The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDA EVENING, JUNE 9, 1842.

STEAM NAVIGATION IN THE

PACIFIC.

The progress a steam navigation in the Pacific
Ocean, set on foot 'by the enterprise of British mer-
chants, and calculated to be of so much service to
this country, is shown in some interesting correspon-
dence lately received. In addition to the coal mines
previously worked, further supplies have been ob-
tained from the Island of Amortajado, where a light-
house is in course of erection. Nothing can be more
likely to promote tranquillity among the republics of
South America than a good system of coasting com-
munication, such as steamers afford. _ _

The following letter relates to the discovery of coal
at Santa. Clara :

"P.S.N.C. steamer Chile, Guayaquil, Nov. 1841.
" TO VINCENTE ROCAFOERTE, ESQ., GOVERNOR, &C.
" Sir,—l have the honour to inform you that after
embarking the lighthouse frames, iron work, lantern,
&c., on a balsa, we. took it in tow in the Guayas (a
small steamer intended for navigation of the river of
Guyaquil), and proceeded to the island of Santa Clara
(or Amortajado), where we arrived on the evening of
Sunday last, and with very great difficulty, owing to
a heavy surf, succeeded in landing everything by
Monday night.
" having superintended laying the foundation,
I proceede in the Guayas to
.the Payana Shoals,
leaving the prosecution of the work in the hands of
Captain Rojas and Mr. Girdon ; and during Tuesday
laid down a black buoy, bearing a staff and ball,
fifteen feet high, off the extremity to the outermost
and most projecting spit, the position of which,
together with that of the lighthouse and the other
buoys, I beg to hand you herewith annexed. We
anchored off Mr. Cope's house, at Punta Espanola, on
Tuesday evening, completed our water for the use of
the island, and took off the two white buoys left here
by Captain Rojas, in the Diligencia, by midnight.
On the following morning I visited the top of the
Cerro Mala, in company with Mr. Cope, to observe
the best stations for telegraphs, and to examine the
nature of this part of the island of Puna geologi-:
cally ; and from what I saw and examined I ma led to
believe that coal exists there. I have pointed,out to Mr.
Cope the spot I consider the most likely to find a •
vein, which that gentleman intends searching for
without loss of time. The best places for telegraph
stations I have enumerated in the appendix.
" I take this opportunity of stating that I consider
Punta Espanola a place well adapted for steamers or
other vessels getting supplies of fuel and water, which
are of the best description, and a wharf or mole may
be easily constructed.
" We left Punta Espanola on Wednesday at two
p.m., and placed one white buoy on the N.E. spit of
the shoal (called in Spanish Bajo Male.), and then
proceeded to look for the shoal said to exist off Punta
.hennas, which after much trouble, time, and pa-
tience, we had the good fortune to find, and laid down
the other white buoy off its S.E. extremity. This is
a very dangerous shoal, and I should strongly recom-
mend that whenever an opportunity offers a balsa
should be moored on the spot the buoy now occupies,
carrying a light elevated 50 or 60 feet above the
level of the sea, and the buoy removed to the middle
of the Mala Shoal. I should likewise recom-
mend that a black buoy should as soon as possible
be placed on the spit of the shoal lying off the mouth
of Balao river.; one also on the shoal lying 14
miles E. of Punta Mandinga (or Puna Bluff), which is
sometimes dry, and another black buoy close to the
west side of the sunken rock laying off Punta Piedra,
which would complete the navigation of this noble
river, and render it safe and secure. Whenever the
trade of the port shall warrant it, a revolving light
on Punta Mandinga (or Puna Bluff) would be very
serviceable to lead vessels up to Puna in the night.
" We returned to. the Island of Santa Clara, or
Amortajado, on Thursday morning; and at five p. m.,
the frames being all up, we had the honour to drink
your Excellency's health, and success to the repub-
of Ecuador; and the flag of the nation being at the
same moment unfurled from the top of the lighthouk
it was immediately saluted by the guns of the schooner
of war Diligencia. The light will be permanently
lit on the Ist of December next.

