The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-07-30
seizure of the Chincha Islands.

The seizure, by a Spanish naval force, of the
Peruvian Islands with their extensive deposits OF
guano, is an event of special interest to the whole
commercial world. They constituted an almost
inexhaustible mine of wealth not only 10 Peru,
who derived nearly her entire revenue from this
source, but to the agricultural and shipping inter
est of both the old and new world. At a very
moderate charge to shippers, the income OF the
Peruvian Government from these guanO deposits
has averaged some SIS ,000, 900 annually, and it
is estimated that at the present rate of consump-
ton the supply would hold out at least three
hundred years.
The bulk of these shipments goes to Europe to
replenish the exhausted soil Of that continent !;
Great Britain alone taking over one-half, and
the United States less than one-third. Added to
this product. the mineral wealth of Peru. con-
sisting of rich gold and silver mines, and her ex-
ports of wool, sugar, tobacco, pepper, caout-
chouc, balsam and cinchona bark, render her
of no little Importance to the civilized
world, who cannot well afford 70 have 1t wanton-
ly destroyed or interrupted.
Notwithstanding these immense and varied
resources. Peru Is far from being a rich and really
independent country. Her population is of an
exceedingly mixed and incongruOus character
Spanish, Indian and negro and though her gov
eminent is nOminally republican, it is practically
a military despOtism, subject TO such frequent
revolutions that it is continually overw helmed
with debt, and a persistent borrower in the
European money market. It's financial complica-
tiOns and bad faith to creditors, are ostensibly the
cause of this Spanish invasion. But there are
other circumstances which give color to the belief
that this is merely Il pretext for reconquest by
the mother country, and the Inauguration there
of the French policy in Mexico.
What renders the Chincha Islands of more
general importance is the fact that they are almost
Sui generis. There is nothing approximatIng to
them in richness and extent of this peculiar fer
tilizing material in the known world though q
small group Of guano islands was discovered some
three or four years ago in the Pacific ocean off
the coast of Central America, by "A Yankee navi-
gator, and taken possession of in the name of the
United States, for some reason they have never
been worked.
So long as the former remained in the posses
sion Of Peru, there was no danger of 4 monopo-
ly of their product by any nation, or of any such
burdensome restrictions as should render the
guano trade of little practical value. But their
seizure by a European power, especially one so
selfish and avaricious as Spain, besides being an
infringement of the Monroe doctrine, is regarded
az adverse to the interests of and even
looked upon with jealousy by Great Britain.
Though the Spanish naval authorities have
given assurances that the guano trade will not be
Interrupted by them. yet the practical difficulty
consists in the fact that the Peruvian Govern
ment will not recognize the validity of permits
for the shipment of the article while the former
remain in possession and the fees paid by i'm
porters to the present custOdians may hereafter
have to be paid over again to the legitimate
owners of the Islands. The latter are determined
not to submit tamely to the outrage which has
been put upon them, and their Congress have
already voted an appropriation of $780, 900, 900
to put their army and navy upon Il war footing
for the purpose of expelling the invader. The
Executive has also issued n proclamation, an
nouncing that cargoes of guan0 purchased of the
Spaniards, will be seized in foreign ports by
consuls, on behalf of their government.
boston CONT Bulletin.