The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-12-24

new uisCoFeTy VI STATE ucasulc' Ihat curtain
islands ad accent to the Peruvian coast and be
longing TO the republic were Overland with
vast guanO deposits was of course well known
but about this time one Alexander Cochet, g
Frenchman living in Peru, claims to have dis
covered the importance OF this guano as fer
tilzer, and as 1t soon obtained high CONNER
clai value, he claimed the bounty of one-third
Of the product of the guano beds The discoy
cry of Mr.. Landreau, an American citizen
seems TO have been of the same character ano
though the full history Of his claim is not re
vealed IN the papers thus far 1t is likely 1t GOV
ers the same ground that is covered by the
Cochet claim.
Peru never admitted the clam of either, and
went on selling the guano, it is now insisted
to the amonnt of $2,70O,000,000. Cochet died
leaving the CLAIM to his son.
Now appears on the scene one j. r. Ship
herd, erstwhile lawyer of none too high re-
pute IN Chicago but later of New York. He
states that sin the ordinary course of business
these claims were brought to his notice, and
ike another Mulberry Sellers he saw tina,
there's millions IN it," In connection with
others he proceeded to organize huge JOINT
stock company, In imitation of the Honorable
Governor and Directory of the Royal East In.
dla Company" Steps were taken by the com
pany for the purchase Qor mere song of the
Cochet and Landreau claims, now amounting
to $500, 100000 for royalties actually due, and
for $l00,00OO0O more as one-third OF the est.
mated value of $300000,0O0 worth of guano
still left on ths islands. The company propos-
ed to have these claims recognized by Peru,
and then, after the fashion of Lord Give, to
take possession of the country and run its gov
eminent, the company issuing its orders from
Wall street, exactly as the great English Com.
pany governs East India through royal di,
rectory in Bond Street.
But first in order was to get the claim re.
cognized. To this end it was necessary that
Peru should have dc tacto government. Ac-
cordingly the pretender Calderon was selected,
ana the aid of the United States, through its
facile MiRIster Hurbut, invoked to have his
government recognized, and as Chill was
alike anxious to have a government in Peru
to treat with, her military power was lent to
set Calderon and his congress on their pins.
Now everything promised to move smoothly.
Calderon was duly recognized not only by
Minister Hurlbut, but his recognition was
approved by Mr., Blame at Washington. Then
the company" proceeded to business. Cal
derOn was initiated IN the scheme, in which
he was to bear an important and profitable
part, and was on the point of signing all the
necessary papers IN recognition Of the compa.
ny's claim 80 huge and monstrous that Blaine
says that through it we should own Peru by
mortgage which can never be paid" The
mortgage not only included all there was of
the guano deposits, gold and silver mines and
the territory generally of the country, but
more important and especially-the vast
and valuable nitrate deposits of Peru, over
which the disastrous war with Chill occurred.
At the very nick of time," however, when
this huge bargain was about to be consum.
mated, Senior Petruchio Lynch, the Gillian
naval commander, got an inkling OF what was
going on, and "nipped 1t in the bud" by the
unceremonlous arrest of Calderon, and send.
ing him to Chill, and dispensing his extempo.
rized congress.
This is the dlsgraceful history as thus far
revealed. or course the company had no idea
of encountering the opposition of Chilli to the
contamination of their grand scheme, for had
they not agreed in their articles of association
to provide for paying that government an
ample indemnity tor their expenses in the war
with Peru? and TO quiet the English owners
of some s250,0O 600 worth of Peruvian bonds,
had they not also agreed to assume that debt =
Oh 1t was magnificent scheme! Like Lord
Give the puissant Shepherd not only propOs-
ed that he and his company should possess
themselves of Peru, but after the fashion of the
East India Company the plan no doubt con,
the ultimate CO inquest and annexa,
ton of all South America
There Is of course no evidence that Secretary
Blaine was hand and glove with the projectors
in this monstrCus conspiracy, for did he not
admonish Hurlbut to be extra cautious in the
matter of these claims, and to do nothing that
did not recognize the undoubted right of Chill
to exact territorial indemnity from Perus But
that Hurlbut was mere tool In the hands OF
Shipherd Is evident from the fact that he SC
far perverted Blaine's instructions that he LAID
it down as the demand" OF the United States
thaty'organlzed resistance having ceased the
opd that Vthnrn ~.
territorial indemnity or annexation" Yet il
Blaine was entirely innocent of all completely
In or knowledge of the Shlpherd scheme, why
was he 80 solicitous that Hurlbut should IA.
vor the recognition OF the "Landreau" claim
HAVE WE A SHAKESPEARE AMONG U.s.
MT William Young, the author OF "Pendra
,,np tho trap aty witch had such a rim lataI a