56 



SANTIAGO. 



huana^ the quality and usefulness of which is 

 much disputed ; but in the island of San Lo- 

 renzo, near Callao, there is a better specimen.* 

 These facts are important to be known by those 

 who contemplate the introduction of steam- 

 boats along the coast of the Pacific, where, from 

 the invariable direction of the trades, and the 

 prevalence of calms near the land, there is very 

 great difficulty in performing voyages from the 

 north to the south in sailing-vessels. 



The commercial intercourse between England 

 and Chile is now greater than between Great 

 Britain and any other South American port^ 

 except the port of Rio de Janeiro.f 



* I am informed that within a few years, two veins of 

 good coal were discovered on San Lorenzo, and that Lord 

 Cochrane saw a hut to the north of Callao, near Guacho^ 

 partly built of coal. 



f In 1835j foreign imports for consumption exceeded 

 4,000,000 dollars. 



