The Valparaiso and West Coast Mail
Publishing history
Our second newspaper collection in this archive is the Valparaiso and West Coast Mail, which enjoyed a much longer and more successful run, from its first issue on Aug. 17, 1867 to its final issue on June 24, 1871. This newspaper was again printed in the publishing house of a prominent national newspaper, this time the Patria's printing office, and appeared the “day before the sailing of each Mail Steamer for the North" in 1867. This last proclamation is especially interesting as it indicates that editors intended a wider distribution for the newspaper, to other English-speaking colonies along the Pacific coast of South America.
After its first year, the VWCM moved to “William J. Cox, Office 44, Calle Aduana" (from no. 23, 1868), then moved again to “Albion Printing Office. Cox & Taylor" (from no. 69, 1869), and finally to the “Albion Printing Office. Cox & Taylor, Calle San Agustín #26 y 28" (from no. 162, 1871).
The VWCM published 275 issues over 7 years, both tracing and bearing witness to the fact that since the 1840s, the Anglo-Chilean colony was far more developed and also demanded much more information about local and international news in English, as compared to the near-exclusive focus on shipping and trade news that we see in the news of the 1840s.
Coverage and themes
By comparison with the Valparaiso English Mercury, the VWCM includes a more detailed report of vessels arriving and leaving at Valparaiso port, as well as market prices and shipping conditions. Indeed, its coverage often emphasizes the interconnectedness of local and international news; for example, in issue no. 43, the editors explain that the high prices of freight reflect Chile’s war debts, and they debate possible pathways for economic reform in the country (unsurprisingly, the British editors' advice usually focuses on free trade).
In addition to market reports, many issues run long feature articles, often focusing on trade, both within Chile and with other countries.
Each issue of the VWCM also includes consistent coverage: there is always a section about local news in Valparaíso, as well as news about surrounding provinces, current political events in Chile, etc., and another section on foreign news related to Chile.
For example, the August 17th, 1867 issue runs a story on policy changes from the Chilean Senate and House of Deputies, including the abolition of imprisonment for debt, missions to establish a diplomatic relationships with Mexico, etc. Its provincial news section presents discussion of the Chile-Bolivia border conflict and the benefits each country would gain, as well as a story on the potential for mining of rich mineral deposits in the Carizzo Alto area, in Huasco, a province located 400 miles from Valparaíso.
Smaller local news sections contain information on crime, assassination, local businesses, theatre, and other cultural reportage.
Advertisements
Finally, the VWCM devotes two or more pages of each issue to adverstisements, marking a crucial turn in the business plan for the Anglo-Chilean press: from a reliance on subscriptions to the cultivation of relationships with local businesses. These advertisements provide variety to the newsprint with attractive and illustrative images, such as ads picturing the spring horse races, clothing, foodstuffs, freight shipping services, and many other varieties of local merchants.
The newspaper also follows the informal conventions of its day: individual news articles within the same category (for example provincial, local, or foreign news) do not always have distinct titles. Overall, the newspaper provides detailed and useful information about the development of the Anglo-Chilean colony as well as the increasing hybridity of Chilean national culture.
References
Valparaiso and West Coast Mail, vol. 1, no. 4 (Valparaiso, Chile), September 10, 1867, front page. Accessed July 22, 2020.
"Australian and Chilian Four Trade," Valparaiso West Coast Mail, vol. 3, no. 6 (Valparaiso, Chile), June 25, 1869. Accessed July 22, 2020.
Valparaiso and West Coast Mail, vol. 1, no. 1 (Valparaiso, Chile), August 17, 1967, advertisement section. Accessed July 22, 2020.