New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-01-27
TIE GUANO ENTERPRISE At TIE ISLE
OF AYES.
som Our Own Correspondent.

q ON Our Own Correspondent
ST. THOMAS, w. l., Monday, Jan. {, 1850.
The enterprise OF obtaining guano from the Isle
of AYES, which has been carried on quite vlgor'
ously for the last four months BY two companies
in Boston. has been suddenly aud summarily ter
minated by the unexpected claim of the Venezl-
elan Government to the jurisdiction of the island,
and the eDfor cement OF tie claim by armed occu-
patton.
This enterprise has been conducted with some
what of secrecy, and the American public are
consequently but little Informed respecting Its
history and operations. will giTe such informi-
lion as AN in possession OF.
la the year 1852 company in Boston, beiiev-
ing that guano could be obtained on the small
islands of the Caribbean Sea, sent out vessel
under the command of Capt w. Ii. Wheeler 70
make search and if successful in finding, to
load with the same. He found /. on small
island on the Mexican coast, the name Of which
am not in possession Of. 1t is sufficient to say
that when he had secured 900 or 1000 tuns the
Mexican authorities discovered what was going on
and forthwith drove him away lie then crused
in search OF this Isle of AYES, where, from It's
name he supposed guano would be found Hav-
Ing found H. he did not load, but took samples and
returned TO Boston. From that time until August
Of the last summer nothing was done, when L. ;.
Shelton, of the original Company, and another
Company (Lang and Delano) fitted out about the
same time expeditions, which appeared at the
island simultaneously, and took possession aud
commenced loading. They had shipped in all
about l.50e tuns TO the United States, and had
several vessels engaged in leading employing
some seventy men beside the crews of the yes
sells, snd having put up temporary residences for
their accommodation, when about the middle OF
December, armed expedition Of thirty men, with
a feld.piece, under orders from the Government
of Venezuela, and in the immediate com
mand of Don Domingo Dias, appeared upon
the island and asserted the rightful JurIs-
diction of said Government But the Companies
in operation were not disposed 10 give up so
quietly, and the result was that they were
permitted 10 continue at their work, whIie DIaE
returned for further advices from the Government,
leaving al the same time part of his men on the
eround' The agents of the Companies at the Isl
ard supnosed il might be five or SIX weeks before
they would experience any further m0lesiauon,
and that in that time they would be able 70 load
the vessels already chartered, and thus secure
Themselves from any serious los', even if disap
pointed in their original expectations. But Don
Domingo was too quick for them. Ia two weeks
or about the Isl inst, venezuelan sch000er-0i-
war came down upon them Win Orders 70 e'acu-
ate at euce. or pay - per tun for the guanO
shirped Having no present means to pay that
duty-uct wishing to acknowledge the justice of
the claim. and determining 70 refer the whole
matter 10 their own Government for redress and
indemnifca,on-ttey Immediately left with all
the men, implements, and sppurtenances Of the
enterprise They propose to lay the mattel Ter as
inqton. and SEEK, through it, redress and remu-
peration from Venezuela for the loss actual, and.
doubt not probable sustained BY is interference.
The Government OF Venezuela seem TO have
taken this step from simple mistake. On the
eeast OF that ReVublic, atout eighty miles rcr