Page 181 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

167.

He loaded the vessels with China silks and nankins, exports

formerly supplied Spain's colonies by the galleons. Cushing's
captains had orders to sail first to the Chilean ports of

Coquimbo and Valparaiso and then to Peruvian ports if they

were open, while the supercargo had "orders to return the pro­
ceeds in Gold, & Silver bullion or dollars as maybe Lsii/

most advantageous." Strife and hostilities were still rife in

Chile and Peru, but such prospects did not trouble Cushing.

In writing to his Boston partners for insurance on the vessels

bound for South America, he claimed that "there appears a very

favorable chance of doing something handsome there & with but

little risk, the Royalists as well as the Patriots suffer Arner-
27
ican vessels. .to trade at their ports."

Cushing's optimism began to dim when, after fifteen

months, no word of the vessels had reached Canton. In June

1821 he again wrote to Boston concerning the South American

ventures, but this time he fretted they might not end well.

"It is quite time that some of the ships that went from here

last season should be back. We fear that Embargoes, Impress-

(Carrington consigned trade to Perkins & Co. as well as S.
Russell & Co., even though he was a major partner in the latter
house.) Samuel Wetmore's nephew Williaro S. Wetmore began his
1
career as E. Carrington & Co. s agent at Valparaiso in the
1
1820 s. In 1833 he went to Canton and founded Wetmore & Co.,
one of the four major American houses at Canton. His major
partner was his cousin Samuel Wetmore, jr.
27
k'
Letters, Per k' ins & Co. to J. & T.H. Per ins, Apr.
17 and Apr. 20, 1820, Perkins & Co. MSS.