" As all- our energies have been directed to the
erection of the lighthouse, which to carry to the top
of the'hill was a work of great lahour, no search has
been yet made for the vein of coal or water ; but I
beg herewith to hand you further specimens of what
I procured from a stratum of carbonaceous schist last
evening, about 100 feet above the level of the sea ;
and I set four men to sink a pique (shaft) before I
came away, in a spot I think likely to strike the vein.
" I have much pleasure in stating that I have re-
ceived the greatest assistance from Capt. 'Doyle,
Capt. Rojas, and Mr. Gordon ; and I have the
honour to be your Excellency's most obedient servant
(Signed) " GEORGE PEACOCK."
To which the subjoined reply was received :
(Translation.)
Letter from Dr. Vicente Recafuerte to George Pea-
cock, Esq., Commander of the steamer Chile, and
Second Superintendent of the Pacific Steam Navi-
gation Company in the Pacific.
" Guayaquil, Nov. 1841.
" Much-esteemed Sir,—lt has afforded me great
pleasure to receive the communication you have been
pleased to address to me, under date of the 10th inst.,
furnishing me with a detailed and minute account of
the voyage which, at my suggestion, you had the
goodness to undertake to the island of Amortajado,
for the purpose of there erecting a lighthouse. In
that voyage you have not only realised but even
exceeded our most sanguine hopes, for you have
resolved the problem, that on our coast coal
is to be found, being the only obstacle that
timid and unenterprising minds have opposed to
the successful result of steam navigation in the
Pacific. I give you my most cordial congratulations
for so important a discovery, and, should you have
time to explore our territory, I feel assured that your
talent, in conjunction with your enlightened activity,
will meet with new objects worthy of the considera-
tion of the wise English, and probably conducing
still more to facilitate steam navigation.
"The samples of coal you have brought from the
island, and which you have had the polite attention
to send to me, have appeared very excellent to all
those aquainted with the matter, who have examined
them ; and as no doubt now exists that this mineral
is to be. met with in the island of Amortajado, we
feel assured that it is also to be found in the adjacent
island of La Puna, and that it will likewise be met
with in the island of Santa Elena, as well as on the
coast of Choco.

" I flatter myself that by following your suggestions
we shall find fresh water in the island. The yerba
de salvage, or dye-lichen, you have sent to me is like-
wise of a very good quality. With regard to the
guano, we shall examine it, and see what it is. At all
events, as far as we are concerned, it is a new article
from which we may derive some commercial advan-

tages.
" It is a fortunate circumstance to have discovered
the coal mine whilst seeking out the most favourable

spot for erecting a lighthouse ; and this new discovery
evidently proves the correctness of the calculations
that have served asa basis for executing the noble and
magnificent undertaking of steam navigation in the
Pacific, and further contributes to ensure the
future interests of the Company, and to favour the
progress of commerce and science in general. The
establishment of steam navigation in the Pacific, secure
as it now is, is in effect to have brought by the route
of the Isthmus of Panama, Europe and Xmerica, close
to each other ; and to have placed the secret treasures
and wonders of nature in this part of the new world
under the view and direct investigation of the savans
of Europe.
" I shall avail myself of all the observations you
have had the goodness to make for the purpose of cor-
recting the defects of the Guayas, and putting her,
as you recommend, in good .sailing order. This is
another important service you have rendered us ; and
it is particularly agreeable to me to acknowledge that,
from the arrival of the steamer Chile in this river,
every day that you and Mr. Wheelwright have re-
mained with us has been marked by some act of public
utility—thanks to the talent, zeal, and firmness of
both of you in promoting the advantages of this river
navigation. We shall be indebted to you for the erec-
tion of the lighthouse, the discovery of coal in the
island of Amortajado, the finding of the dye-lichen,
and the guano ; and, in fine, for the new method of
buoys, invented by you for avoiding the river shoals.
"Guided by the purest sentiments of gratitude
towards you, and entertaining ardent wishes for your
individual good fortune, and the prosperity of the
Pacific Steam Navigation Company, I have the
honour to subscribe myself, your most faithful ser-
vant and devoted friend,
(Signed) " V. ROCAFUERTE."
In a pecuniary point of view it is satisfactory to
find that the English have not embarked their capital
in promoting. steam navigation on the Pacific without
a prospect of a profitable return, which is shown in
the following extract from the log of the Chile, for
December, 1841 :
" Dec. 27th.--Left Callao with 86 passengers, and
35,000 dollars.
" 28th —At 6 a.m.' altillored at Pisco, landed 33
passengers, took on bqPIE -56 packages, and sailed
again at 8 a.m.
" 30th—At 6 a.m. anchored at Islay, landed 21
passengers and 16.5 packages; took on board 9 pas-
sengers, 150 packages, and 3,000 dollars, and sailed at
2 p.m.
" 31st—At 6 a.m. arrived off Arica, landed 8 pas-
sengers and 133 packages ; took on board 10 passen-
gers, 145 packages, and 500 dollars, and sailed at
haltkpast 10 p.m.
" Jan. Ist--At 9 a.m. anchored at Iquique, landed
5 !engers, 76 packages, and 14,000 dollars ; took
o'n,hp'a'rd 3 passengers,
.1 package, and 2,520 dollars,
via(r salJed again at noon.
t.'.2c.1.--At 6 a.m. anchored at Col,:ja, landed 3 pas-
Ferigers and 101 packages ; took on iioard 1 package,
442 dollars, and 3 passengers; sailed again at 1 p.m. 1

