The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-28

ana mteiligenf, ana, AZ we must suppose wa. "e
saw what he relates, there must have been IN 'hat
one fock GOOD many millions that he saw at
one spot, a coast sixteen or seventeen hundred
miles in extent where guano is 10 be found !, too
have seen the bay Of Callao covered with birds some
times for several square miles in extent--the mum
Der not being under million, think, certainty
Had Dr. Hamilton assumed the number TO DC zen
millions, l should still suppose him to be short oil
the reality.
A very natural question might be asked, why
are those marine birds (of various sizes, colors,
species, and Variety so much more numerous on
the coast of Peru than elscwherel The reason -,
that they find climate adapted to their nature, and
suitable food in great abundance. That food is
fish, the number of which is still more surprising
than the number of the birds that prey upon them
The fish abound as they do, because they TOO ma
plenty of food adapted to them. If asked, though,
why that food is abundant, should have 70 con-
fess that the question would be rather too deep for
my philosophy. Along that coast, the variety of
fish is very great, of all sizes and 6ayors; and every
epicure and every glutton have his palate graft
fed, be he man, bird, or beast.
There have been many analyses Of guano, by
Foucroy q Vauquelin, Brett, Ure, L'ebg, and 9th
ers--the first analysis being made by :. and "
about forty years ago, the guano having been sent
to them by Humboldt. In no two cases have the
results been exactly alike; but the discrepancies
imply neither careessness nor ignorance on the
part of the chemists. The samples may not have
been of the same quality Some might have been
more completely decomposed than the others, or
have contained more extraneeus matter-saine,
silicious, earthly, aqueous, &c. Or they may have
been of different kinds for in Peru three are known,
differing all from each other, more or less, in their
constituent parts These three kinds are the red
dish, lrcjo The gray (Pardazco,l and The white,
the strongest, being the most recent; and il, as
well as the gray, becomes red by age. All the diff
ference between the three kinds is the result of time,
and the accidental introduction Of the foreign matter
already mentioned.
Dr. Ure's analysis seems to be considered in Peru
to be the most exact and is the most relied on;
but am not aware Of any good reason for this
preference. Dr. u is certainly profound chemist;
but 10 are the other analysers. According to him,
tho red guano. contains so parts of one hundred
of organic azotised matter, including urate of ammo
mia, giving from TO II parts of ammonia, water
IL parts, phosphate Of lime Is parts phosphate of
magncsia and ammonia, and of oxaate Of ammonia
Is parts, slicious matter loo l take this from
Spanish document, in which Ures analysis has
been mutilated; il is minute enough, though, to
show al snce that guano, as manure, must possess
very great fertilzng qualitics-a decisive proof of
which is, that British agricuturiss afford to pay
higher price for it than for any other known ma
which 10 attainable in large quantities. Ii has
bsen found, by experiment, that the genuine Peruy
an or Bolivian guano furnishes out Of loo parts, %
parts promotive of vegetation; the Ichaboe, ~ Pos
ocb5Ou tclduu, OTtu NuucitO, tiiu oC-
ing Of very inferior quality But still this does
not show the relative value in commerce, and to the
agrculturis of these various species of guano for
in England the Peruvian Is now selling for about
eight pounds sterling the ton, whilst the lchaboe
commands not much more than five pounds. II
seems to show, in fact, nothing more than the
amount Of extraneous natter contained in each,
leaving still great difference in the quality, when
every substance is removed that is not guano.
Guano was not exported from Peru, believe, as
an article of commerce, until within the last ten
years. The quantity exported, SO far, has not yet
reached a hundred thousand tons, think. About
five years ago, the government at Lima made con-
tract with some individuals, stpuating that they
should export within five years one hundred and
twenty thousand tons, the government TO which all
the guano bclongs receiving about twenty dollars per
ton for all exported But, in consequence Of the de-
cline of the article in the English Market this has
been losing speculation for the contractors far
and not one-half Of the hundred and twenty thou
sand tons has been yet exported. Some guano,
when first taken to England, sold as high as l40 dol
lars ton some at 80 dollars; and it got down final
ly as low as to IS dollars; and it could not be sold
for much less than that, supposng it to cost nothing
in Peru This is matter about which the English
farmers appear to have been very capricious At
time, they would givefor il enormous price
more than it could possibly be WORTH and al anoth-
er, they would not give near its indsPutabe value;
for in England, have no doubt that the farmer can
afford to pay SO dollars per ton for it. and be amply
rcmuneraed at the same time. In the United States
tits doubtful whether this price be given for the
general purposes ofagricuture For horticultural
purposes, il may be, imagine, near our large
towns.
II seems TO DO admitted in Peru, (and it is to be
depored that the sea-fow that produce the guano
are sensibly diminishing in numbers. This is there
imputed TO three the excessive heat of the
summers Of late years, the scarcity of food, and the
great increase the number of vessels that frequent
4 - - A. - n
the firing Of cannon The two first consider as of
no cogency, and ideal The summers, if they have
been little warmer than usual (Which is doubtful,
would not drive away the birds; or, If it drove any
would drive nearly all; for, among the inferior ami
mails, inferior to man, instinct is uniform and un-
vscillating Il i Influences any, i influences nearly
all. With the reasoning bped, man, it is otherwise.
In his migrations, he may be influenced by hum
dred motives that may influence all, or but small
portion. II il not so, though, with the feathered
biped Nor can subscribe to the alleged scarcity
Of food Nobody has observed dminution in the
number Of tie fsh--the whale excepted, upon which
the birds do not prey; has there been any, in my
opinion. They are as abundant, suppose, as they
have been for some thousands Of years past and as
they will be- probably, for some thousands to come
The noise made by the cannon, &c, may have pro-
duced some effect upon the more sensitive and timid
Of the birds, perhaps but judging from the fearless
and familiar manner in which they come into the bay
of Calao, where there is much noise and firing !
should conclude that they are not so very easily
frightened.
The guano which is exported from Peru is taken
at present from small island near the shore, called
Chincha, l60 or ITO miles south Of Lima. Upon
this island is the great deposte, which astonishes
all who see III and which was estimated by Peru
Wan Minister Of Foreign Affairs, few years ago,
a conscientious and intelligent man, (Don Jose Vii
a to contain fifty millions Of tons alone. Though
have assumed that to be the whole quantity be found
in the country, do this, because am enemy Of
all hyperbole and exaggeration, and because know
that il is very common thing to cxaggerate little
on such occasions. Fifty millions Of tons is a very
large quantity If it is there, much the better Is
for somebody. | hope that Mr.. Villa was right.
Fifty millions of tons, at twenty dollars ton, which
it is worth the island, is thousand millions of
dollars--enough TO pay one-fourth Of that financial
monsrosity, the British national debit or equal in
value perhaps, to all the public domain of the Uni
ted States. Or, supposing each ton of guano to
represent, in grain, two tons of wheat-which il
does at least, think we have 100 600 900 tons Of
.l~.s n rlnn - -. II.