Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-08-21

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WAsHINGroS, JUNE s, 1852.
Capt. JAMES c. JEwE18 Master Of The 6Grque Phome1a.
SIR: have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter
of the I'd instant nqurng whether citizens Of the United
States can take uano from the Lobos islands, which
situated near the coast of Peru, without infringing upon
the rights Of the citizens, SUBJECTS Government of
any other nation In reply, have inform you that if
those islands should lie within the distance Of marine
league from the continent it. being further than that
distance should have been discovered and occupied by
Spain or by Peru the Peruvian Government would have
right toexcude therefrom the vessels and citizens Of
other nations, except upon such conditions as it may
think proper prescribe There can be doubt that
the title Of Peru the Chncha islands, whence guano is
chiefly taken is founded upon the basis of discovery
and occupancy That article taken from those islands
and used manure by the Peruvans anterior to the
conquest of Peru by Spain continued to be taken
and used throughout the Spanish domnions in that
try and this practice has been kept the present day
Although those islands uninhabtable, the custom
of resorting them from the neghborng continent for
the purpose of procuring guano may be said to have
stituted such occupancy of them give the
reign Of the continent right of dominion them,
der the law of nations This Department however, not
aware that the Lobos Islands either discovered by
Spain, by Peru, that the guano them has even
been used for the dacent elsewhere
1t certain that the distance from continent is five
six times greater than is necessary makethem depen
dency thereof, pursuant to public law.
On the other hand, 1t is quite probable that Benjamin
Morre D who, master of the schooner Wasp, of New
York. visited these islands in September 1929 may just
y claim have been their discoverer. He gives full
account of them in his narrative Published in New York
in 1892 Under these circumstances it may be consid-
cred the duty of this Government to protect citizens of
the United States who may visit the Lobes Islands for the
purpose of obtaining guano This duty viii be more ap
parent when is considered that the Of Chncha
Island guano in this country might probably it for
half the prize they pay it for the charges OF
the Peruvian Government shall consequently commu-
ncate copy Of this letter the secretary of the Navy
and suggest that vessel of be ordered repair
the Lobos Islands for the purpose Of protecting from
esation any Of citizens who may wish to take guano
from them.
] am, sir, very respectfully, your obedent servant
DANIEL WEBSTER
p s. 1t is considered important that this letter should
not be made public at present
In consequence of the opinion thus given by Mr..
WEBSTER, the Secretary Of the Navy, it is stated,
directed Commodore McCAULEY, of the Pacific squad
ron to send vessel of war to these islands for the
purpose of protecting American citizens who might
20 there to procure guano. Since then, however, it
is asserted that Peru has furnished proof to our
Government that she has long exercised rights Of
ownership over the Lobos Islands, and that they
are an appendage of her possessions The whole
correspondence ON the subject has been called for
by Congress.
The Boston Courier, commenting upon Mr.. WEB
sTERs letter in relation to the Islands of Lobos,
states the following facts:
"Mr WEBSTER, it viii be seen, thinks it quite pro-
bable that Benjamin Morre Jr, who master Of the
schooner Wasp, of New York. visited those islands in
September, 1923, may justly claim to have been their
dscoyerer and he aware that the Lobos Islands
either discovered occupied by Spain by Peru
1t is true that the Spanish historical and geographical
works America deficient that 1t is impossible to
ascertain the precise date Of the discovery Of these is
lands yet it is certain that Morrel has no claim the
title Of their dscoverer The Lobos Islands known
by the they bear than two hundred years
before Morrelps time. The of them lies but
seventeen miles from the main land of Peru and can be
from the shore in clear day; that they must
have been known the early Spanish settlers, whether
they were visited by them or not.
The first hear Of them Is in the voyage Of
Jors spbergen Dutch admiral who paid these islands
visit in 1915 They then without inhabitants but
abounded in seals, from which they take their name,
Lobos de mar. The buccaneers resorted TO these is
lands in 1884, and they very accurately described in
Dampier's Narrative woodes Rogers in 1909 made
them station for his ships, while cruising against the
Spanards lie describes the islands being frequently
visited by the Indians from the continent for FISH and
birds eggs. Don Antonio de Uloa mentions the Lobos
in 1741.
All these accounts in showing that the islands
were never possessed occupied by the Spanards
does there appear be any evidence that the guano
them Was exported to the continent previous to Moels
visit
In the subsequent columns will be found series
of Documents on the same subject, which we copy
from the New York Journal Of Commerce, at the
request of gentlemen who take much interest in the
matter.
KILLED LErcHwc understand that man nv ,h. ,.vso,
Garnett residing Greene county having attended eal election
recently held that county started for which sons G
coming branch being very tbrv y,
dmounted drank lie had not
feeling tickling sensation his stomach arrival
ouit