The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-19

soners have been enabled 70 arrive 1T any accurate
conclusion relation the business transacted during
that period The records OF the Virgin Bay once might
have rendered valuable Information concerning the
business the receipts and disbursements Of the year
1853 but these Is the casualty Of var also
The official correspondence OF the company have either
been destroyed by the enemies OF the state or removed
BEYOND the reach jurisdiction OF the commissioners.
In view however Of the testimony Of Of the agents,
that the company books did not exhibit and not
intended 10 exhibit true statement OF the condition and
affairs OF the company, might be warrantably inferred
that the loss of the Virgin Bay records not very
serious deprivation 10 the government The commis
soners have been compelled 70 prosecute their inquiries
under this accumulation Of difficulties, and from various
have been compelled 70 submit also to untimely
Interruptions and vexatous delays.
Through the testimony Of the recent agents and en-
ployes OF the company aided by private notes and
moranda xept by them together also by tew Official
records accidentally preserve all the information within
be jurisdiction Of the nssionsrs tnat could be OBJ
tanned has at length been elected that relates to the duty
with which they have been charged by the government
The agency Of san Juan del Sur represented by George
Fitzgerald and Henry Dickson, has yielded perhaps, tue
most reliable, but still unsatisfactory Information.
Their memoranda Of freight and passengers-preserved
In the office not by authority OF their employers, but as
private reeoddates from the month OF January 1884,
the month OF March, 1856. The statistics OF these
gentlemen obtained from way bills and accounts Of
the contractor who landed and embarked passengers and
freight on the steamers OF the port OF san Juan.
The evidence of Mr. Gattel, the transportation con-
tractor for the sthmus, embraces the period Of
time but IS strangely variant IN its statistics By the
testimony OF the former gentemel the number OF passen
gers crossing the sthmus during the mentioned
period, extending through p months being l5- trips
Of the steamers amounted TO Al 954 average Of
all per trip, or GA per month.
The average number OF passengers per month for the
year 1854 a. stated by Mr. Gotiel was ie5s or 70 563
Tor the year For the Ter Of the time 20 the month
Of March, 1885, the discrepancy equally n favor the
krger average Of monthly tran sportanons
Taking this period OF time the basis Of calculaon
the Commissioners cannot avoid the consideration OF
tain facts, circumstances and influences which have ope
rated at various times within these years 70 elevate AM
depress the business OF the lsthmus Transit Allowing
the OF 1r. Dickson, which gives the smallest
number TO be correct reveals that from January 70
july, 1854, period Of i've months-our steamers per
morthhat the average Of passengers per trip amounted
10 ESQ, or =, 544 per month.
From or about this time il Is testified combination
entered into by the Accessory Transit Company"
with the Panama Company, the effect Of which was ex
Ceedngy preudcal the travel by the Nicaragua route
The combination evidently fraud upon the rights Of
ahe government and inconsistent with the chartered i'm
munIes OF the company and whatever the motive that
prompted the arrangement the result was anything but
favorable TO the interests Of the State From July 1854
june 1855 period of nearly ten months, within which
thirty eight trips OF the steamers OF tho line
accomplished there exhibited average OF only 2sl
passengers per trip ll24 per month and during this
while eighteen consecutive voyages show the diminished
average Of 1875 per trip, or 7S2 for the month.
The ruinous effect of the combination upon the Transit
travel too apparent from this statement 10 require the
AID OF argument anything requisite TO fory this
conclusion only necessary compare the amount of
this time with that OF the subsequent months
when the combination had ceased to exist.
From July, 1855, 70 January 1885, period Of six
average per trip amounted TO 554, 2216 per month.
Thus ii is that the months preceding the
existence oil the COmDlnAuon snow an average
per month OF ASA passengers, and the months
Immediately succeeding the dissolution OF the
combination exhibit a monthly average Of passengers
amounting 22l6, while during the existence OF the ALI
the rival companies the average per month ranged
only IRON I92 to 124. During = considerable portion,
too Of the existence OF the Accessory Transit Company
there another influence operating upon and contro
Ing the fortunes Of the Transit enterprise.
