These letters graciously have been shared with the Victorian Web by Eunice and Ron Shanahan; they have been taken from their website. The letters give an insight into the daily lives and concerns of 'ordinary' people without whom history would not exist. The letters are a wonderful example of how much history may be gleaned from such sources.
The letter to which this page refers is written in Spanish. It was sent from London to Paris, and has links with Chile in South America and finally Sydney in Australia.
In the Ship News there is this surprising paragraph
“Rather an unusual visitor appeared in the harbour on Friday last — a Chilian brig of war, of nine guns and thirty-three men, and having on board the President of Chili, and several of his followers. We have not been enabled to learn the precise object of their visit to our shores. The Peruvians and Chilians were at war when the brig sailed, and that circumstance would furnish a number of conjectures of the cause of leaving their country. General Fryre and suite had a long interview with His Excellency on Friday last, and in the evening were entertained at Colonel Wilson’s. We understand that the brig remains only a short time here, intending to return to Valparaiso after undergoing repair. General Fryre and party, it is said, will remain here for a short period. The Colocolo experienced very bad weather and made a tortuous passage of 112 days from South America.”
Related Documents
London, Paris, Valparaiso and Sydney, 1837: the
letter.
The letter: front cover
Newspaper cutting, Shipping Intelligence
Last modified 11 March 2007