
with the Chili in company, en the 30th of August, and
arrived off Cape Possession on the morning of the 14th of
September. We proceeded through the Straits of Ma-
gellan, and the same afternoon anchored off Port Firnine,
where we remained cutting wood and completing water
until the morning of the 19th.
The day previous being the anniversary of the Chilian
ndependence, I erected a beacon 25 ket high on the
height of Santa Anna, depoeting underneath it a manu-
script parchment roll, descriptive of the particulars of each
vessel, length of passage, consumption of fuel, &c., toge-
ther with several British coins of the present year. We
then hoisted the Chilian ensign, and saluted it with three
cheers ; at sunset we lowered it, gave three cheers for the
Pacific Steam Navigation Company, and returned on board,
leaving the beacon a conspicuous seamark for the harbour,
and a firmly fixed monument, commemorative of the triumph
of steam in this part of the world.
The following morning, at daylight, we proceeded in
company through the remaining part of the Straits, the
waters of which were like a mirror, the sky without a
cloud, until we reached Cape Pillar, when, on entering
the Pacific, we experienced a heavy cross sea, and very
shortly afterwards a gale of wind from the N. N. W. That
night the Chili parted company ; the gale did not continue
more than 20 hours; the Peru proved herself an excellent
seaboat, and carried nothing away, although I was appre-
hensive of losing the platforms of the paddle-box houses.
After three or four heavy northerly breezes, during one
of which 1 took shelter under the island of Santa Maria, in
the Bay of Arauco, we arrived at Talcahuano on the 29th,
but the Chili did not mzke her appearance for a week
afterwards, which caused me the utmost anxiety and
uneasinesl. Captain Glover having steered a different
course, fell in with very severe weather, which obliged hint
to heave to under close-reefed maintop; ails ; however, I
am happy to state that the Chili received no damage, ane.
in the course of a few days it afforded me the greatest gra-
tification to see both the steamers looking as smart, and in
every way as effective, as the day they left the river
Thames. Atter the engines were painted and were dry,
I got the steam up with the coal of the country, in order
to try it. The small quantity which wo procured was
got from the font of a precipice. It was inferior to
Welch coal, but we had no difficulty in keeping up the
steam as long as it lasted. I was informed tli.t good coal
might be procured nt a place named Colcura, on the coast,
about twelve leae. uas south of Conception; and I
intended to have visited it with the Poiich geo'ogist,
M. Lololscky, in the service of the Chilian Government,
but, having met with an accident, I sent Dr. Weibourne,
who, in company with M. Lololscky and Mr. Cunning-
ham, the British Vice-Consul, proceeded to Colcura,
Laranuete, cud Arauco for the purpose of examining the
seal formations in those vicinities ; and I am happy to
state that their report establishes the fact of the existence
of coal suitable in every respect for steam navigation.
We left Talcahuano, in company, on the afternoon of
Wednesday the 14th, and in 25 hours (246 miles) arrived
off the port of Valparaiso, where we were met at the point
by a boat, with Mr. Scott on board, deputed by the Go-
vernor to convey a plan of the bay and shipping, and pro-
gramme of our proceedings, and a letter front Messrs.
Naylor, Beardraau, and Co., of which the following is a
copy :

" Valparaiso, October, 1840.
" Sir,—We beg leave to inform you, that his Excellency
the Governor of Valparaiso, bei6g desirous that your en.
trance into this port should be as conspicuous as possible,
has commissioned the bearer of this, dr. E. S. Scott, to
wait upon you, ar.d to request that you will be off and on
until a signal be hoisted at the lighthouse on the point;
whereupon a procession of two lines of boats, decked with
Egg, will leave the harbour to receive and welcome you,
between which you may enter ; referring to Mr. Scott for
further particulars,

" We are, Sir, your obedient servants,
" NAYLOR, BOARDMAN, and Co.
" Mr. George Peacock, Commander of the steamer Peru.'-'
After waiting some time for the signal, during which I
hoisted the Chilian ensign, and saluted it with twenty-one
guns, and performed various evolutions with both vessels,
Colonel Wood came on board, and we proceeded towards
the mole, the Chili close in our wake, passing between
the British flagship President and Chilian flagship Chili,
the rigging of both ships being manned by their respective
crews, giving us three cheers and a royal salute from the
latter and the smaller ships of war, which was followed by
another royal salute from the batteries and guns sine 'miner°
of all the reerch2nt-vessels who had the honour of sporting
powder. We then swept round within it few fathoms of the
mole-end, and passed between a line of boats, with
bands of music and decked with flags, lyirg off the
beach of the Almendral ; thence threaded our way in and
out of the different merchant vessels, which were orna-
mented with flags, receiving their cheers, and around the
sterns of the men-of-war; back again by another open-
ing, and anchoring off the mole-end, the shores and
every house and eminence from the point to the end of
the Almendral being lined with spectators, who kept up
a continual cheering and waving of handkerchiefs; is
short, this reception far exceeded our meat distant or
sanguine expectations, and I only regret that the worthy
projector of the enterprise, Mr. Wheelwright, was not
present to witness this gratifying display of enthusiasm ;
all the public offices were closed, shops shut, and business
suspended.
On Sunday his Excellency the Governor, Admiral
Rosa, and other public functionaries, with their families,
honour us with a visit. I intend getting up the steam,
land giving them a turn round the bay, and, as we have not
had a salute from champagne for a long time, Ido not
think we can have a better opportunity of so doing.
Wa brought up from Talcahuano five cabin passengers
at $2O a-head; one servant at $lO ; and a woman deck.
passenger at $lO, with two children at $5 each.
The engines of both vessels arc in excellent order, and
the vessels themselves require only to be caulked to fit
them for immediate service, and this only partially, as the
cargo has turned out in good order and condition.