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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

GUANO OFF THE COAST OF AUSTRALIA.
 
An import trade in this commodity has sprung up in Britain to an amazing extent. Previously to 1843 Guano was known at home only as a rare and expensive manure, which the farmer could more easily appreciate than obtain, and so high a price as £25. per ton had been paid for the small quantities that dropped from time to time with the market. Produced from Some islands off the western Coast of South America.
Guano is so termed from a bird bearing that name, which exists in incredible numbers off the Coasts of Peru. The dung of these birds, accumulated throughout successive ages, has gradually formed large heaps, & even entire islands, in favourable localities of the globe. For the accumulation of the necessary manure, there appears to be wanting besides numerous sea fowl a climate generally dry, or having long intervals of weather without rain, & it seems not unreasonable to expect, from the well known Condition of Australia in this respect, that numerous additional deposits of this valuable commodity will yet be discovered around the coast.
Guano was discovered during the year 1845 upon the Laurence Islands off Portland Bay in the Colony of Victoria. Two hundred tons of this Guano has been carried to Adelaide where it realized £7 to £8 per ton - .
The Island of Ichaboe whose Guano deposit has of late caused such a stir in the Commercial world is a small rocky spot 2¼ miles off the Western Coast of Southern Africa in 26°19' South latitude & 14°50' East longitude.
The Guano on the islet was first noticed by Captn Farr of the Sun of Bristol [?]  when brought the first Cargo to Britain {Dumfries in July 1843}. From this deposit which is on an average about thirty five feet deep, there was extracted & shipped within little more than one year after the
locality was publicly known the incredible quantity of 200,000 tons of guano & the concourse of vessels & Competition for cargoes,
has not only embarrassed the Commercial proceedings but endangered life by the muting [?] & disorder of the varied crowd.
During this condition of Ichaboe, another Guano deposit opportunely made its appearance on Malayas Island in Saldana [Saldanha] Bay at the Cape of
 

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