New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-01

TILE NEW STEAMSHIP LINE TO CHINA AND JAPAN
orP TRADE WITH THE CELESTIAL EMPIRE-CHI-
MISE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF SAN FRAN
CISCO.
Prom Our Special Correspondent
SAN FRANCISCO Jan. /, 1851.
The departure of the new steamship Colorado to-
day for Yokohama and Hong Kong inauurates a
new era in the history of American commerce.
The trade Of the East" that prize which all com
mercal nations of modern times-the Portuguese the
Spanish the Genoese, the Dutch and the English
have necessarily and vigorously contended for
through three centuries promises to fall at last to
the great Yankee nation. The military power of En-
gland in the last century opened intercourse with
the East Indies and up to this time she enjoys the
fruits of that trade by a roundabout voyage. The
trade of China and Japan has up to this time re-
NAMED comparatively untouched To effect this
connection the United States Government has wisely
established steam mail route between San Fran
cisco and China The original bill granted 100000
for monthly trips touching at the Sandwich Islands
The contract was taken by the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company, and the first
steamer, the Golden City, arrived here to-day.
Whether the Pacific Mail Company would be allowed
by the Government to leave the Sandwich Islands
out Of the proposed service has been question of no
ordinary moment here ever since the establishments
of the line was first contemplated and the contract
taken. While the great advantages of direct COM
munication between this port and Japan and China
were everywhere admitted it was equally desirable
to secure a regular and speedy means of communca-
ton with the Islands, the trade with which has been
steadily on the increase for several years past.
line of fast-sailing packets making the voyage to
Honolulu in from 70 to Is days. has been doing
paying business for several years, bringing the pro-
ducts of that island in the shape of sugar. molasscs,
coffee, and whale oil, and carrying TO Honolulu IN
return assorted merchandise from San Francisco.
Steam communication was established with the
steamer Ajax in 1853 the trip Of 200 miles occupying
from to - days but the business not proving re-
muneratve, she was Withdrawn after making TWO
trips Since that time, the trade between this port
and Honolulu has been carried on exclusively by
sailing vessels the difference in the rates of freight
-Sl4 per tun-rendcring all competition by steam
shin unavoidable The trip to Honolulu of 200 miles
win thus be made separate affair the company boats
carrying passengers and mails through IN about days
The direct route between San Francisco and 1okO-
hama is 16l miles by the rhOmb great circle line;
divergence TO Honolulu would require an extra DIS
lance on the voyage out Of 141 miles, which would DC
increased on the home, or return TIP TO 20 miles,
involving a loss to the public on the round trpo
,7Oi miles. The time between San Francisco ana
Yokohama direct will be between II and Is days
Whereas to touch at Honolulu, allowing one day IN
port would require p to % days. More than all this
steamer such as the Colorado cannot enter the port
%
A GRAND CHINA MAI. DINNER
was given at the Occidental Hotel last night Mt
which go merchants and invited guests were pres
ent. Gov. i. F. Low presided Letters OF c0ngIatuia
tiOn were read from Major-Gen. Haeck and Admiral
Thatcher. and speeches made by Gov. Low, eX-G0V.
Stanford, A. A. Low of New-1 York, and others Inc
Chinese mercantile interests in San Francisco were
represented by MesSrs Fung Tang Guam luen ana
ChOy Cum Chew and a score OF other merchants nom
the flOwery kingdom The speeches of the celestial
gentlemen in the English language were among the
most interesting events of the evenings entertain
ment and elected much applause
The nature of the vast trade 10 he opened to Ametl
can enterprise in these great Empires is not generally
known. 1t has been assumed that as the Chinese
have for centuries unknown amply supplied Their
own wants aud have made considerable progress IN
manufactures that, therefore, they viii buy but
little Of the United States in short, that they want
to dispose of their surplus tea and silk, but require
little or nothing III exchange. ms assumption u
erroneous and all arguments deducted or based there
ON are. of course, equally false.
The facts in the case briefly these: hard labor
on the primitive individual hand system has always
been and still continues to be the basis OF Chinese
manufacture of whatever kind or quality. lhls TACT
is too patent to be disguised This entire system IS
TO be-indeed already is 10 very considerable eX-
tent-royOlutonized by the American system of m
proved machine labor AsTegards't the great staple,
cotton and cotton goods the probable results OF tins
new communication stand out in cOlOrs that cannot
be mistaken. The 4OOOOOOOO OF Chinese uSc accord
ing TO various estimates from 70 to 30 yards OF cot
ton goods per head per annuIn quantity equal TO
/ 13,0O0OOOOOO OF yards per annum OF homemade
! goods The greater part. indeed the whole OF tins
I
| American manufacturers. The proof s tins Fifty
years since. the United States and England imported
nankeens from China. Soon after the war Of 1885,
British machine goods began to find their way 10
India; in 1920 England exported to India and China
100000 yards of machine goods; in 1860 the trade
had grown TO 1,O4S 100000 yards. Up TO that date
that is up to the outbreak Of Rebellion, India
bought of Great Britain IN manufactured goods
more cotton than she sold her in the raw state
Machinery and skilled labor reyolutionized the
whole character and course of trade between
Great Britain and those countries In 1865
find from the published reports that the export
from the British Isles to India amounted to G164l2
co., of which nearly twO-thirds (flOOl909) was cot
ton goods. The same operation has commenced in
regard to China England sent thitheT, in 1860,
24654 600 yards valued at f377043 while the value
of all other articles sent thither reached only
GLGn18l. The whole British trade with China. in
1860, was as follows:
Imports Exports
3S8 900 Cotton goods. 20 49, 900
Tea GCOi 600 Wooden goods. $4,000
SundrieS 334 1000 Sundres lz9333
Total Imports 3230OO Total Exports 8j2lsOOO
The effect of the war in the United States was to