The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-26
OUR SHIPPING INTERESTS.

OUR SHIPPING INTERESTS,
The state of Trade between New York and
Foreign and Domestic POrts-Generai tnac-
tivity Prevailing.
IL is painful to reflect that this great country with
energy and enterprise sufficient To supply all the
fossilized nations OF Europe, should have receded
almost century from its once proud position of
| foremost among the maritime Powers OF the globe.
1t is needless 10 dwell upon the unhappy combina
ton OF circumstances that has driven the American
flag from the ocean and crippled American commerce
in the very hour OF its growing expansion. Since
the close of the war no other subject mas
provoked so much general expression OF pa
triotic lament. And, indeed, 1t would be strange
If it were otherwise-it would be strange
| II the American people Viewed without pang OF
keen regret the transfer OF its and It's car
rying trade to the hands OF Its many jealous rivals
Yet so 1t is The export products OF the country are
taken away from US almost wholly In foreign bot
toms ana the imports we receive are brought to us
under another and an alien nag The pirates OF the
war; united with radical legislation, that practically
! made shipbullding penalty together with the I'M
fortunate series OF strikes that eectualy stopped
the construction Of vessels In the harbOr OF New
| York and drove the trade down Erst to the
| Yankee shpyards, have taken from us the
| ocean prior to the war. Still we manage
to get along trading with the nations Of the earth.
Our exports exhibit a steady increase, and the
| panding wants Of the country are denoted In the
enlarged record Of our Imports The cOasting trade,
is at least some qualification to know, is solely in
American hands. BY law, however, 1t is provided
that only American ships can engage in the coasng
| traffic.
THE SOUTHERN CoAsTING TRADE.
At this period OF the year the trade with Southern
ports is nomnally dull, but In q month or from
now shippers anticipate it will be extremely active.
The two millions and half bales of cotton, which it
Is expected the crop Of the South will reach this
year, will give employment to more vessels than
be conveniently secured.
At the present moment there are three CONSOLE
dated lines Of steamers to Savannah under the
| troll of Dick, Ould Murray q Co., from the port of
New York, comprising six regularly running vessels,
with reserve of six Others, which put as
extra when the emergency demands. They connect
with the principal railroads of Georgia. To Charles
! ton there are two lines OF steamers, to Newtern
| one, to Wilmington one, and to New Orleans three.
There are over one hundred and fifty sailing vessels,
| ranging from two hundred to four hundred tons
! plying between this and all the recognized ports
along the Southern coast as far the Rio Grande.
In steam and sailing tonnage this trade embraces
nearly one hundred thousand tons.
The exports from here consist OF general merchan-
disc, the imports OF cotton, rice and naval stores,
grown to be very large, and may be accounted for
the score Of cheap rates OF travel being important
consideration TO the southern people in their present
| nnpoverlshment. The steamers are generally first
class vessels, ranging from 500 TO 1900 tons. The
rious lines enumerated are permanently estab.
lshed and sail their vessels at regularly
stated periods Before the war the coasting
trade was done almost entirely by sailing
! sells; but 1t would seem 1t IL just as ecOn0-
mic as 1t is expeditions to invoke the aid
of seam besides bringing these outlying and distant
Southern ports closer relationship with the stirring
|
steady increase in the number of vessels engaged in
| this Southern trade and the general anticipation
among shippers and traders il that when the South
IL fully and finally restored to the Union, when her
farmers and planters can give their undivided atten
tracted by the bugbear Of negro governments; when,
In short, the people In that present unhappy
section can work and develop the resources Of
the soil with as free and embarrassed thoughts
as the people OF the North and West, the eX-
e sred ap' Of %ea d' be o. @
thing enormous and will tax the shipping capacity
Of this and other ports. Freights by steamer To Sa
vannah have been ruling very low through the sum
mer, ranging from SC. to i0c. foot the regular rate
being l5c. For weight goods the rate has been
merely nominal and might range from hal cent Z
&c. TO Newbern, n. G., the rates are lac foot
per tfoot. To Galveston. Texas the principal bust
. ness with which is done by sailing vessels and 4
now very brisk, the rates are l2iac per foot, soc
THE EASTERN coAsrfNG TRADE
~ unusually dull IL ~ OF extensive AMI mis-
celaneous character and employs nc q rough esfi-
mate little fewer than one thousand schooners
FISH coal and -four are The three great staples.
From Gloucester ilarwich and all those points along
Cape Cod "a fleet OF vessels come in the down
TO the port Of New York laden with fish. After dis
charging they return with cargOes or Hour and grain
principally, but with merchandise of all kinds in
cuded. The nshing fleet has a capacity of over
four thousand tons. To Boston, NewDuryport, Ports
mouth, Portland and all the principal ports along
the eastern coast steamers transact almost all Of the
carrying trade. Yet 10 these places there many
articles coming under the denomination ~ mcr-
chandise which steamers cannot conveniently carry,
as, for instance, blocks OF marble. steam boilers and
heavy machinery OF various kinds. These are better
adapted to the hold OF a sailing vessel than 20 The
deck OF steamer. hundred different cargoes,
however, not down in the bills eterna ~ pass
ing and rcpassing between Eastern ports and the
harbor Of New York in smart, dapper little Yankee
schooners with an average capacity of $50
Of packets between here ana boston-that
into the items OF export from here to Eastern points
and in fact is almost as much OF specially rs the
quite neet which rendezvous at tondoui, IIoboken
and ElizaDcthport, and darkens the waters Of the
winter interposes itself obsrucvely. Freights on
merchandise average 81 per ton, n0ur 2oc per bar
rel and measured goods &c. per foot.
TIRE WEST INDIA TRADE.
Beginning with 1.-The Queen Of the Anties'-
Cuba-trade Is found TO be extremely quiet. one
great cause Of this II the low price OF sugar and tue
immense quantities OF that commodity now
In the market Up to the nr-t Of this
monan msre nh ~ Uo o ,, n.a !,
same period OF time Then, again. tbs sugar season
Is over and will not be fairly opened till the begin
ming OF January. Havana Matanzas, sagua, Remedies
and Nuevas the principal sugar ports, have very lit
tie shipping In port 81. Jago de Cuba, Trinidad and
CienUeg0s on the south side of the Island are alto
gehcr hlle There Is some little business In fruit
doing at Baracoa and In tobacco az Jipara. Cigars
almost entirely by steamer and ever In dc
mand. The exports from here continue IN much de-
creased volume. General merchandise, cooperage
shocks and provisions constitute the cargoes. seven
tynve cents per barrel IL average FREE ght to Cuba
The trade With Jamaica has fallen or perceptbly
within the past few years. New YORK merchants
were wont to give unlimited credit TO buyers from
the British West Indies, but that unfortunate sur-
rectiOn Of the blacks In Jamaica produced such
feeling Of uneasiness In the minds OF American
creditors that the same degree Of confidence 0rlRin
ally felt In the stability OF British rule IN te Vest
Indies has been considerably shaken Inc quantity
Of rum ana molasses imported just row ~ very
itni rhe The BLUSH W est