An item described the discovery if a new guano-island by the ship Leo which returned fully loaded with guano from Chincha of the Weegluis eilanden at Berwick(1). Her captain stated that his ship with a measurement of 426 tons was loaded in sailcloth sacks within 48 hours which could had been done with 4-5 hours if there had been no problems with storing. The layer guano had a thickness of almost 300 feet. The so-called Weegluis eilanden of a distance of around 15 miles from Pisco, Peru on 14.23 South latitude and 76.13 West longitude numbered 3 and of which the captain visited two. The air was heavily mixed with the smell of ammonia. It was no problem to hire labourers against daily wages of 3 shillings, but he had too wait for a month before he could depart while there were 30 ships lying. The newspaper reported the that the British merchant shipping towards the African coast for guano was extreme increased. One tidings reported 600, another even 800 British ships. Guano was according to an American price courant 60 dollars a ton worth.
Note
1. The guano export from the Chincha islands/Islas Chinca, 3 islands 13 miles off the southwest Peruvian coast started in 1840 and caused the Chincha Islands War in 1864-1865 while Spain refused to recognize the independence of Peru and being heavily interested in the benefits of the export.
