The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-22

with her, as he always did, what to do in
the matter. e have no shipS--it's no
use TO u.s." he said.
At that time there was a celebrated d
merc 'ant named James Livermore. He
was largely engaged in the West India
trade, particularly to Jamaica. He owned
vessels of good size. Mrs. Astor recom-
nended her husband to go mud have a
talk with the merchant. Mr. AStor went,
showed the East Iuda C"mpany's ship
pass and the Canton prices current.
Nov, said he, If you will make up
a voyage for one Of your largest ships,
you can have the pass and the price cur
rent, on one condition: You nre to far.
niSh the ship aud Cargo, but | amto have
onr-half Of the profits for my pass and
for suggesting the voyage"
"Pah, pah |" said the great West India
mel chant. He laughed at it--would not
listen to such one-Sided operation.
Astor went home and reported progress.
and Tor time the matter was dropped.
Not many weeks astvT; the great Wvst
India merchant thought over the matter.
He had made money in the>West India
trade, and saw an opening in the East In
dies. At that time no vessel traded to
Canton. 1t was just after the Revolution.
arv War, and the East India ports were as
hermetically sealed to American commerce
as if it had not existed. He called at Mr..
AStor'S store.
"WeTe you in earnest, the other day,
when you showed me the pass of the East
India COmpany?"
was. Never more So"
Again they talked over the matter
The merchant finally thought he saw his
way clear, and an agreement was signed,
agreeing to give Mr.. Astor one-half of the
profits; he to have no outlay. The ship
was selected and loaded, partly with Spe.
Gle, Spanish and milled dollars, about
$50. 900, and the balance was ginseng, lead
and scrap iron. She went to Canton
The pass enabled her to anchor at Wham-
pon, few miles below Canton, where she
loaded and unloaded her cargo the same
MS if she had been vessel belonging to
the East India Company. Her ginseng,
cOstin' 20 cents per pound in New York,
sold for 90 81 per pound in Canton, lead
10 cents, scrap iron at an enormous price.
Tea was purchased and sold here at 81 per
pound on the Canton cost. When the re-
turn cargo was sold, the accounts were
made out, and Mr.. AStOr'S half share,
which was $50, 900, all in silver, was put
in barrels and sent up to his store. When
Mrs. AStor saw the barrels, she asked
what was in them.
"The fruits of our East India pass"
replied the husband.
He went to the ship.Owner, and got
back his pass. He then bought ship AMI
landed her with an assorted cargo. On
her way out, she touched at the Sandwich
Islands to take on large stock Of fire.
wood. When the ship reached Canton a
mandarin came on board, and, noticing
their tirewood, asked the price Of it at
once. The captain laughed at such qucs
tinn, hnt signited that he was open to an
Offer. The mandarin offered $500 ton,
and every part ol it was sold at that price.
That was >andal-wood.
For seventeen years Mr. AStor enjoyed
that lucrative sandal wood trade without
n rival No other concern in the United
States or England knew the secret Nor
was it discovered until the shrewd Boston
ship-ownrr detailed a ship to follow one
of Mr. AStnr's and observe the events OF
The VOYAGE. Then, for some time, that
house was participant in this valuable
tale.
1t was curious fact that Mrs. Astor
knew more of the value Of furS than he
did. She would select cargo Of furs for
the Canton mark, I, and make no mistake
When they became very atflnrnt, she
made him pay her 500 an hour for using
her Judgment of fur to promote his com.
mercial plans. He paid her whatever she
asked.