PANAMA AND THE PACIFIC. 287 



which the property of all persons resident on 

 those shores is so often exposed, from the 

 feebleness of the governments and the succes- 

 sive changes, which are the consequence of 

 that weakness. 



The establishment of steam- boats v/ould 

 render the return of correspondence, against the 

 prevailing southerly winds, of equal rapidity. 

 The trade-winds are not violent in that sea, 

 and men-of-war, in particular, have generally 

 made passages down the coast with great des- 

 patch ; however, the introduction of steam navi- 

 gation in the West Indies, having already shown 

 that merchant sailing vessels are disposed to 

 carry sufficient coal in ballast, for the supply of 

 fuel ; it is equally obvious that the same facili- 

 ties might be afforded to carry out coal to the 

 Pacific coast, until such time as, from its raised 

 value and the increased demand for it, the inha- 

 bitants of those regions may think it worth their 

 while to work the veins of coal,* which are well 



* With regard to the coal at Conception, the quality is 

 described by Mn Mason of H.M.S. Seringapatam, as 

 good when not taken from too near the surface. The 

 same coal was used for several months on board H. M. S. 

 Blossom, and Mr. Wheelwright exhibited, in the presence 

 of several of the ministers of Chile the process of turning 

 it into coke which he found practicable. 



On the subject of the coal at Guacho and Talcahuana? 