" 4th—At 4 a.m. anchored at Copiapo, landed 1
passenger, and took on board 17, -8 packages, 8,567
marks of silver, and 1,500 dollars; sailed again at
10 a.m. _ _ _

"At 6 p.m. anchored at Masco ; took on board
twenty-one passengers and 2,999 marks of silver ; and
sailed at 9 p.m.
"sth—At 10 a.m. anchored at Coquimbo; landed
four packages ; took on board twelve passengers, 146
packages, and ten tons of coal ; and sailed at 10 p.m.
"7th—At 6 a.m. arrived off the Light-house of
Valparaiso, having been eight days at sea, and two
and a half ill port.
" 10th—Proceeded to Talcahuano to coal, and re-
turned to ValparaiSo on the 17th.
"21st—Left Valparaiso at 3 p.m., with fifty-two
passengers, 1,590 packages, thirty tons of coal beyond
what was required for her consumption, a large
quantity of baggage, 30,000 dollars in specie, and
2,000 letters.
" Jan. 22—Arrived at 'Coquimbo at 2 30 p.m.;
landed 6 passengers, 5 bales, and 986 dollars; re-
ceived on board la passengers, 13 bales, and 6,900
dollars ; left at 5 30 in the evening.
" 23d--At 7 a.m. arrived at Huaseo ; landed 19
passengers, 6 bales, and 1,725 dollars, and left at
930 a.m. At 6 p.m. of the same day arrived at Co-
piapo ; landed .18. passengers and 42 packages ; took
on board 2 passengers and 5 packages ; and sailed
again at 9 1.5 pan. -
" 25th—Arrived at -4 p.m. at Cobija ; landed 1 pas-
senger and 45 bales'; and sailed again at 9 p.m.
" 26th—At 3 p.m. arrived at Iquique ; landed 1
passenger, 69 packages, and 30,940 dollars ; took on
board 2 passengers ; and sailed at 5 pan..
" 27th—At 7 a.m. arrived at Arica, and found the
port blockaded by the Peruvian corvette. Yungay,
and were prohibited.fMn approaching the coast, or
landing a single pass-anger, bale, or letter ; proceeded
for Ylo, and arrived there at 7 30 p.m. ; landed 6
passengers, 319 packages, and 8,620 dollars ; and at
5 45 a.m. on the 28th continued our voyage.
" 28th—At 45 minutes past noon arrived at Islay;
landed 6 passengers and 230 packages ; took on board
41 'passengers, 41 packages, and 27,800 dollars ; and
sailed at 8 30 p.m.
" 29th—Saw Port Lomas, but did not communicate.
" 30th—Soon after midnight arrived at Pico;
took on board 17 . passengers and 30 packages, and
sailed at 4 p.m.
" 31st—Arrived at Callao at 8 a.m., and landed 94
passengers.
" The gross receipts of the round voyage, performed
in 35 days, including all stoppages, amounted to nearly
18,000 dollars.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ENGLISH.
COUN TIES.
Dr. Fuller's remarks on our English counties,
scattered up and down the pages of his "Worthies,"
are no less quaint than characteristic in their ex-
pression. A few of them brought together may not
prove unamusing to our country friends.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.—This county has as little
waste ground as any in England, except the Whiter-
ing-heath, which, nevertheless, is a beauty-spot.
Northamptonshire has, therefore, been described as an
apple, without core to cut out, or rind to be peeled
away.
NORTHUMBERLAND.—With regard to buildings,
there are few fabrics here ; the vicinity of the Scots
made them build not for state, but strength. Where-
fore it was the rule with the houses of the gentry to
be " Quot mawciones, tot munitiones," as being all
castles, or castle-like.
BRISTOL.—More truly named Bright-Stow, that is,
illustrious, or bright dwelling.
SUFFOLK. Excellent cheeses are made herein, the
finest of which are very thin, as if intended not for
food, but digestion ; the Cambridge men are fond of
them, and scholars' palates are by no means incompe-
tent judges.
SURREY.—This county has been compared to a
cinnamon tree, whose bark is better than its body; so
the skirts and borders bounding this shire are rich and
fruitful, whilst the grounds in the interior are rather
barren.
SUSSEX.—The iron of this county formerly made
many great guns : Count Gondomar entreated King
