The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-07-15
Bakers Island.

AON--
is thirty degrees short, Of other more valua.
BILE possessions, over which the American
flag waves and on which American capital
is being expended, to bring forth wealth,
and add TO the products of commerce..
Howlands Island in Long. 1860 west, with
Bakers 1862 and other guano islands a
little to the eastward of 1t are really the
most western limit of the United States
Bakers Island, under the management OF
the American Guano Company, is proving
itself, of no small importance to the world,
and its list of ships arriving and departing,
together with the men and means there
employed to procure and distribute its pro-
ducts make no small figure in ocean trans
portation. The frequent arrival here OF
ships, on their way to the island, chartered
from the most distant ports, as well as near
ones, the agency being established in Homo
lulu, brings TO our notice often the progress
and Development of the guano trade and
the details of its management Not long
since, the hdrltoe from Alden, touched here
on her way to Bakers, having made the
circuit of more than half the world, to get
a cargo from an island not many years since,
almost unknown and esteemed valueless.
From the east and the west-ships are head
ing for the island, TO load with paying
cargoes. go
The guano deposit on Bakers is being
worked with great activity, large amount
being under contract for delivery in England.
On the island itself are ten white persons,
with one hundred Hawailans engaged in
digging up the deposit and delivering it ON
board the vessels. 1t is found in dry
lagoon in the center of the island, whence
in cars on tram way about mile, it is
carried to the beach, and deposited for dry
ing and shipment. A short wharf, runs out
on the reef, where the guano is bagged, and
carried TO the scows which come as near as
possible, through the surf, and it is then
ightered off to the vessels
The island is not in a rainless locality,
and the guano must in the winter season
be dried, to rid it of an excess of moisture
ADONC ~ pei SSut. n NlO6C clc ID luduS
of every lot ready for shipment, and the
records of the work, show that the average
does not exceed Is per cent. The Chincha
Island averages 16 per cent. The drying is
perhaps one of the most expensive parts Of
procuring the guano. To supply these men
on Bakers, for there is neither food or fresh
water on the island, the brig Kdmehdmehd Y
runs regularly with supplies from Honolulu,
making five round trips for the year. s
The arrival of the brig last Thursday, puts
us in possession of report of the shipments
up TO May 2Sth and the experience of the
four or five vessels, which left here fol
Bakers, during the spring months The
clippers King Fisher and Vim. Wileoz had
arrived before the departure of the brig, the
iScioto left here June 30tb, and four othel
ships are en- route from other parts of the
world for cargoes. The Nor WeSter is load
ing at MeKean's with the III Dorado shortly
expected
The Kdnlehdmaeha r., brings most favor
able report of the ships loading there-and
the experience of the Loeh-nd- Carr, with
that of those which followed, shows that the
seasons must be regarded. The ship arrived
at Bakers about the middle of January, but
was not able to get her cargo on board ant
leave until April 23d. OF these three month.
detention-sixty days were spent in laying
off and on, and thirty days only loading.
The Wilhelm, Hattie @. Hall and Jenni
Prince, which arrived from March Goth tC
April 2Sth met with no detention from
weather, but completed their cargoes il
turn, as fast as the facilities for loading
permitted. sti
The report shows that 4, 900 tons of guanC
were shipped from the island from April 23t
to May 2Sth. The Locl-ad- Carr took 1871
tons; the Wilhelm $50 tons, put on board il
six days; the Hattie G. Hall, 76O tons il
seven days, and the Jennie Prince, 1900 tom
in eleven days. The dispatch used in getting
these cargoes on board, speaks well for tn,
energy and system of those in charge of thu
island
In the winter months, despite the well lait
moorings, and the vigilance of ship masters
accident may occur to shipping laying there
but the danger is not SO great, as the loss o
time incurred from the necessity of slipping
TO lay off and on, or the violence of the sur
in preventing the work of loading. All th,
accidents and delays, which have occurred
are embraced in the stormy months, Will,
from March to November neither the ses
nor the winds offer any obstacles to speed,
cargo.
With regard to the safety of loading, We
clip the following card from Liverpool
paper: 1f lt Ar
c. S. MARSHALL, President Of the american
GudRo Company, NeW York
Dear Strive, the undersigned shipmas
tiers, having recently made successful voyage.
TO Bakers Island, would state for the bene
fit of shipowners who are mutually interest
ed in the success of your enterprise, thai
ships are not required TO expend a shilling
at the island, and that for ships properly
Differed and manned and fitted with tho
customary and lawful tackle there is, in oui
opinion, no special cause for casualties a
the island, In proof of which we are quit,
willing to return there whenever occasion
requires. Respectfully yours,
JOHN THEARLE, Master Ship 1vanhoe,
J. n. Brown, Master Ship Kenilworth.
DAVID GRIFFITHs, Master Bark Garstang.
W. ID. LAWS, Master Ship Sea Chief
A. n. DUNBAR,
Late Master Ship Josiah Bradlee
Having been at Bakers Island and seer
the accommodation for loading ships, a.
well as my experience in those ATTITUDES as
shipmaster, i am able to corroborate tn,
above statement of Captains Thearie, Brown
Griffths, Laws, and Dunbar.