The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-05-11
FROM THE PACIFIC.


FROM THE PACIFIC.
We are Indebted, says the Baltimore American,
to the attention OF Captain A. S. Duncan, super
cargo Of the brig Tweed, for the following inter-
estng memoranda respecting Chill, Peru, and
Bolivia, brought down to the first week in Feb
ruary. e
When the Tweed left the Pacific, Chill was
under good and efficient Government, evidence
ing every disposition, by equitable and just laws,
to promote the prosperity and happiness Of the
people. Commerce and agriculture are equally
protected; and, as natural consequence, the
country is fouishng, and making rapid strides to
rank among the nations of the earth The i'm
provements made within the last twelve years
are very great. Towns have been built up, and
properly has increased in value TO an extent UNI
precedented
The us. Minister at Chilli Mr.. Pendeton, has
had the claims OF the U. s. Government acknoW-
edged on very favorable terms, and they are now
in progress of liquidation Mr.. p. is highly es-
teened by The Gillian Government and his own
countrymen, and reflects great credit on his coun-
try.
The Tweed, in carrying on her trade on the
coast, touched at Cobija the only sea port of b.
ilsla, where every facility for commerce was rem
dered The import duty at that port is 10 per
cent; vessel direct from foreign port is re-
CURED to pay only three per cent on her cargo.
Bolivia is in very distressed condition, owing
chiefly to the continued wars with Peru. Their
mines, rich in minerals, are poorly worked and
their silver currency is now deprecated TO very
alarming extent. Their half dollar pieces do not
contain more than % cents worth of silver.
The Tweed was on the coast of Peru from the
10th of October tothe Goth December. This un-
ic in Aictrn tod
condition, through the same cause--war. Some
of its ports were blockaded, and others were the
scenes Of very limited business
lie city OF Lima, once the most f1ourishing in
South America, has dwinded down to fifth rate.
Business there was completely at a stand, and
was daily growing worse 1t is said that Pres-
dent OF Peru, who remained in office six months,
is fortunate; and it is reported of one President,
who held the office for that length of time, that
he retired from it with half million of dollars,
leaving his troops unpaid. Such is the system
Information was received at Valparaiso before The
sailing of the Tweed, that the present President,
VIvanco, who had marched from Lima to meet
his antagonist, was compelled to retreat to Psco
While at the city of Truxillo, the trade of
which is much affected by the internal wars-not-
outstanding It's remoteness from the seat of these
contentions-Cap'ain d. met with an intelligent
Irish gentleman, who is successfully engaged in
CultlVdlinS CoCHlned lie was lne0 ABOUT To ship
his first crop to England. The country in that
vicinity is we'll adapted to its culture, being
visited by heavy rains or winds, as in Mexico,
where whole crops are frequently DESTROYED.
They can be gathered in all the year. The bug,
too, Is much larger than those of Mexico, and
better, and the plant on which they feed grows
much more luxuriantly. The gentleman alluded
to had no hesitation in avowng that the province
will, in time, enter largely into the culture. With
the proverbia generosity of his country, he offers
to supply any person. who will engage in the bu-
siness with bugs. We may here mention fact
Illustrative of great perseverance When he
commenced it was with one bug, and all now on
his plantation were produced by that one.
The quantity Of rain in Peru continues to de-
crease annually. Large districts of country es-
pecally in the province of Pura, have been aban-
doned with the loss Of all their cattle, and many
OF tile inhabitants, who were unable to remove
There has been no rain in Pura for eight years
The people depend on irrigation in The culture of
their lands and a we'll regulated system has been
adopted The rivers in Pura were SO low that it
was impossible to cultivate the soil /; and this pro-
vince, once Astounding in rice, cotton, and tobac-
CO. is now barren waste.