James to let him export them, knowing their excellence.
LINCOLNSHIRE.—This county is, in shape, like a
a bent bow. The sea making the 'back ; the rivers
Welland and Humber, the two horns of it, while
Trent hangs down from the latter like a broken
string, as being somewhat of the shortest.
WESTMINSTER.—This city was anciently called
Thorney, and afterwards West-minster, for distinction
from St. Paul's, called, in ancient times, East-minster.
NORFOLK.—This county has the most churches
of any in England, amounting to .six hundred and
sixty..
RUTLANDSHIRE.—There is a fable relating to this
county of King Rott, and a conceit that it is named
Rutland from Root, the French word for a wheel,
its shape being nearly orbicular. Others say it' is so
.termed, as if Red-land, for a red tincture discolours
the earth, stones, and even the fleeces of the sheep
feeding there.
SOME RSETSHIRE.—Some say that it derives its '
name from its pleasant and equable temperature, and
is so called from its-summer-ish nature ; but it is named
from Summerton; the most ancient town in the
county.
WARWICKSHIRE.—It has been said, no less truly
than merrily, of this shire, that "it is the heart, but
not the core of England," since it has nothing coarse
or choaky therein.
WESTMORELAND.—" Here" says the giant Topo-
grapher, " is cold comfort from nature, but somewhat
of warmth froin industry. That the land is barren,
is God's pleasure : the people painful, their praise."
WILTSHIRE.--A pleasant country, and of great
variety. A wise man once said of it, that an ox left
to himself would, of all England, live in the north;
a sheep in the south ; and a man, in the middle, be-
twixt both.
DEvois:sitinE:—Of the gentry of this goodly pr.-
vince, Queen Elizabeth used to say, " they were all
born courtiers, with a becoming diffidence.'
ESSEX. —The parts adjoining the sea are called the
" Hundreds of Essex," and are fruitful in cattle. The
wits of the county much astonish strangers with the
stock of poor people in these parts, five hundred cows,
nine hundred sheep, which are, indeed, but five cows
and nine sheep, in this part called " the Hundreds." .
BERKSHIRE.—Anciently this county is said to
have borne the name of narkshire, and was so called
from a stripped or bark-bared oak, to which signal-
place the people repaired in time of trouble to make
their general defence.
BEDFORDSHIRE.- -The barley of this county has
beyond the memory of man been noted as white,
large, plump, and full of flowers.
Bucic INGHAMSHIRE.—Buckingham, the chief town,
after which the shire is named, derives itself from
beeches (in the Saxon tongue, buccen), growing
plentifully in this country. One asked, when beech
would make the, best timber, meaning what season of
the year was best to cut it down for that purpose : it
was answered that "beech would make the best
timber, when no oak was to be had," a time which
will some day befal us.
CHESHIRE.—Named from its cheeses. Here the
hardiest kine make the tenderest cheese.
CORNWALL.—This county has its name from it:
horn-shape, cornu, and from the inhabitants, wall,
meaning strangers, for the inhabitants of the county
were so reputed by their neighbours.
GLOUCESTERSIIIIIE.—Some say that this shire was
anciently the most fruitful portion of all England;
and they say now that such is the fertility of the soil
near Slimbridge, that in spring-time, let it be bit
bare to the roots, a wand laid there overnight will be
covered with new-grown grass by the morning.
HERTFORDSHIRE.—This has Leen accounted the
garden of England for delight, and men commonly
said of it, that such as buy a house in Hertfordshire
par two years purchase for the air thereof.
ii.ENT.—The chief hop and cherry plantation of
England.
LINcoLNSIIIRE.—The clergy were accustomed to
consider that they would have a Lincolnshire church,
as best built, a Lancashire parish, as largest bounded,
ands London. audience, as consisting of the most intel-
ligent people.

