Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06
They have sent "a number|of convicts
there. and are now erecting model
prison upon it. 49,:


Another. group of islands that will
be important, now that the canal is
! completed, is the. Archipelago de Colon.
The name on the maps is the Galapagos
Islands, These islands belong to Ecua-
dor. They are situated about as far
from Panama New York Is distant
from Chicago. and III such location
that they might form an important
coaling station for tile ships on their
way north and south between the two
continents. They are about 500 miles
from Ecuador and 1000 miles north of
Valparaiso.
These islands were for long time
uninhabited. and not long ago. they
had a sort OF n Robinson Crusoe, who
| lived there for years upon fruits and
| roots and upon the wild cattle and pigs
which he WAS able to kill: r;He caught
| the animals In traps and killed them
with spear made, OF a. pocket knife
tied to a stick. : Tie had a hut with a
roof of4cowskins and pigslSins When
found he was naked. and was carrying,
a pig on his back. He had be en- on the
| Islands for years, having been left
there by some ship He had almost
| lost the power OF Speech and it;tooli
some time for him 10 grow accustomed
| 10 civilized ways.
IL. At several times during our history
| the United States has considered the
Islands. In 1851 preliminaries OF ira trans 81,
at that time s3,o0O.ooO was offered for
the islands. The sale fell tR aa n.
however, and so far none Of the sub
sequent negotiations has succeeded.
Now that we have the canal, the sale
may again come up in connection wit n
our Pacific Coast trade.
1t Is claimed that the islands are fer
tile. Some parts of them are now be-
ing settled The Ecuadorians have es-
tabllshed several plantations, and say
FEED 81 snte
lands have excellent cod fisheries along
tho shore. sand are also famous for
found nowhere else. These turtles.
when fun grown, measure about three
pounds: They are valuable for their
An ordinary turkey will yield about six
cents Of o ss ena t This M ss haSe
also seals and wild dogs, as we'll Is
wild donkeys and cattle. all of which
attempted to settle the island. but
failed. ,yi
There are other islands lying OF the
west coast of South America that have
spots upon earth of n similar size i
refer TO the guano islands. which have
Of 'nam whe tRe
present movement for their renovation
succeeds. viii produce hundreds OF mil
| is backed by the Peruvian government
and is based upon scientific ,investiga-
| tons; | will describe IT further on in
The guano islands begin at the
northern part Of Peru. and they run
, west coast of ne South American
dessr, far dn nSt into Chile They are
absolutely
the vast lfocks OF birds which use
them for their breeding places.
way southwark through the Pacinc
At first they seemed to be rocks of
made by the droppings OF birds. which mcS
every year 10 nest and raise their
The great value comes from the
groupings or manure OF these birds
We're H SO large that fo the pe rue
ing Them. they shipped the guano 70
| iieet OF vessels was engaged In carry
| ing it, The receipts paid large part
they kept the country rich. 'e"'' "''u
Then Peru had its war with Chile
and was conquered. The result was an
ment Of which the best OF the guano
iisiaahs were given over TO the foreign
known as the u peruvian eri n"e oorpor nni
| which corporation is stin shipping from
! them 10000 or more tons every year.
The guano deposits are now almost
had been consumed before the war
| with Chile, and continual export has
gone on since then. The output now
cunts 70 only p few thousand tons
a year. but through the: plans now
making by the Peruvian government
the islands may be srenovated. and q
continual supply received from them
for NIL time to come These, plans are
Forbes, celebrated ornithologist,,, who
has been sent by the President or
Peru to report upon the islands and