The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-05

port Of san Francisco.
We, the undersigned, therefore, unite in the rs-
quest that you will be kind enough to furnish to
us, in writing, your views these subjects, and on
other points concerning the growth and progress of
this State, 10 order that public attention may be
directed to these important matters, aud such action
had on the part Of Congress, as shall accomplish
Respectfully, yeur obt serv'ts,
BEVERLEY u. SANDERS, GEORGE CLIFFORD,
HUssEy, BoND s. HALE, JOHN ). MANSON,
ALSoP & Co., ROBERT RoGBRs,
PiecnE, BAYRRquE &Co., E. MlcKLE & co.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. %, 1851.
GENTLEMEN-I have had the honor, this evening,
to receive your letter Of the 22d inst, requesting
my views respecsi such modi locations of the navi
cation la VS. and the laws regulating the warehous
ing and expectation of merchandise as will relieve
the commerce of this city from their prejudical
operation, and on other matters intimately con-
nected with the growth aud progress Of this State
AS far time and the pressing nature of my official
duties will permit, hasten TO comply with your
request.
No one, an persuaded, who has not been inti-
matey acquainted with the operation of the act
OF the % OF March, 1893, reg iti0g 'the oollec
ton Of duties on imports and tonnage either rs q
merchant or government officer, caa form any Just
idea OF the Injurious effect in this port Of those pro-
visions of that law which forbids, under heavy
penalties, the intr oduction of certain articles
cept in certain packages The led section pro-
hibits tie importation Of beer, ale or porter, ex-
cspt in casks Of forty gallons, or packages Of six
dozen bottles refined sugar, except in ships or
vessels Of l20 tons burthen and upwards, and in
ks or packages, of no. less than 600 pounds each
distilled spirits, except in casks or vessels Of 80
gallons wine measure, or upwards = brandy is adj
mitted in casks of fifteen gallons or upwards by q
subsequent law Of March 2 1920 The same sec
ton provides that if there articles are imported
contrary to these provisons they shall 30 forfeited
together with tho ship or vessel in which so i'm
ported. Every onel acquainted with trade or con-
mo hara Tnnek hn All in
small packages, thus prohibited, are the most salo
able, no. only in this but in all other markets Of
the Pacific, and that they are the very packages
in which these articles are always placed where
manufactured. They ore frequently introduced by
persons unscquainted with the law, and who, there
fore, had no intention to violate it. This law was
enacted more than half century ago, when its
provisions were believed to be necessary to en-
courage tho manufacturing and navigating in
terests OF the young republic, but they cannot
Justly be regarded as now necessary for those OBJ
jects, and especially in their application to the
Pacific coast Of the Union. They are not properly
part Of the Ievenue system, and therefore it
not be doubted that Congress has the power to re.
leve this port from their injurious effects, lift sha
be considered unwise to repeal them altogether
In tais State and in all the countries to the south
ward on the Pacific, pack mules are the principal
mode of conveyance for merchandise to the interior,
and therefore it is that all the articles above
named, of which vast quantities are consumed, are
required to be put up IN small packages, aud are
the very great Inconvenience and loss experienced
here from the operation Of The section Of the act
from which | have quoted, in the importations,
both for consum ption and expectation.
Tho warehousing system may and ought to be
go modified, without disturbing it's opera lions in
the Atlantic Cities as to facilitate the accumua.
,ion Of merchandise here for the supply Of all the
ports CT the Pacific ard, 1T no distant day, 1st
TO enable US to send forth, with the speed of the
steam car and ocean steamer, vast quantities Of
tie rich AID valuable products of India, China,
and the Indian Archipelago. 70 all parts of the
Union and 70 Europe. Money is now worth ia this
city, TO the man OF business i've per cent month,
or sixty per cent pr cnrun. No one, therefore,
caH ahord TO build warehouses and take mer,hau-
disc on storage, unless he charges suca price por
Ton per month ~ will give him profit on MS
capital equal TO what it would have produced at in
tcrest. The government Of the United States
could procure, If necessary, any a.nount of oney
at i've per cent per annum. Fortunately, how
ever II does not stand IL Iced of borrowing IL has
ample revenues AID largo plus in the trea
suiy. The govefnmen; can, consequently, afford
10 build warehouses and store goods for twelfth
part ofthe price which tee capitalist here is com.
peit 70 co sTge TO realize the usual profits on his
inves'm mt The obvious and proper policy, thea
for tie rogerpment to pursue, as IL seems 70 me. is
to order the construction a. this Port, Of suitable
number Ct ire-proof warehouses. and so to n odsy
tie usTehousing laws rs to charge small psr
centu0 storage on the value or invoice Of the mer
chandisc- merely sufficient to dofray expenses, in
cudirg interest On the cs5t OF the buldngsinssead
OF on The ton measurement This would enable
tic merchant TO store articles Ct largo bulk aad
snail yalGe as we'll articles of great value and
small bulk. II would 50 reduce the cost Of storage
that vast quantities Of merchandise from all parts
Of the commercial world would accu nulate for ex
portstion and consumption. IL would undoubtedly
be wise to extend the privilege OF storage to domos
TIC goods, IS to place them, in that respect, on
footing with foreign
These measures, in connection with the moiica-
ticn OF the Collection acts, which have suggested,
would, in my opinion, greatly facilitate and IN
crease the business ano prosperity Of this city.
| beg leave to introduce here few paragraphs
from my report on California. made b ths Score
taTy Of state, on the I'D March, 1850 as showing
the position Of san Francisco for great CONNER.
cial emIorrm:-
I" Tho commercial resources Of California are ut
present, founded entirely on her metallic wealth.
her vast mineral treasures remaining undeyeloped,
ard her fertile soil almost entirely neglecse6; and
this must continue to be the ease, long labor,
employed IN collecting geld, shall be more prcftl-
bic then ID any other pursuit which can furnish the
slnews oil commerce.
I" The dey is probably not distant, however,
when her minerals, especially the quick silver
miIes, will be extensively and proitably worked.
"Gold is the product Of the country, and is i'm
mcdiatey available, In an uncoined state, for all
the purposes 81 exchange. Ii is not there, as in
other countries where the productions Of the earth
and Of art are sent TO markets-foreign or domes-
tic--to be exchanged for the precious metals, or
other articles OF value. There, gold not only sup
plies the medium of domestic trade, but Of foreign
commerce.
''At first view, this state of things would seem
to be unfayorable to an extensive intercourse with
other parts OF the world, because Of the want Of
turn freigbts Of home production for the vast num-
Der OF vessels which will arrive with supplies.
These vessels, no 9ever, making no calculations
on return cargoos, will estimate the entire profits
Of he voyage on their outward freights, and be-
come, on their arrival, willing carriers, for COM
paratvely small consideration.
This tendency in the course Of trade, it would
seem, must make San Francisco a warehouse for
the supply. to certain extent, Of all the ports Of
the Pacific, American, Asiatic, and the islands
"Almost every article now exported by them
fnes ready market in California, and the estab-
lisbment Of mint will bring there also the silver
bullion, amounting to moro than ten millions per
aDnum, from the west ceast Of Mexico, and, per-