Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-07-26
AN OLD PORT TARASC0N.
Memories of the DaPien Colonization Scheme
of 200 Years Ago.

OF ZUU I6dPS RgU.
! An ancient "strong-box' of sheet
iron, th1ckly studded with rivets, lying
neglected in a vault of the Bank of Scot
| land at Edinburgh-that is the only
tangible relic of one of the most notable
colonization schemes of early days in
| America. 1t was the treasure chest Of
| the Darien Company, corporation
whose name once filled great place in
! the world, but is now dead and almost
! forgotten. A writer in the Scottish Re-
! view recalls its history, which is I'M
known to the present generation, but
! which might well rank by the side of
! the story of Port Tarascon itself.
The enterprise originated in the mind
! of one Paterson soon after the union of
the English and Scottish crowns, at a
time when Scotland was as yet deriv-
ing small advantage therefrom. Ac-
cording to law, no goods could be eX-
ported to or imported from Asia, Africa
and America except in English or Irish
bottoms, while of the crews of the yes
sells three-fourths must be English.
Only English-built ships were allowed to
conduct the coasting trade, no product
of ''the plantations could be imported
into Scotland direct, and all land traffic
| between Scotland and England had to
pass through either Carlisle or Berwick,
and was subject to tolls. But after the
revolution Of 1858 the nation began to
have a laundering after unrestricted COM
merce and a desire for a share of the
good things of the Indies. A nervous
restlessness took hold of the people,
who were in such a mood that Pater-
sons proposal found eager listeners
and enthusiastic supporters. 1t was
really an old idea of his, and was doubt
less suggested by what he had seen of
the Spaniards and their traffic in tropi
! cal America.
The original idea was capital of 49,
600 900, of which one-half should be fur
nished by England and one-half by
Scotland, but when England dropped off
Scotland was unable to make up the
whole of the deficit An appeal was
made to Hamburg for support, and sub
scriDtions were promised there to the
extent of $500, 900, but the English
capitalists got political influence to bear
and the Hamburgers never took up the
stock All that Scotland could do was to
add another 100000 to the original al
lotment, and this with difficulty, for the
last subscription of $4,000 to complete
the s., 100000 was a "bogus" one. The
name of an Edinburgh citizen was put
down on guarantee from the company
|
promoters were even then not I'M
known. The court of directors lost no
time in beginning business, their first
proceeding being to purchase
two houses for offices and
stores in Mills Square, Edin
bureh, at a cost of 81 $50. Then they
proceeded to organize staff, to lay
down office regulations and to arrange
salaries An eight-hour day was practi-
cally provided, viz, from till l. In the
forenoon and from till in the after
noon, but the cash had to be balanced
every night before the office was closed,
But, although the directors were SO ca
ger to begin business, it is important to
note that nothing in the original charter
referred to Darien. the Cstensible OBJ
iect of the enterprise being TO trade
with Africa and the Indies. 1t was, in
deed, not until two years after the cap
ital had been subscribed that the first
expedition sailed. 1t is not easy now
to account for this long delay, but that
the public enthusiasm endured through
it all is certainly remarkable.
The first vessel purchased was the
| Caledonia, the next the Instauration.
Both were lying at Hamburg, and were
brought over to Leith under convoy.
The Scots Privy Council granted them
letters of marque; and toward the end
of July, 1893, the first expedition left
Leith with some / 200 colOnists and sea-
men. They had very vague idea Of
where they were going, but they were
filled with the highest hopes and fired
with the greatest enthusiasm. Of the
/, 200 men who formed the first expedi-
ton large number were Highlanders,
and some were soldiers who had been
discharged at the Peace of Rvswick
Darien was reached on November +,
1893, and the settlers proceeded to for
tify the landing-place by landing fifty
cannon and erected what they called
| Fort St Andrew. On the other side of
the harbor there was a mountain mile
high, on which they placed q
watch-house, which, in the rarifed
air within the tropics, gave them
an immense range of perspective to pre-
vent all surprise. To this place it was
observed that the Highlanders often re-
paired to enj the cool air, and to talk
of their friends whom they had left be-
hind. They issued proclamation de-
claring freedom of trade and Of re-
ligion, they sent friendly messages to
the Spanish governors, and they en-
tered into negotiations with the natives
for the purchase of land. A council
was appointed by the company for the
government of the colony, and "funda-
mental constitutions" for it's perpetual
rule were ordained. The news Of their
settlement in the Isthmus of Darien ar
rived at Edinburgh on March 25, 1889,
and was celebrated with the most ex-
travagant reioicings. Thanks were pub
licly offered up to God III all the
churches of the city.
The first expedition arrived out safe
Iv, as has been said, discriminating at
Acta, where they obtained the site for
a town, to be called New Edinburgh,
after building the fort already men
toned. They were well received by
the natives, and as they arrived in the
cool season they were tolerably we'll
pleased for time. But by and by the
hot weather came on, and with it a
whole troup of tropical diseases; their
provisions ran short, no relief reached
them, and they died ofIrapidly. Final
ly after eight months Of misery and
semi-staryation, the shattered remnant
of the 200 abandoned the settlement
A vessel with supplies for them was dis