Evening star., 1913-12-07

or ~ deck A cow was
caught BY its horns and hauled over in
the same manner. Other livestock fol-
lowed.
An American woman on board this
steamer vented her indignation and pro-
posed forming a west coast society for the
prevention OF cruelty to animals. The
ships officers tried to soothe her. but
failing IN that, told her that her griev-
ance was against nature, which. had
made so few good ports on the west
coast, and not against the steamship
companies These, he explained. would
themselves prefer to have the steamer
drawn up against spacious wharf, and
have the livestock driven on board, but
since the open roadsteads, which by cour
tesy passed by the name of harbors did
not make this possible, the best they could
do was 10 have the animals driven on 10
the barges as far as possible and then
have the barges brought to the steamer s
side.
The American woman continued her
protest, and said that it was at least pos
sibIe to put the helpless animals in sings
and hoist them aboard. She was right
but il will be long time before this re-
form is adopted.
1t is a curious commentary on some of
the west coast countries that with so few
good ports they have not always availed
themselves of such advantages as nature
offers.
Forty years ago in southern Peru, in
the sheltered Bay of Islay. an effort was
made TO establish new port the streets
were laid out. and the piazas. or parks
and squares, provided for, while two or
three buildings were also erected. There
are still evidences of the effort in the
overgrown plaZas. where the rank vege-
tation has not entirety choked the open
spaces.
But Mollendo claimed vested property
rights tor one of the very worst landing
places in three thousand miles of coast.
The railway terminus is there and II re-
manned the port.
The Peruvian government has spent
something like half a million dollars in
trying to construct a breakWater, but the
money seems 10 Oe spent without avail.
When the sea Is bravo" which means a
roaring surf that breaks over the rocks
cargoes are loaded and unloaded with the
greatest difficulty, and this is the con-
dition about half the year. while at other
seasons there is only a tremendous swell
TO deal with. Great cargoes OF fine wool
are taken out of Moilendo, as are also
heavy shipments OF copper ore and other
minerals.
The present Peruvian national admin
istration is said TO be quietly consider
ing the project of re-es tablshing a new
port in the sheltered bay. 1t may be
strong enough to do this
At africa, with the MORO or gigantic
snout OF land projecting out into the
Pacific and its little cupful of green val
ley, there is not much need of harbor i'm
provements. The Chilean government,
however, is improving the shipping ia
ciiities. The freight coming down over
the Arica-La Paz line is not yet heavy,
nor Is tine merchandise going into BOLIVIA
inland over this route, but the spur from
the main line on the Bolivian IaDleland
TO the Coro corro copper region has Deen
competed and a considerable quantity
of minerals is expected to flow down this
way, not only copper ore but tin concen-
trates.
/ made these observations OF port
facilities on the Liverpool liner from
Caliao down. A more instructive OBJ
servation was in relation to the pas
sengers-
GU. u.slde of the South Americans them
selves. the English always predominate
on these boats, as is natural from
their predominance in the west coast
commerce. II is possible. however. to
make some comparisons with previous
trips ten and five years ago. There
were as many Germans five years back
as now. About the same proportion Of
French and italian commercial travel
ers are met with as would have been
encountered at any time during the
last ten years. For every American met
with ten years ago. three are met today,
and twice as many as five years ago.
Many of these Americans are coming
down in connection with the mining In
vestments made by two or three Ameri-
can groups of capitalists, but there Is a
marked increase in the number OF COM
nnercial travellers. The most remark
able thing about the American COM
mercial travellers is that all Of them
speak Spanish.
A few years ago IL was rather an un-
usual thing to find an American drummer
who knew the language OF these coun-