MATRIMONIAL BALANCE.—An American Paper
lately related the following anecdote :—" Not long since a
reverend clergyman in Vermont, being apprehensive that the
accumulated weight of snow upon the roof of his barn might
do some damage, was resolved to prevent it, by reason-
ably shovelling it off. • He therefore ascended it, having
first, for fear the snow might all slide off at once,
and himself with it, fastened to his waist one end
of a rope, and given the other to his wife. He went to
work, but fearing still for his safety, ' My dear,' said he, ' tie
the rope round your waist.' No sooner had she done this, than
off went the snow, poor minister and all, and up went his wife.
ilhus on one side of the barn the astounded and confounded
clergprian hung, but on the other side hung his wife, high and
dry, in majesty sublime, dingling and dangling at the end of
the rope. At that moment, however, a gentleman luckily
passing by, delivered them from this perilous situation."
Tin; exiDt..—We have had an opportunity of exa-
mining the crops, pretty accurately, within the last three
weeks, througheut the counties of Antrim, Derry, Donegal,
Fermanagh, Monaghan, Tyrone, and Armagh. Wheat, every.
where, is excellent: a few heads, in car, have been left at our
office, from the lower ground of Killead, bordering on Lough
Neagh, which is clay ground. The wheat tillage is luxuriant,
and the ground well covered. The oat crop is very uneven,
noo eelal
partial failures being observable everywhere. This failure is
althoughin
y instances,
n the s t a
earlynces
attributed to the operations of a grub on the young roots. W
.hare seen many fields re-suvm.vnih. Italian grass-seeds; and,
had been sown. ' Webave heard afailures in the potatoe crop;
statelate teufrtniave been planted where oils
the
°slip will not allow us to pro-
nounce
;decided
in
Monaghan, opinion on
great quantities are 'sown.—
the subject. Flax, everywhere,
looks well;
1,.
The Northern Whig (Belfast. paper) of Tuesday.
..
SURRENDER OF A BUSBAND.—The extraordinary
scene of a wife surrendering her husband to justice took place
in the Hull Polico •Court on Monday week, where James Situp-
son was charged by Frances,A h 4 wife, with being a deserter
from the 17th Foo':. The egistrates refused to take her evi-
eenee. Police Inspector Coulhami however, bad' been in the
same regrifieLt, Li .Li k.lev.- roc prl-caterto be a deserter .' le, ~-,•;,;; '
therefore detained, and informalioa scut tg the Horse Guards. '
York Courant.

U c;

