Can you or any of your correspondents inform me what is the derivation of
the word _silo_?
For many years after the colony of New South Wales was founded, it was
almost wholly dependent upon the mother country for such supplies of grain,
&c. as were necessary for the life and health of its inhabitants; and,
consequently, store ships were regularly despatched from our shores to
Sydney.
It happened however that, in consequence of wrecks and other disasters, the
colonists were, on more than one occasion, reduced to the greatest
distress, and starvation almost began to stare them in the face. Under
these circumstances, one of the early governors of Sydney, to prevent the
recurrence of famine, gathered a large supply of corn and deposited it in
granaries which he had excavated out of the solid rock at the head of the
bay, near the mouth of the Paramatta River. These were termed _silos_ or
_siloes_: they were hermetically sealed up, and from time to time the old
corn was exchanged for new.
The supply of corn in these remarkable storehouses is still kept up; nor as
late as the time of my departure from those colonies last year, did I hear
of any intention of discontinuing this old custom.
Now the termination of this word in _o_ marks it as Spanish; and
accordingly, on reference to Baretti's dictionary of that language, I find
the word "SILO, a subterraneous granary." But, Sir, this discovery only
raises another question, and one which I wish much to see solved. A Spanish
substantive must be for the most part the name of something existing at
some time or other in Spain.
_When_, therefore, did such granaries exist in Spain, _in what part_ of the
country, and _under what circumstances_?