New Britain herald., 1916-08-09

mountains, and Lieut.. Carver and his little band of men proceeded to get busy and pulled off a tug -of-War and 8, few races, and then we marched to our places at the table where a bountiful dinner met our eyes, and so everybody seemed to have en- jOyed themselves and on our return we gave them three cheers, which they returned. I am sure we would all like to go again. Chilli is noted for it's nitrate provinces The nitrate industry at the present absorbs most of the country's commercial energy and produces most of it's revenue. In the twenty-five years up to 1906 the nitrate beds had yielded to the Chill ian government, in export tax, $273,- OOO,0O gold; for the next twenty-five years it is estimated that the export tax will nearly double this sum. ChiIi also produces cereals, wine, live stock, silver, copper and other minerals, also timber.
 Our next stop was Callao. Peru, which is the largest sea port and the gateway into central Peru. Not much of this city is known by actual know ledge gained there, for our time there was hastily drawn to a close when the officials found that the city was over run with a plague However, Peru itself is about three and One-half times the size of France, but has only 14OO miles of railroad. Plains run back from the city for miles and lie at the foot of low lying mountains which slope down to the Amazon These plains contain many planta- tions of coffee, sugar and cotton, and fertile land only waiting, as our land in the west waited, for irrigation to wake them up.
 Our next port after passing through the Panama Canal was Colon, but before dwelling on that sWeltering little city I will first write a few words in relation to the big ditch. Stopping at Panama just long enough to take Governor Goethals aboard, we then proceeded through the first set of locks, which took us above the sea level. Gatun. Pedro Miguel and Miraf1ores Dams raise the level or Gatun lake 86 feet above the mean tide this difference in the tVel or the navigational waters of the Canal is overcome by three sets or douole locks at each terminius there pe1ng tNree in direct contact at Gatun, two at Pedro Miguel and one at MlraHoreS' and between these points IS the la nous Gatun lake, and the water ol this lake is dotted with many natural islands due to the rought ana broken topograph of the lanu ln- undated by the great dam at Gatuh which is three miles and nearly a mile v.ie at it's base, with tho great spill v-av and the Hydro Electric plant Tn about the center of the dam. AL Gamboa about midway of the Canal commences the famous Culepra Gut, which by the act of congress mas been changed to Gaillard Cut in memory of the late Col. D. D. Galllard who completed the dry excavation before his death. At the west end of the Canal is situated Colon and Cristobal with combined population of 30,- 900. We stayed at Colon two days and liberty was granted the crew during that time. but most of us I think were anxiously waiting for the shin to put to sea again where the seq, breezes could be enjoyed once more.
 After coaling ship at Colon and put ting to sea again, our next port vas Havana, Cuba, or the second Paris, 1 and is called the key to the new world. Cuba is the most fertile of : the tropical islands, it yields in abun- dance every form of useful vegeta ton. The outline of the island. com 1 monly compared by the Spaniards to | a birds tongue, also resembles a | great hammer headed shark. the ! head of which forms the straight i south coast of the east end of the l island from which the sinuOus body ! extends west ward. Manyof the Cubans f speak English, more speak French | which is the household language of | the island.
 HomeWard bound! The total miles | travelled was 14,165, and the total i of coal used was 7,299 tons, l and I think you will agree with me l when I say that I think that it was 1 some trip, even though we did have | to sizz1e in some places.
 Must close now. Will look for | ward to hearing from you again, so i don't keep waiting,.
 Yours as ever,
 FRANCIS P.