The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-19
SHORT PASSAGE FROM EUROPE.
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COLLINS STEAMSHIP PACIFIC.
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The Harvests of England.
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AMERICAN AFF AIRS ABROAD,
&c., &c., SO.

The Collins steamship Pacific, Capt. Ezra Nye,
true to her reputation, has made another short pas
sage across the Atlantic She left Liverpool ut hall
past o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, the 9th
nst ard reached her wharf at this port at hafpast
o'clock yesterday afternoon, making the passage
in ten days and two hours. from pier to pier.
The news is four days later. 1t is Of little or no
consequence.
The Cunard steamship Africa, hence, arrived at
Liverpool Saturday evening, the 4th inst, ,.after
passage of ten days and six hours.
The Great Britain steamship was spoken on the
25th ult, in lat. AZ 81 N, Ion. II, going thirteen
knots under steam and sail-the time and locality
giving ten knots over all, since she left Liverpool
Onslaught on Mr. Wcbster's Guano Diplo-
macy.
From the London Times, September Z.
few days ago we laid before the public an out
line of the case between the Peruvian and American
governments respecting the territorial sovereignty
of the Lobos islands These islands are barren and
uninhabitable rocks, emerging from the Pacific
ocean, at distance of some twenty or thirty miles
from the northern shores of PERU Without any
capacities for agricultural production and long con-
sideIed as almost worthless property, they have
Gently acquired value from the rich deposits of
guano which they have been found to possess. As
the Importance of this commodity became manifest
the government OF Peru converted its heretofore
minal rights over the territory into active jursdic-
tion and stationed vessels of war Oft the islands to
prevent any shipments Of guano except on terms of
its own prescribing The British government, though
moved to opposition by its Subjects deferred to the
authority thus exercised but the United States re-
sisted the claim, and alleged that the Peruvians had
no such title to the territory would give them
exclusive rights CT possession. They claimed the
liberty, in short, OF taking the gnano without pay
ing for it, and, when trader Of New York applied
to his government for information on the subject,
he was apprised by EMr. Webster that the " De-
pariment Of State" was "not aware" of any SOW
ereignty vesting in Peru, but that whereas Benja.
min Morrell, jun, citizen Of the United States,
had discovered these islands in 1925 it posi-
bic that certain title might pertain to the Ameri
respondence which ensued between Mr.. Webster and
the Peruvian Minister at Washington, has been laid
before Congress, and we yesterday published the
letter in which, under recent date as the 2lst
ut, the American Secretary maintains at length
bis own views Of the question. The case of the
Peruvian government may be promised in very
few words. The islands in question, designated by
distinctive Spanish names, lie within couple of
hours sail Of the shore, in a well. frequented sea
That they were not occupied, in the formal sense
Of the term is true, for they unfit for habita-
ton but SO notorously had they been both =" dis
covered and appropriated, that there is scarcely
any good map, however ancient, which does not
contain them, laid down and attached TO what were
then the old Spanish provinces of Peru There is,
in fact, not the smallest reason for presuming that
they escaped the knowledge or visits Of those who
settled conquered the shores of the main and nor
is it in any degree probable that, before the uses of
guano were known; any state or government would
have questioned the title OF jurisdiction of Peru. 1t
against such evidence as TINS lhat Mr ebster is
reduced to plead.
The original demurrer Of the American Secretary
rested on the double argument that Poru could show
no claim at all, and that the States could produce
the discovery" OF Benjamin Morroll in 1928. I'm
fnrtu talv hnu i0r tha I,a Mr.
ster himself has been induced to found third
argument on facts of totally opposite character;
and whereas, in his communication to Captain
Jewett, he had spoken with studied respect Benja
min Morrels claims Of discovery, he is fain to
defend himself against the appeals of the Peruvian
Minister. by the assertion that the citizens OF the
United States have been accustomed to frequent
these islands for fishing purposes. ever since the
year 1893, at the very latest-that is to say, for
thirty years. at least before their imputed discovery
by Benjamin Morrell And "all this" now
adds Mr.. Webster, "is well known to the COM
mercial world" Yes, nevertheless, the American
Secretary in his note to the Peruvian Envoy, does
positively venture to aude again to this supposed
discovery" not indeed as founding an exclusive
right on the part of the United States" % but as
"a fact fit to be considered in common with other
facts and occurrences" and the import Of this mo-
morabe "fact'' he thus sums up 1.-THE truth ap-
pea s to be that Captain Morrell was on a voyage
Of discovery, and did, in fact, discover, was
supposed 70 have discovered, guano on these
commend itself in its full forcc to the apprecia-
tion of European statesmen The discovery OF
territory by American, thirty years after it had
been confe ssedly frcquented BY other Americans,
is till spoken sf as something supposed" and
s'fact' which, though NOT conclusive OF the
question: is g t to be consid ered' by tho side of
others Finally, what was originally adyancedas
the discovery Of the island ITSELF is commuted for
the discovery Of son etbing upon it; that, if gold
were suddenly to be found in tho Isle OF Man ny
Frenchman, Louis Napoleon's government might
plead a claim to the mines.
With regard to the positive title of Peru hr.
Webster is equally at fault for any arguments to
nvalidae the prefer sons Of that State. Its terri
oria rights, in fact, as plain. as notorious,
and as well recognized as any rights could be over
territory OF that description Tie islands were not
Inhabited. for they were unnhabitablc, but they
were set down and described as Peruvian property
whenever they were described datall The government
ofpcru did not mtntan any protective orce on the
shores in question, because they wero not to
contain anything worth protection; but as soon as
tie negotiability OF guano became known, the ju-
ri'd'etion Of the State was duly exerted AS " is
perfectly nconestible that the sovereignty of Peru
this territory received all the recognition that
was claimed for it, the only true question is whether
this sovereignty has been permitted 70 lapse Forty
years ago there would no. have been doubt about
the Peruvian title, which was as plain as that OF
Great Britain TO Australia or the United States to
their unoecupied praires. Now, however, Mr.. Web
ster asserts that, nasmuch as the Americans have
habitually resorted for than half century to
these isanos Tor the pursuit OF seals and other AMI
mails they have acquired "bctter title," on the
score OF possession, than coald be maintained by
Peru; If long established oncroachment Of fsh-
elmen a foreign shore could confer the State
TO which those fishermen belonged right to enter
| on possession of the territory itself
No person can pretend to doubt that the seycr.
| eignity Of these islands has been presumed from
| time immemorial, in so far as any thought was
giyon 10 such subject to be vested in the Peruy-
| an government. The first notable exercise of its
| jurisdiction took place in 1853. Mr.. Webster
| speaks of this act Of sovereignty as now appear
Ing" lust as if ii had not previously been under
| stood whereas he is compelled to admit that it
actually produced correspondence, between the
| two governments Of Washington and Peru. This
correspondence, too, he endenyonrs to turn TO ms
own account. though il contains a complete refuta-
| tion of his claims When the government OF Peru,
at the period above mentioned, warned oil foreign ves
sells from the Lobos Islands, the American Envoy W
| Lima did certainly put in o rcmonstrance, but IN
this remonstrancc asMr Webster, himself, confess,
cs, so far from denying the original jurisdiction Of