OF A-EW  YORK CITY                     307
 

CHAPTER XXXV.

G. G. A 3. S. Howland did an immense business in
all those ye .rs alluded to, and after the firm was changed
to Howlano & Aspinwall their extensive operations did
not decrease.

In the Pacific trade these merchants had no equals.
From 1831 to 1840, they did the largest general busi¬
ness of any firm in the city of New York.

They did a heavy business from both the East and
West Indies; also frorh the Mediterranean and Eng¬
land. They owned several Liverpool packets, among
thera the " John Jay," " William Brown," and " Craw¬
ford." They owned at least seventeen or eighteen
ships.

I have read in the papers of to-day that old General
Paez has just safely reached La Guayra, on his return
from the United States, where he has long been an
exile.

Twenty-eight years ago, old Paez was in his glory
and President of Venezuela. At that time the How¬
land concern did the largest business with that country.
They had a resident agent, John M. Poster, at Car-
raccas, and traded regularly at Puerto Cavello and La