The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-27
THE SHIPPING INTEREST.

P0rts-Uuempl0yed vesscIs-Sntlere aud
1 'Lonrshoremen and their Present Condtsi"n
Nothing 10 more calculated 10 give cofrSst iaes o,
tho depressed condition Of trade in this city at the
prevent time. the almost complete prosratou Of BUSH
! than walk through thoss streets which bcvder
the side. True long double lines Of cAr.s, drsys
aud other vehicles used In the conveyance OF goods
may b. perceived nling in funeral order in opposite
drsctions but the attentive observer will not fall TO
that many u them unlsdsn while there 10 thar
in the misn aud bearing OF their drivers indicative OF
an Indifference 10 haste and m ndIsposon to become
unduiy excited. which unuisskably procsims that
business Is dull and Ia in gIarns what nsht
have been In former periods Of great comnsrc's
activity.
'LosGsHoRgxsy
Along tho whole length or the zrests borderlsg
| those ricketty projections which dlgnsfsd by
the name OF piers crowds OF rough looking
consrsgAie In groups At corners surrounding gsrb-
age boxes In front Of liquor stores phlosophicay
engaged In the MIcawbsric occupation Of waiting for
"somethlns turn up" Pending this cousum nation
most dsvoutly be Wished. they smoke short pipss
discuss the leading topics OF shs day, being almost
unanimous In hsis that the Alabama claims
ought to be paid. These what are known as long.
shoremsn. In busy times thsn services great de-
mand In loading and unloading vesses and the present
stagnaton presses upon Thorn With peculiar hardship.
DOCKS.
While 10 II unmistakably true that business liz dull
very dull, 10 status Of affairs by Of recent
inception Bat very little difference exists between the
condition or business and year since although
in the intermediate time there vas far more or
activity and much greater commercial stir than
now exists comparison OF the situation now aud
this time last year exhibits remarkable uniformity OF
conditions. showing that the causes which operate to
produce the sxistsng depression neither sphemcvsl
OF removal but deep seated aud Of character
requiring sound Judgment IN their consideration and
radical dealing In every effort made for ther removal
There at present in this port ninety steamers sixty
ohtr nf~akxx tnnAr uxIA sa x,c
and one hundred aud slKty-three schoonsrs making
total Of Eve hundred and fifteen vessels In the FIRST
port ninety Ave steamers seventy ships ninety.
three barls, hundred and hiry-hree briggs and one
five hundred and seventy vessels, exhibiting diner.
Of nfty-nve vessels In favor Of tho trsde Of
one hundred and nd at'y to nom ONE hundred and
seventy-dve are lying idle, With but little prospect OF
Yet ohsinng Il 20 slowly that thsy are often obliged 70
remain in dock for a month, when, in comparatively
side OF week. or the one hundred and WY vessels
above mentioned between thrty-hye and forty are
sssmer pier H. East river aver very ns steamer IS
Much OF the import trade of hs port done In British
booms to tho great injury or tho American shipping
which at ono time operated TO the injury OF
American bas been 80 far improved since the
passage 81 the act OF Inst session that although stu
sbominsbe, they longer present. those almost
nsurmountabe obstacles TO their use for the purposes
FOR which they designed. which one would think
would have driven shipping not positively obliged TO
come nere to some other port. II s possible now TO
drive IA cart down OF thcn to receive deliver
load aud II the horse should happen TO fall through
hole unfortunate accident. but may DO avoided
by careful driving The most active business being
done IN the various OF commercial enterprise
/ which has gyon the CITY OF New York such precai-
hence lie csher cities OF the continent, IL ia
ras CALIFORNIA TRADE,
which, from a condition OF almost apathy has within
the lss,'six'y or ninety days become most stirring
summer, but In considerable demand. The principal
articles being forwarded are railroad iron and machinery,
nd ltUlrl lar
quantities OF hardware. drugs and liquor. On two
vessels almost ready 10 sail 1000 gallons of whis
key have bean shipped. This IS the busy season with
California shippers, goods being despatched now, 50
that they may reach Fan Francisco before The rainy
season acts To- transportation TO the interior being
| exceedingly difficult during that period be.
| cause or The conditos Of the roads. Tue average
! year for California Is between seventy aud eighty.
