The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-09-25
THE NEW GUANo ISLANDS.
OFFIoE OF THE AMERICAN GUANo COMPANY,
New York, September II, 1856.

THE NEW GUAN0 ISLANDS.
Neao York, September II, 1856.
To the Editors Of the National Iatelzigencer;
GENTLEMEN: In recent interview with you
in the city of Washington, stated that had
performed the voyage on the Pacific, in the Uni
ted States ship independence, as the agent of this
company. Since that interview, have seen in
the columns of your paper IAN extract from q
despatch of Commodore William Mervine, com
msnding Pacific squadron, dated United States
flag ship Independence, harbor of Valparaiso
from me brief reply.
| Commodore Mervine describes his VOYAGE
from Honolulu to the island of New Nantucket
| and his departure thence for Valparaiso
need only remind the reader that his VOYAGE
from San Francisco for the purpose of visiting
and inspecting 81 the quality and supposed GUAM
tity of the guano" on the island of New Nan
tucket consumed five months, that he remained
bat four hours and 6fty-four minutes in the vi
cinity of New Nantucket, and that he did not
visit Jarvis island at ell. He says:
Intense interest appeared to pervade all
minds, fore and aft, as the ship neared the
promised Ell Dorado of the mercantile and
agricultural interest of our country. The de-
fusion, however, was but transitory. A nearer
view revealed to our astonished vision the whole
island covered with deep-green mantle of lux
uriant vegetation, indicative certainly of the
| strength of the soil and heavy rains common in
this locality, as also of the worthlessness of the
deposite thereon as an article of commerce.
The value of guano is, believe, determined
by the amount of ammonia which it contains,
which is generated by successive deposites of
bird-lime in rainless districts. That there is a
large deposite of bird-hme on the island in a
| state of decomposition, the vegetation and great
number of birds lowering over it abundantly
attest"
The first sentence in this extract is intended
to be expressive of ridicule, upon which shall
make no comment. The assertion that the
whole island was revealed to our astonished
vision, covered with deep-green mantle of lux
uriant vegetation" should be accompanied with
revelation of the fact that landing was not
effected, and that the fiat surface of the island
was some twenty-three feet above the level of
the ocean.
Commodore Mervine speaks of guano and
blrd-hme" as identical, and we must so IN.
derstand him. The former, however, is chiefly
composed of the excrement of birds, while the
latter is properly defined by Webster "a viscous
substance, usually made of the juice of holly
bark" &C., and I" used to catch BIRDS" Bird
lime, of course is not deposited upon the island
but of that which Commodore Mervine so de.
nominates, he assures us there is a large de-
poslte." He is undoubtedly correct in this
conjecture, however meager were the proofs
| upon which it was founded. The vegetation
described by him certainly exists upon the
margin of the island. Whether its existence
there, and the fact that "a great number of
birds were lowering over the island" are ade-
quate to prove that there is no guano there, or
that If there is, it is in a state of decomposi-
ton" may be determined as we'll BY those who
have not visited the island as by Commodore
Mervine himself; or, indeed, in view of the fact
he 30 manifestly reveals, that he is not well
skilled in the knowledge of this fertilizer, may
it not be fairly assumed that even more aeon.
rate differences, may be drawn by others, from
the data his communication affords? He ex-
presses his belief that the value of guano is
determined by the amount of ammonia which
1T contains, and hence infers that it must be
deposited in rainless districts" Ammonia is
certainly a valuable element in all fertilizers ;
but the phOsphates contained in guano impart
to it its principal value, especially in districts
In which there is rain and these phosphates
are absolutely necessary for the perfection of
cotton, sugar cane, the cereals, and other crops
Has not Commodore Mervine, so far as he has
established anything, confirmed all that has
| oFcE uccu SJdtbu, WIN respect TO the existence
of guano upon this island?
That landing could not be effected, the re-
port of Lieutenant McCauley is adduced to
prove, in which he says: From a long expe.
rience in landing through surf, / can confident
ly state that it would have been dangerous to
attempt landing at that time, although a good
whaleboat might do so at some other season."
In reference to this, / will only state that
having had some experience as a wrecker,
sought permissionto make landing, and there
would have been 40 lack of volunteers to &C.
company mel AMI was peremptorily refused !;
and that landings lad frequently been made be-
fore. Commodore Mervine further says:
"The company sent out a frame building, to
be put up for the accommodation of its agents,
who were to NATHAN the possession it fol-
lows, as a matter ofcourse, as neither was there.
that the enterprise had been abandoned, in
consequence of the worthlessness of the depos.
lite, and indeed of the non existence of any
guano."
VIII make no comment upon this deduction,
nor attempt to conrovert any further either the
facts or differences of Commodore Mervine, ex-
cept by presenting the following extracts from
a letter written by Captain T. D. Lucas, of New
Bedford, Massachusetts, dated the lth instant:
nave spent many years as navigator in
the Pacific ocean, and am we'll acquainted with
its islands. On beth the islands to which Gap.
tain Mervine alludes in his report, New Nan
tucket and Jarvis, and on one of which he says
he made futile attempt TO land, / have made
landings without difficulty. On both of these
islands l have ound large deposites of bird
manure, usually called guano"
With respect to Jarvis island, Commodore
Mervne says: al presume that the statements
in relation to this island are as devoid of truth
as those in relation to New Nantucket Jarvis
island was visited by Captain Turner, who built
q house upon it m December, 1855, and on the
18th OF February 1856, by Captains Lucas and
Lewis, These gentlemen found no difficulty in
landing Captain Turner's vessel laid at an.
Choir some five dys, and the island was survey
ed. In confirmation of these statements, l
would refer to sAidavits, maps, &C., which are
on bile at the Department of State.
A large portion of the surface of this island
was covered With guano from one to 1--WE feet
deep, the value Of which as fertilizer, COM
pared with the bestof Peruvian, has been tested
scientifically and agriculturally. On good soil,
the result is in favor of the American puano.
and in pure sand four-fold in its favor. This
is so important hct, that the farmers OF our
Country ana all feeling interested are invited to
examine these results at the Office Of the COM
pany, and in the city of Brooklyn.
have the honor 70 be yours, with respecs,
G. w. BBSsoN.
| WASHINGTON ITEMS. It has been ascer-
taiued that the Administration ia officially ad
vised that the proect of treaty between Great
Britain and the United States, relative to the
Central America question, has been agreed