The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-24
From The Boston Journal, November %

With the nature and uses of this substance every
is familiar. But where and how it is obtained,
and other facts connected with the sources of sup
ply, not 30 well known; and as guano has been
productive Of considerable public excitement Of
late, chapter upon the subject may not be devoid
of interest.
the fertiliring properties of guano has been quite
recently made, and that it is only within a few
years that it has como into This is by no
means the 1t has been used by the Peruvi-
ans ever since the discovery of America, having
been imported by them from the islands on the
coast. Humboldt was one of the first who carried
1t to Europe and brought it into notice on that
continent. This must have been at least thirty
years since 1t was frat introduced into this coun
try in 1926, but was not used to any extent and
was soon forgotten. II was not until it was very
extensively employed in England that it was
again imported into this country. Even very
little, comparatively. is used here, will be seen
by the following statement of the imports for three
years.
1919. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 81 ,243 tons.
1850. ................' ii TAO
1851. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 20, i 81 "
The importation Of this article into England
amounts at the present time to not far from 200 900
tons per year.
Guano is found upon barren islands on the coasts
Of Peru, Bolivia, Chill, and Patagonia. 1t is some
times met with on the hcadlands Of the coast. That
from the coast of Peru and Bolivia ia by far the
best, for the reason that rain seldom visits those
ATTITUDES. That derived from islands farther south
being frequently saturated with moisture ia par
TALLY dccomposed and has much of its fcrtilizing
properties washed away.
Guano consists of the cxcrement of sea birds, in
termixed with the Bones of fishes, the heshy parts
of which have served them for food, the shells Of
eggs, and the remains Of the birds thcmselvea-all
of which par tally decomposed and mixed to-
gether. 1t accuuulates rapidly, first, because the
swarms of birds OF which it ia the product are mum
berless, and secondly, because it ia very rarely
washed by rains. The quantity of the deposits
on some of the islands ia almost incredible. 1t is
stated by Mr.. Wilson, formerly British consul at
Peru, that on the Chincha islands-notwithstand
ing more than three hundred tons year have been
taken away for use in Peru for centuries, and of
late years many thousands of tons-it 10 estimated
that there is still remaining the enormous quantity
of II ,000, 900 TONS An official survey of several
islands claimed by Peru was made in lS47, from
which it was seer tanned that there were on them
$4,000 900 tons-enough at the present rate of
consumption to supply the world one hundred and
seventy years.
In some places on the Chincha islands the guano
ID two hundred feet thick, and 1t varies from that
thickness down to three four feet. 1t occurs in
successive horizontal strata, each OF which is from
three to ten inches thick. The lower strata ia of
dark brown color, growing lighter towards the
surface. No earthly matter Ia found in these vast
deposits.
At the time of the first INTRODUCED of guano to
the world, it was generally supposed TO exist only
on the coast Of Peru and the adjacent islands.
But its value stimulated search, I'd deposits of n
similar character were found on the coast Of Pata-
gonna and on portions of the coast of Africa. Near
the latter the island OF lchhboe was Uncovered TO
be covered with this valuable fertilizer, from which
large quantities were procured. But the leland
ing accessible to the whole world without
etriction, there was quite scramble for the arti-
Gle, and the guano was soon removed. 1t has
been stated that there were ut one time over two
hundred vessels loading at Ichaboe.
The manner of loading guano 10 usually to haul
the vessel under cliff If practicable, if not, the
ships boat, and fill up by means of chute or
long canvas bag open at both ends, and leading
from the top OF tho cliff to the hold of the vessel
into the boat. The work proceeds with great ra-
pldlty when operations have fairly commenced
We have obtained from authentic sources some
interesting facts in relation to the guano trade,
but their publication to-day would extend this
article bcyond our limits. We hall therefore re
cur to the subject to morrow