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The Northernmost Chincha (Guano) Island, 1850. Creator: Unknown
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The Northernmost Chincha (Guano) Island, 1850. Creator: Unknown
The Northernmost Chincha (Guano) Island, [Peru], 1850. Sketch by "a Traveller in Central America". In 1840 attention was first drawn to guano for the purposes of agriculture in Europe, and every year since shipments have increased...during the present season, 100, 000 tons of guano will be taken from the island, and sold at prices varying from £9 5s. to £11 per ton, leaving, we believe, a net product in favour of the Government of Peru of about half a million sterling...For the facility...of more rapid shipment, to meet the increasing demand for the article, shoots were arranged on the Middle Island, where vessels are now also loaded...vessels are enabled, without danger, to haul close to the cliff, and receive their cargoes through wooden or canvas shoots. In this way, a vessel of 500 tons may be loaded in a couple of days'. From "Illustrated London News", 1850
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Media ID 36213681
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Basalt Central America Chincha Islands Excrement Export Guano Honduras Island Loading Nicaragua Ocean Pacific Ocean Peru Sailing Ships Shipping Industry Stratovolcano Volcano
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EDITORS COMMENTS
The Northernmost Chincha Island, also known as El Tigre or Tiger Island, off the coast of Peru in the Pacific Ocean, was a significant site of guano extraction during the 19th century. Guano, a rich source of nitrates and phosphates, had gained attention in Europe for agricultural purposes since the 1840s, leading to an increasing demand and subsequent boom in exports. By 1850, an estimated 100,000 tons of guano were being extracted from the island, sold at prices ranging from £9 5s. to £11 per ton. The demand for guano was met with innovative methods for efficient loading, such as shoots arranged on the Middle Island that enabled vessels to haul close to the cliff and receive their cargoes through wooden or canvas shoots. This process allowed a vessel of 500 tons to be loaded in just a couple of days. The sketch above, created by a traveller in Central America and published in the Illustrated London News in 1850, depicts the Northernmost Chincha Island, with a sailing ship in the foreground and the volcanic El Tigre in the background. The island's basaltic and stratovolcanic terrain is evident, as well as the black and white landscape that characterised the Chincha Islands. The Chincha Islands, located near present-day Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru, were a significant geographical feature in the Pacific Ocean during the Victorian era, with El Tigre being the northernmost and largest of the three islands. The island's volcanic activity and rich guano deposits made it a valuable resource for European agriculture, contributing to the growth of the shipping industry and international trade during the 19th century.
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