Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-09-10
bort O obarro Gimes
PORT TOBA ACCO:
Friday Morning, September 10, -. 1875
The Peruvian GuanO Supply.

1he fefuvlun OuanO SUPPLY.
1t is only Il few weeks since that we had ac-
counts of new legislation by Peru in regard to
disposing of her guano supplies as the basis for
additional loans in Europe and the securing of
the debts she already owes Now, however,
there are intimations of those supplies being a
poor dependence in that regard. 1t is now a.
bout thirty years since guano was brought to
Europe for trial. In ls4l there were consider
able shipments. Upon three small islands,
called the Chincha Islands, off the south coast
of Peru, it was estimated there were about
forty millions of tons. The Lobos Islands, off
the north coast, also contained enormous de-
posts, and many smaller islands were covered
with if. The revenue TO the Peruvian govern
ment from the guano trade exceeded that from
all other sources. The demand led TO explora-
tions in other parts of the world and other de-
posts were found, but nearly all inferior in
quality TO the Peruvian. The London Times
now states, on the authority Of letters written
by the captain of vessel sent to the Peruvian
coast to load guauo, that the good guano is
exhausted AT Pabellon de Plea. and what the
vessels had TO take in Nav and June last when
the letters were written, was mixed with stones
and gravel TO the extent of from twenty TO
my per ttut ilc engineers III Charge OF Tue
work were then blasting and burrowing among
the rocks in search of more guano said to lie
under them, and 10 supply the ships with the
drosS given, the rocks had also to be swept
Over one hundred vessels had then arrived off
the coast, for there is no harborsge, and some
of them had laid three months waiting for their
loads. Some of the vessels had refused TO take
in such rubbish as cargo, unless on the aathori-
ty OF the Peruvian government contractors /;
and these contractors, it was rumored, had OBJ
tanned discount of forty per cent. on the rc-
mainder of their contract in consideration of
the dross they had TO take. \ number of ves-
sells had gone 10 another part of the coast,
where guano was .aii to be more plentiful,
Lobos Point, about seven miles distant from
Pabellon, but there ,hcs t,red even worse
They had 10 lie IN deep. OF. water. where the
swell was SO heavy that ,.c lighters out oi
which they loaded were continually getting
smashed, and the ships themselves were losing
anchors and chains There were Il anchors
and chains lost in two weeks, and there was no
compensation for ihis-the suano here being
as bad As at the other place. The London
Times adds that it has heard other statements
about the guano TO the same effect. aud that it
is impossible at this Junc;ure to oysraic the
Importance Of this testimony from persons who
are on the spot.
II these impairmeuis of the guauo supply are
not rcmeded the loans which Peru has been
raising in England upon "guano security
will be in bad way. Aswe have before me n
toned, there are deposits OF guano elsewhere,
but none equal to the Peruvian. There was a
discovery in 1855 OF animal deposits of the same
original nature uP~n tAs group of Islands IN
the Caribbean SEA, lying of the coast of G uiana
and Venezuela but being in the region OF the
tropical rains the deposits are subject TO chem
ical changes from which resul, products very
different from those Of the earthy guAno of the
dry islands OF the Pacific. Next to The Chincha
Islands, the most important deposits were those
upon Jarvis 5. Baker and How land 5 islands,
belonging 10 the American Guano Company OF
New York. II is probable however, that Peru
has very valuable guano deposles Yet TO draw
upon, matter of very great interest in The
United States, and in Baltimore especially.
where the best Peruvian guano is largely used
in comPounding fertilizers generally Bill.
Sun