New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-23
CRUISE UP THE AMAZON.
REPORT FROM COMMANDER TODD OF
THE WILMINGTON.

THE WILMINGTON.
Washington. July 22.-The Navy Department, mas
made public the report recently received from Ooi
| mander c. C. Todd. Of the Wilmington, reia'ihs 10
| the cruise of that vessel up the Amazon. Inc WI
mington proceeded $500 miles up the river inVes-
tigaed the topography and natural resources Oh he
country made q collection OF animals for the Hoo-
logical Park in Washington, and secured a series
Of photographs OF the towns along the rivers inc
natives and the most important features or the
scenery Commander Todds report Ia long, ana
includes. reports from his subordinate ofhcers' 10
whom special Investigations were lntrus'eu'
The valley Of the Amazon. according 70 COM
mander Todd is on immense area OF low lying iahu'
interspersed with nnumerabls waterways winch III
the rainy season, from May to Decempe'' o''
almost all the intervening country. Inc 'o""s' U
which there are few Of large population are pu,'
on the higher bluffs along the river ana III ce
no,nts where the country above the average h'sh
water level there small piahtaliohs'
cocoa grain and vegetables are grown ior io'a ~
sumption Nearly all the native houses aS Lar
west as the Peruvian boundary are DUN u" p''S'
TO raise them above the flood level
Tho valley strange as 1t may seem, does not pro-
duce food sufficient for the support OF the peope
The foreign residents Of all the large towns rey
largely on canned goods and other impoi'eu iooN'
for subsistence
The climate was found to be oppressive anu
humid The annual range OF the thermometer -
from p to 90 degrees and the whole valley IL the
/ Il
seat of tropic malaria, which is exceedingly oa"
gerous TO unacclmated visitors. Great care was
taken Of the health of the men on the SHIPS I'o"e
of the officers or men were allowed to remain on
shore at night The result was that the hedi'h vi
the ships company was good throughout ihe
voyage only a few mild cases of malaria develop
ing. H.. H.,
II WAS found necessary to engage river pilots for
almost the whole voyage. This service was eA-
pensive but efficient. as the ocean going steamers
I ,rfrsar "a "a
/ fine corns OF pilots who are familiar with the
changes Of channel that with every high
water. The Wilmington grounded only once Oh 'ne
whole trip OF forty-one hundred miles and returned
to Para In condition to proceed to sea imiheoia''
COURTEOUS TREATMENT RECEIVED
The treatment of the vessel and her oncefs py
the local authorities courteous throughout al
though at one point In the Peruvian secuoh Vi III.
upper Amazon whole military post composed u
ely mon fed TO the bush the appearance Oh d
man-of-war and 1t with difficulty that TWO Oh
them could be induced TO return long enough 10 ac
cord PERMISSION for the Wilmington 10 pioeeeu "p
the river to Iquitos This city was the highest point
reached by the cruiser, although she might nave
proceeded about four hundred miles fur'her hao
a supply of coal been accessible
The most important city along the river aoose
Para is Manaos, close to the Junction Oh the NV
Negro and the Amazon. This Is the seat Vi gov
eminent OF the State of Amazon, and has popu-
trlbuting point for the immense trade OF the III
terror Amazon basin and seems destined 10 gro"
I'm commercial Importance. 1t Is mere tlld -, ne ne
going steamers transship ther Ca Ssstrbuted
smaller river boats, by which they are ulstI d.
along the Madira, Purus, Jurna JapaIh anu ~ ,o
her cocoa and dyestufrs from the interior, and 10
regarded by Commander IGda se as an n View Of
post for the American consular se''''e' III w" -
The difficulty in securing coal suggested also alsO
that there was Il good opening t sGa an tno Lid
enterprise. PocohOntas coal brings $40 a ION islu
down At 1 t 1o HTheh up e as is said there
are gold deposits which are worked by tne naaV1s
ascertained and their extent is unknown. 1t Is
said that there are large deposits OF 81 GTs G
no attempt is made to work them
THE RUBBER INDUSTRY.
Commander Todd says that the only product of
importance in the whole valley OF the Amazon IS
rubber and the status OF this industry is serious
problem which he was unable to solve with the
limited time at his disposal. All the river towns
are depopulated at certain seasons. when the in
habitants go in their canoes to the network OF
tributary streams to collect the rubber from the
trees No systematic attempt Is MADE AT cultlVat-
the indians Kill all the trees operated on each
season. There is comforting belief extant among
lille and that the cover the whole Of the Anna,
zon Valley. The officers Of the Wilmington learned
enough on the subject to feel sure that there are
no immense forests of rubber trees and that they
grow sasy or in small groups UPS close s0hs the
water being rapidly destroyed, and how far In
land they may be found no knows. Commander
Todd suggests that 1t would be the part OF pru-
dence for the governments of the various states In
the Amazon Valley to take measures for preserv-
ing the forests and cultivatng the trees In planta-
TONS in order to guard against the serious re-
suits which would follow sudden collapse OF this
great Industry
The animals secured by the Wilmington for the
National 200" at Washington include two toed
sloth a peccary, three aguatos, or small ground
hogs, South American tapir harry eagle one one
coat, one tiger cat, macaw, two deathshead
monkeys, night monkey one bowling monkey,
two macao monkeys and a number of parrots Sew
era OF the animals died or escaped on the trip
down the river. The remainder have been shipped
10 Washington