On the Panama route there established an "Inde
pendent Line OF steamers competing with the Panama
Company tor the freight and passenger transportation
which had the effect Of the combination and pro-
NOTED largely the success Of the Nicaragua Transit
During the opposition Of the Panama Company and the
independent Line the monthly transportation OF
passengers by the Accessory Transit Company according
10 the statement Of Mr. Gaei reached TO the increased
number 500 The evidence before the Commissioners
al establish the fact that the amount Of travel
over thmus preceding the month Of January 1884
was greater han since that period aud that when the
Transit Company unfettered by alliance with It's Pa
rya the number of passengers that raver.ed thus
route largely exceeded an average VI coo per mopth
By OF the independent opposition, the average
O. shown per month 500; from January, 1854 70
July OF the year, when the comblna lon did not
exist il was $40 from july 1854 TO june 1855 during
the whole great portion Of which period the all ance
, shown 10 have continued, was LIZA; ana
from July, 1855, to January, 1850, when the com
panes were disconnected IN interest, IL reached
20 22l6. BY reducing these several sums TO common
average 1t will make the number Of monthly transports.
lions z,lsa.
These estimates already ntimated formed from
c only reliable sources Of Information within the reaca
the Commissioners, and the statistics upon which they
based not scrupuously accurate are sufficiently 20
the the Commissioners 10 warrant their
edotfon. bi while their duty 10 guard and protect
best Of the STATE they have been equally do
10 do ample justice 10 the company In view then
Of the possibility Of committing unnenrona error by the
adoption and OF incomplete statistical records the
Commissioners have deemed equitable 70 adjust the
monthly average Of passengers al 600 being convinced
FROM the weight Of testimony that could not oy any
rca sonable probability have fallen short " that number.
The almost positive avermcni II Mr.. Goitel that since
lss2 about the time u his connection with the com
renders tte ess than irresistible The conclusion Of the
accuracy Of the estimates
The charge for the transportation OF passengers over
the route from ocean SIS bead AZ The
Of the transit enterprise and has
been varied up the time OF the dissolution Of the Char
Taking The number OF oo0 as the basis al the rate
charged the monthly receipts q the company from tie
k,hmgs transit for passengers alone, have amounted -
the sum u $4,000 ,t
The proof before the Commissioners A. 70 tho period
when The transportation specie Was commenced ~ the
company Ia exceedingly vague and unsatisiavtery
II y 10 evidence that the company, ~ " lt5o, vas
limited IN y sphere q operations sscla.Ysy y ne Dl'
Pacific port " Nicaragua Esd Transporting lhem W
and water carriage = cher ocean, regardless q
the manner Of arrival efiIer u those ports Accor-
NJ y the spirit and intention q lie charter the cum
pay confined solely 70 the purpose Of iAct hiug
he sthmus transit, uut The sprng q tsSS Nheu 80
Of ocesn steamers vas established AMI monopoly q
the carrying business effected ~ the arbitrary exclusion
Of ocean competition and probibiton q uansportaNol
the country, except a. " freight aud passengers
arriving Al the Atlantic AMI Pacific ports * the state
vessels belonging II The service Of TIE company
This diversion q The legitimate am aai pArpose 2, ~
with IL Panama competitor, c0ula Dot TIL q prolGcAS
serious injury 10 the Interests o. ne STATE, however pro-
naabe may been is results " TIE private tsrtAnes
Of the company. u.
There can BE- little doubt that strict adhererce o. "a
essential object Of the charerthe sose eaFcs q coz
veyng freight and Passengers the country nom
ocean to ocean leaving the business u the ocean y
world vide competition, instead q restricting y ne
limits q an exclusive privilege, the only warrant to
which was an act " OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES not only ha ?
been FAR more profitable 10 the government, ia >
pecunary consideratoo but the facilities q transit b.
tween the oceans would have been immeasuraby ~
creased Il would b reasonable supposltion that the
company entered into the Of composition nr urea
sur, shipments simultaneously with tue organ zaon aud
embsrkstou ot ss Tine Of ocean steamers. lns hyp3
thess suss~ocd by many coucurring recolssisons
IN relation tber-to and fortfed BY the implied proof
contained Ire suppesory ss'euent Of Mr. Soei, That
they the minds - TIE Commissioners 70 mo-
raj n,~rtion Of " accuracy.
In the office " The agency 81 San Juan del sur the &C.
couuole res@pts Of specie Transported have been pre-
served only from November 1854 March. 1866. b
yond that dae there y rec ord memorandum, IN
any the oCes Ia Nicaragua Of the amount d specie
shipments.
The sxsre difficulties encountered by the Com nissoners
a.