THE JUBILEE SURPLUS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8968, 19 April 1890, Page 2

THE JUBILEE SURPLUS.

TO THE EDITOR OF I HE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, — I noticed a week or two ago in your columns an editorial advocating the export of New Zealand coal to the West Coast of South America as an enterprise that holds out great promise of success. In view of your remarks, perhaps the following may be of interest to your readers I served my apprenticeship to the sea between 1-870 and 1875 on a vessel trading regularly between England and Valparaiso, to which port we only went for orders, however, afterward invariably proceeding either northward to Peru for nitrate, or southward to Talcahuano for grain. Every voyage, however, we went to two or three different ports to discharge or load, so ’ that I may say that I have been in the great majority of ports in Chili, Bolivia, and Peru from Talcahuano, about 40deg. S., to Chimbote, about 9deg. S., with the exception of Callao, one of the largest, if not the largest. I see that you advocate the establishment of the industry chiefly in connection with the gasworks in the principal cities and towns, and, of course, that is a very important item. I leave that question alone, as I visited the coast before the war, and a number of these conveniences (i.e., the gas works) have been established since. Nearly the whole of the coast from Valparaiso to the point three or four degrees southward of the Equator, where equatorial rains occur, is absolutely treeless, certainly from Coquimbo northward, consequently a large amount of coal is used for culinary purposes, and wages being upon the whole high, people of every condition would not stint themselves in its use upon grounds of economy. Beside the use of coal for cooking pur. poses, a large amount of fuel must be required for condensing sea-water, as nearly all the water upon the coasts of Peru and Bolivia, and a large number of places in Northern Chili, is obtained by condensation of the sea-water. Iquique, Pissgna, Cobija, Junin, Mollendo, Duindes, and a host of other small but important ports have no water other than condensed sea - water. The process of refining the nitrate, which is the staple product of Peru and part of Bolivia, also requires a quantity of coal as fuel (when we consider the extent of the exports) that must be enormous. Time alters circumstances of course, more especially when a destructive war has seen its course in the interim ; but I have myself counted ninety large vessels in Iquique, besides coasting vessels, and nearlyas manyin Pisagua. Of these vessels seven-eighths fly the British flag, and at least the same proportion brought out coal and coke from Great Britain, chiefly from the Tyne, South Wales, and Hull; carrying back nitrate of soda, or saltpetre as it is often erroneously called, the latter being nitrate of potash. If it paid this large number of vessels to carry coal all the way from England to Valparaiso, wait there a week or ten days for orders, as frequently is ’the case, and then set sail anew for some Peruvian port, surely, it should pay to do the same from New Zealand, the average length of passage being as 100 days to 30. In addition to the above uses for coal, there is the coal used in connection with the railways, of which there are many miles (chiefly steep inclines, to which the much-talked-of Rimutaka Incline is comparatively level ground) requiring a largo amount of steam power to work their steep gradients, all the nitrata fields being upon the east side of the first range of the Andes, which forms the actual coast line, there being little or no flat land, most of the formerly mentioned parts having their railway, some working mules as well. There still remains a use for coal, perhaps as important as any mentioned, viz., ths coaling of the numerous fleet of splendid palace steamboat!

that ply up and down the coast, beside) innumerable small steam craft. There are also a large number of men-of-war of all nations always stationed upon the coast, chiefly British and American, but representative* of all civilised nations, at some time or other. The Chilians themselves have also a fairly numerous fleet of steam war vessels. There is, however, one coaling port in Chili (Corouel) where good coal, the natural product of the country, can be obtained, but whether suitable for all purposes Ido not know. Apologising for troubling you,—l am, &c., P.B. Martinborougb, April 12,