No. 226.
Mr. Gibbs
to Mr. Fish.
Sir: In reading over the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill, as passed by the House of Representatives, I see that the United States of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru are to be consolidated in one mission or post. I would most respectfully state that facilities of travel are not so great or convenient as in the United States, either by land or water.
I will give an idea by describing a trip from New York to the capitals of the above named republics, Bogota, Quito, and Lima. To visit these three cities, as I suppose the minister would have to present himself to each, would be very costly and take up a great deal of time.
From New York to Colon, eight or nine days; there he would have to await a steamer for Sabanilla from one to fifteen days; from Colon to Sabanilla, two days; from Sabanilla to Baranquilla by railroad; thence up the Magdelena River by a steamboat, which runs only during daylight, tying up at night, about five days to Honda; at Honda horses or mules up to Bogota, four days; stop at Bogota ten days; from Bogota to Quito—there are two ways, one is across the Andes by muleback, thirty days; the other, back to Sabanilla across the Isthmus and [Page 420] down the Pacific. By the first way very few persons, except young men who are very hardy and rugged, could stand the fatigue and exposure to the high altitudes, so the safest way would be back to Colon, having there to take a chance of a steamer, once or twice a month, to said port. After arriving at Panama from Colon, there are steamers that touch twice a month at Guayaquil, Ecuador, so the minister may have to wait some time in Panama for conveyance. From Panama to Guayaquil, two days; from Guayaquil to Quito, six days by mule or horse; after being there the necessary time, returning to Guayaquil and taking chances of some steamer stopping on its way down to Callao, four days; and then go to Lima, eight miles distant.
By allowing ten days each in Quito and Bogota, and an average time of seven days waiting at Colon, Panama, and Guayaquil for steamers, also for good traveling and regular connections by steamer, it would take eighty-four days from New York to Lima, after visiting Bogota, capital of the United States of Colombia, and Quito, the capital of Ecuador.
Traveling expenses are very high, and it would be a necessity for the minister to have a secretary with him, and, if unacquainted with the language, an interpreter.
All traveling by the routes mentioned from Colon to Quito exposes persons from northern climes to great danger from sickness. Once settled in Bogota or Quito not so much fear, although it takes a healthy, strong person to live at Quito, on account of its great altitude.
I am, &c.,