Ports and harbours—La Unión—Population—Railway extensions—Lack of British bottoms—Carrying trade—H.B.M.\'s Vice-Consul—Port of Triunfo—Bad entrance—Proposed railway—Acajutla—Loading and unloading facilities—Proposed improvements—Salvador Railway connections—La Libertad—Comandante and garrison—Loading and unloading facilities—Cable station and the service provided by Government—The staff of operators.
The western arm of the Gulf of Fonseca forms the capacious and land-locked harbour of La Unión, which is situated on the south-western shore, four and three-quarter miles above the entrance. On the north side of the bay are extensive mud-flats that contract the channel in places to less than a mile in width, while another in front of the town uncovers at half-tide, virtually cutting off all communication with the shore. This flat has encroached upon the anchorage since Sir Edward Belcher\'s survey was made, diminishing the depth slightly, and shifting the channel a little to the northward. A small pier facilitates landing at high-water, and on the outer end of it a light is sometimes shown; but it is of minor value, being dimmed by the lights in the town behind it. Coffee, cotton, hides, and balsam of Peru (so called, although it comes from Salvador), are exported. Beef, poultry, and oysters, can be obtained at reasonable rates. As ships find great difficulty in watering here, it is recommended to anchor and fill up at the spring, one mile below Chicarene Point.
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Steamers coming to La Unión are given the following directions:
"If bound for La Unión, keep to port of all the islands, and steer to come between Conchaguita and the western shore under the volcano of Conchagua. When fairly in mid-channel, the entrance to the harbour will be seen ahead between Punta Sacate Island on the right and Chicarene Point, which terminates the eastern slope of the volcano on the left. Steer nearly for the Point, and even bring it a little on the starboard bow if the flood-tide is running, as it sets across the shoal north of Conchaguita. As the point is approached, open it a little from the north end of Punta Sacate and run past, giving the island the widest berth, as there is a rocky patch making out from the south-west point. It has been recommended to keep Chicarene Point close aboard, but a steamer drawing 15 feet touched a rock in doing so; therefore a safe rule would be to keep a little to the westward of mid-channel. During the springs the tide runs through the pass at the rate of three knots an hour."
The port of La Unión is the largest in the Republic, but, in spite of this fact, landing is sometimes difficult, and until some constructional improvements are made it will continue to be so. At present it is necessary to disembark from the steamer on to a launch; from the launch descend into a small row-boat, and from the small row-boat transfer to a "dugout." Even then the traveller is not at the end of his trials, since he has to leave the dugout for a ride on a man\'s back through several yards of surf before he can reach terra firma.
La Unión has a population of 8,000 people, including a garrison of 1,000 troops. It carries on a considerable amount of trade, chiefly in coffee exportation and foreign goods importation, in spite of the difficulties of approach by sea. The advent of the[218] railway is likely to add to this volume of traffic, if only to a limited extent. It is noteworthy, however, that the people of La Unión are by no means enthusiastic regarding the approach of this railway, and they speak very pessimistically as to its prospects. In conversation with one of the leading citizens, I was informed that the railway "is hardly likely to prove profitable, since it is in the hands of the wrong people" (namely, an American group); and the case of the railway at Puerto Barrios, in Guatemala, which is controlled by some of the same entrepreneurs, is quoted as an example of what may be expected. So indifferently are passengers treated in connection with the Guatemala Railway, which is under the jurisdiction of the United Fruit Company of Boston, U.S.A., that no one now will travel upon it if he can possibly avoid it. It is quite probable, in view of the much-improved steamship service offered by the Salvador Railway (from Acajutla to Salina Cruz, Mexico), that this will continue to be the principal means of reaching the United States and Europe and for transmitting cargoes.
La Unión was at one time a port of call for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company of Liverpool, which, however, withdrew their service in 1898, apparently finding the competition with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company of San Francisco too keen, and the carrying business insufficient. The Pacific Steam Navigation Company sold out their interest to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and since then—much to the regret of all shippers and passengers alike in the Central American ports—its boats have not been seen at La Unión.
In fact, no British steamers have called there except[219] an occasional Leyland or a Lamport and Holt steamer sent to load coffee, and the reappearance of the British flag has been entirely due to the efforts of the Salvador Railway Company.
