Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-04-06


after careful search, he was unable to find there
any large deposit of guano, or indeed ANYTHING
at all, TO make the islands valuable -PAila.
Press, Dee. 2.
TaE ST. MARYs-The Navy Department re-.
ceived sdvices from the Commander of the e
D sloop-0i-war at Honolulu, by the Pacifc-side
mail lie reports that he caused a survey to be
made of Baker and Jarvis Islands, and found
no guano on them whatever. I. Times,
Dee. 4
If these newspaper extracts are to be relied
On, Captain Davis has made the same error
that the Commodore did before him in pro-
nouncing from limited knowledge Of the sub
Ject that Msrs sITStS 3!O pHaHO dsp0Srt on the
islands. He was not sent to decide whether it
WAS guano. but to procure samples Of the de-
pOsit and make surveys These samples be
procured and sent on to Washington, and they
will prove beyond question the existence
there of valuable deposits. The analysis Of
DIR. Gale suffici ciently proves this. These sam
pies resemble the cargo of the LfhOlih0 which,
as we state belo& had sold in law York ut q
handsome figure. The two expeditions Of the
United States government were intended to OBJ
tain correct information in relation 10 these
islands; but so far as made public, both rs-
ports appear adverse to the success Of the en-
terprise, not from full publication Of the
facts but from the private opinion OF the Com
modore. who did not land, that guano could
not exist there, and also from the private opin-
ION of Capt. Davis who landed 9 that he found
nothing on the islands which, in the opiniorfof
DIR. Taylor and himself, resombled guano."
Let us now look at the other side Of the sub
ject. The American GuanO Company, nothing
daunted by the Commodore s report. chartered
the schooner LiholhO about n year ago, to
bring cargo of guano and test its value in the
New York market. The report of this expedi-
ton was published in tue Commercial. March
II. 1851. The result was that the schooner Wis
tied Jarvis, Rowland and New Nantucket
islands, and after an absence Of seventy days,
brought them, principally from the first named
some seventy tons of guano which was shipped
to New York in April last, in the Aspasia.
While this cargo was being landed. it was ex-
amincd by persons familiar with guano, and
among them Capt. James Smith of the Yankee,
an old trader in tho article, who said it was as
good as any imported into New York, except
the Chincha guanO, and that it would sell
readily for $40 per ton. The result has proved
the correctness of their knowledge for the last
mail from New York brings advices Of the sale
of the Aspasia s shipment at from $40 to so per
ton, mostly at the latter figure. thus proving
its value as an article of commerce.
Guanos of similar constituent parts have long
been used, for there is strong resemblance be-
tween the Jarvis island and Mexican articles
lts value as a fertilizer is therefore well known.
We give here the analysis of it made by Dr.
Hayes of Boston and Dir. Gale of Washington,
who is the United States official chemist:
analysts Of JdrrjS'S IsldHdGRaHc, 6yDr. Hayes
CIenates and humates of amrnonia......... 10 So
Oily matter and eithiliC acids, embracing
water and Car bOnic acid:
PhOsphOTic acid and lime me............. ai 90
Magnesla from humates. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 221
Sulphafe of lime and sui Fhate of soda. 1895
silica or sand. ......-.................. go
1l7.49
.1H"'y'tN ~ BabsL's Island GHdHo, by Dr.. Gale,
Of Washington.
Organic compounds yielding ammonia,
&c...-.: ...:.............. o9i9
combined water. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 800
Carbonic acid from organic compound of
lime. ..................... 600
Bone phosphate of lime. and bone phos-
ptate magnesia, Containing phosphorc
acid, 35 Gt)...................... % a66
Suiphate OF soda Observation-Disclosures. 263
Common salt Observation-Disclosures. els
Loss. Observation-Disclosures. $50
100 600