Although leaving under tue designation OF rogu-
gaslng in ,hs China or Last India trade easgcea
or graiu for England This trade Il pretty steady and
no, subject 20 much Hss,sson Nine s ss.ss,. ss'
JANUARY Of this year there were seven
/ Is particularly dali Just now American manu-
featured goods arc 20 high owing 70 The heavy tax I'M
little prospect OF profit presented in Their eSper'aion
while Kerosene OIL winch was staple article Of this
trade has cheap for lime that the market
there ia now flooded. Tbs other principal articles Of
export in direction clumbcr and tobacco Hardware
tools are generally in good demand Tnere regular
taders with Australia but about twenty EIGHT
leave here every under charter parties in proper
and six 10 New Zealand. Iregbts have receaiIy al.
yanced and now abou. ihgty cents. Three vessels
s"ath wales In The first week Of January Ibis year
shors was but one for each OF these ports
LONDON TRADE
has passed almost from the clipper ship the steam
era, the use q ssao Tor short voyages having slmos
entirely n and Is bo ~
from England bring carsoes OF Gun grants ireshts they
coniriye 10 ge. here somehow but not with TIA. PROMPT
tho country prosperous As rue those which are
positively obliged to sail al particular time very
! within the last six weeks freight offered pretty
| lively Tho ship Daniel Webster, which Icft hero
Friday lat, went only partly loaded, but could hare
filed ~ II sho waited longer II IL said, however
il cheaper for her 70 leave here iir aud seek
port for freight % onor Qri's numbsrof vessels have
lett here recently IN similar specalsfon the idea
ISL governmsn. for The Any ssinsn evpsdnion
would create vacuum 81 which. !, Is hoped,
ers vessels pcw building down Mas. hiss osen
10 the spring In consequence OF ths stagIsfon and
great many OF the vessels sesLns charters require adj
vauces pay OF expenses which have accrued during
Their prolonged period Of inactivity TIE shipment Of
cotton from the Sou hern ports on through ba .. ~,
since the wsr-fnrllses the major rsrt 81 tho hsghss
| in this trade
II generally duh Sonc little " doing with Washing
ton but The Charleston. savsnuah snd New Orleans
lines not dong much; indeed Il Is suspected inst
none OF them are paying. or " psyord that
Great composition exists In this coasins trade. the
steamers sold the government Immediately upon the
close of the having been purchased by various
panies, and put on the several lines running soutl,
| 10 anticipation OF = speedy settlement OF sns
| political ISSUES which hsd distracted the couptry
aud q consequent great demand for Northern products
and manufactures. IE this they wers disappointed AM
now many OF these vessels lie rottiDg In dock wnov
| employment The West India trade, although scru .
what Iveer. Is not very promising. and nothing "a
what II has becu A. this season Of the year eargoss Of
sugar being shipped here, but the mpcr,cns
are grvatsr from the United Kingdom than irons ,ns
States, such articles they REQUIRE being osu aned
cheaper from there notwithstanding INC greaa dis
tance They have TO he brought, 10 confa4ueu ce 81
the reduced cost OF their manusacture .hs
| lrst place; SECONDLY, the greater chsspns o.
lifting out vessels, and, thrdiy, the lover rate o.
seamsn's vagsA slight demand sTlsu forvs msis fo
| Cuba but 4 10 no, equal 20 last ysu The,
1 we're then eharering Al from ssy 10 sxty AVE
| cents, while this yesr not more than J.rom nfly
/ 10 hfly.dvs cents II bcluz paid. rhe fail
| ure recently, OF large sng. house N ~ city ha