THE NUMa/^ 



73 



his venture. Although no treaties of commerce 

 have yet been concluded between any state of 

 Europe and Chile^ no impediment has been 

 offered to the trade between Europe and this 

 republic; on the contrary^ great readiness is 

 exhibited by the government and the natives 

 to encourage it. 



A scheme is in agitation to establish a com- 

 pany for the navigation on this coast by steam 

 to Panama; and to correspond with a line of 

 steam-packets on the Atlantic side^ from Jamaica 

 and New York to Chagres. Mr. Wheelwright^ 

 a North American gentleman, resident in South 

 America fifteen years, has undertaken this de- 

 sirable object, with a hope, which I trust will not 

 prove fallacious, of obtaining the aid of this state, 

 as well as that of Peru, to ensure the success of 

 the enterprise, which cannot fail to be of the 

 highest utility to the whole commercial world. 



VOL, II. E 