The Pacific Mail Steamship\'s Company\'s freight charges are now $3 gold (12s. 6d.) per ton for carrying coffee from La Unión and other Central American ports to San Francisco, U.S.A., but they formerly charged $8 (33s. 4d.) per ton. The considerable reduction is due to the severe competition which this octopus-like company has had to meet with from both the Kosmos Company and the Salvador Railway.
The annual export of coffee from La Unión amounts to 150,000 sacks, all of which are carried to Europe (Hamburg, Havre, etc.), the Kosmos Company taking by far the greater part. Day by day the Pacific Mail Steamship Company loses ground and popularity throughout Central American ports owing to its extortionate charges (where there is no competition), to its indifferent management, and, above all, by reason of the gross discourtesy with which its clients are sometimes treated by the uncouth and half-savage officials whom it employs.
British interests at La Unión, such as they are, are represented by Mr. John B. Courtade, His Britannic Majesty\'s Vice-Consul; and this gentleman also acts as French, Chilian, and Norwegian Consul. Mr. Courtade, who is a Frenchman by birth, has been a resident of La Unión for thirty-three years, and he is one of the best-known and most-respected inhabitants of the place. The "palatial" offices which enshrine H.B.M.\'s Vice-Consulate will be noted with satisfaction by the patriotic.
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Between La Unión and La Libertad is situated the port of Triunfo, which is 60 miles from the latter, and 156 miles from the former. Triunfo, however, has a very poor natural entrance, owing to the heavy surf which is continually breaking on the shore. It is to this port, nevertheless, that an American syndicate are about to construct a railway, with the idea of handling the large quantity of coffee which is grown in the neighbourhood, and consigned to this port for shipment abroad. So dangerous was Triunfo formerly considered as a landing-place, that Lloyd\'s had been advised by their agents not to issue insurances, but to allow shippers to take the risk. With the contemplated improvements at the port, however, in conjunction with the railway, Triunfo will probably be ranked with La Unión as a safe and convenient port. At present the steamers of the Salvador Railway Company call there on their way to and from Corinto to Salina Cruz.
During last year the Government encouraged measures to maintain a first-class service of loading and unloading cargo at the various ports, while attending also to the embarking and disembarking of passengers, recognizing the necessity of putting both these branches of service upon a more satisfactory footing. Serviceable and commodious port-boats have been provided for each of the Comandantes at La Unión, La Libertad, and Triunfo. The latter port is now used, as mentioned above, for the shipping of coffee almost exclusively; and it is through El Triunfo that is exported the produce of the bountiful coffee harvest yielded by the Department of Usulután, which represents more than a third part of the whole of the Republic\'s coffee produce.
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Acajutla, the port of Sonsonate, is an open bay about sixty-two miles to the east of San José; it is sheltered from the south-east by the Remedios reef, a dangerous and extensive shoal, extending from a point of the same name. The salt water here is considered injurious to cables and copper. Ships anchor in 9 to 11 fathoms. Landing is occasionally difficult, and ought to be effected in a good boat. Merchant vessels load and discharge their cargoes by means of bongos, or large craft in the shape of whale-boats. A substantially-built pier, fitted with cranes, facilitates the landing, although at times the surf renders it hazardous. By giving short notice, fresh provisions may be obtained in large quantities from Sonsonate. The active volcano of Izalco, on a north-east by north bearing, forms a good leading mark for this part, and Point Remedios, long, low, and thickly wooded, may easily be recognized.
The sea-bathing at Acajutla contributes to the attraction of the place. Nowhere upon the coast of these Central American countries will a smoother or wider sand-beach be found; and at all times of the year, while at most hours of the day, women and children are found disporting themselves in the swelling and sometimes boisterous surf. The comparative freedom from the attacks of sharks and other predatory fish is also a great benefit, although there are stories current of men and women having been seized and carried away by these prowling tigers of the sea. An "old inhabitant" of some twenty-five years\' residence, however, informed me that he had never known of a case where death had ensued, and, while he himself had heard of the shark stories referred to, he had no personal knowledge of their accuracy.
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The sanitary conditions of Acajutla are at present poor, and it is scarcely surprising to hear that cases of fever and other malad............