(From the Bombay Times.)
We have within the last three months had constafli
occasion to notice the enormous diZeulty of procuring
camels, at present experienced in Seinde and on the
Sutlej—wherever, in fact, we chance to require their
services in moving our armies. - We formerly stated that
the destruction of these invaluable animals, betwixt
November, 1838, and. November, 1841, must
.have •
amounted ",to above 50,000, and we gave the details of
43.400, ascertained to have been destroyed. We observe
it stated by a Peshawur Correspondent of the Delhi
Gazette, that the- force under General Pollock will re-
quire a supply of at least 30,000, and he probably is not
greatly above the mark, though we, in our own specula-
tions, have assumed one-third of this to be sufficient for the
present. Thirty thousand camels moving ha a single
string—as they must do along "the gallery near Ali
Musjid, similar to the well-known passes of the Simplon,
where a road of 12 feet wide traverses for two miles along
the face of the rock, the lofty mountain rising like a wall
on one side, and a fearful precipice yawning on the
,ther ;"* or the eIfiSMS and defiles of Khoord Caubul---
t ill •
form a string of animals 66 miles long. Where they
are to be found in the first place, or how in the second
they are to be protected, it seems impossible to divine ;
but these arc nut the points on which we are at present
Shout to enter—General Polleck joust see to them.
Camels will carry a load of 4001b5., but that which is
generally imposed on them rarely exceeds 3001bs. They
are unfit fur use until six years old, thOugh of late much
jounger animals than this have been pressed into the
service. If a load of above 1001bs. or 1501bs. be im-
posed on them, they are very quickly destroyed. Until
the pressure which las of late become prevalent began
to be experienced, she camels were rarely used any-
where as beasts of burden. In Seinde and Beloechistetn
in particular, no labour of aniN sort was ever assigned to
!hem. Of late, they have, like the males, been pressed
into the service ; and mothers with young, or with a
suckling at their side, may now be seen trudging along
with the rest.

We have already extinguished nearly one third of the
male camel population in these parts ; and we are now
busily engaged in annihilating the hopes of .s future
generation. All these things are formidable enough,
and sufficiently fraught with danger in themselves ; but
we have as yet .looked to the destruction of thee in-
valuable creatures only as mischievous inasmuch as it
annihilates our military carriage, and clogs and arrests
the movements of our armies. But war, however pro-
tracted, must at length have an end. When our armies
retire on India, the drain of camels will cease :
in-
convenience experienced from the difficulty Of obtaining
them, now so injurinus to our movements, will then
come to a close. But here the evils occasioned by the

n i 'lief already done only begin to be felt. - The
camel has been well called the " ship of the desert :"
he is the only beast of burden who can travel over
the arid tracts which shirt the whole north-west of

India. from Goezerat to flelhi. Destroy this means of
conveyance, and no substitute can be found for it.
The merchant navy of the interior is annihilated, and,
unlike the restoration of artificial vehicles, its replace-
ment cannot be: accelerat,d, and must be the work of
time. Thus at once, by our military operations beyond
the Indus, is extinguished the means and the poss'bility
trafiicing in the interior within the Indus. The up-
country merchants cannot purchase from us ; should
they desire to do so, they find that we have stripped
them of the means of carrying their purchases away.
According to Charles Masson 's returns ( Times, July 24,
1841), there were 6,500 camel loads of goods annually
imported into Affghanistan from India and the Punjaub
before the outbreak of the war. '1 his commerce must.

for the present in a great measure. cease, just because we
haVe destroyed their beasts of burden, by means of which
alone the transport of goods could be effected. But
simultaneously with thiS we have thrown unbounded
wealth into ,the hands of the Affghans—riches of which
their wildest imagination never dreamed ; that a
large proportion of this will for the present "be
hoarded up, according to immemori:d usage, cannot
be disputed. The wants of the Affghaus are fen' and
very simple ; but still such as they are, with the usual
sources of supply cut off from them by the suicida
hands of those who annihilated, while they pro-

feised to labour to increase their commercial Miter-
course, and, with the means of choosing another mar-
ket, how are we to wonder at the statement of Sir Alex.
Burnes, that the trade of Russia with Central Asia has:
doubled within the last two years ? Why, in two years
more, it would be no marvel should it double again. Yt
will take a generation to draw out from its receptacles
the wealth we have flung arcund us. We seem now

labouring with all our might to prevent its ever re-
turning to ,India. Russia never yet produced a state's-
man who laboured so hard, so systematically and suc-
cessfully in her service as Lord Auckland and his ad-
visers have done. If there be wealth, or honour,- or
gratitude at the Court of Nicholas, ly ought to be
heaped by the hands of the now triumphant Ciar, in
boundless profusion, on the heads of those who have
bestowed on him all his victories—who have, of their
own accord, surrendered the armies, the riches, and the
power of India voluntarily into his hands !

* We have employed the words of Captain Havelock,
2, page 183 ; and Hough, and Fane, and INlooreroft, and the
other writers who have traversed the pass, speak in exactly the
tante terms of it. •