The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-10-14

THE FRENCH STEAMSHIP CoNPANY.-The
history of the French Gcperal TRANSATLANTIC
/ Steamship Company, Nhicb has been ssiIb-
I lished less than five years, presents many
/ interesting facts. This Company owns three
! lines of steamships the first running from
/ Havre and Brcst to New York the second to
the West Indies, ST. Thomas, Havana, Vera
Cruz, with an auxiliary mail for New Orleans
and the third to Gasdsloupc, ST. Thomas,
Guaymas, Venezuela. Colon and Panama
there to correspond With the various English
and American steamships carrying passengers
and goods on the Pacific Ocean. The first
and third of these lines have been very
/ prosperous. They never fourished during
the occupation OF Mexico by the French,
and have suffered great deal from the sus-
pension of business caused by the evacuation
of Mexico. The trade with st. Thomas and
New Orleans which was carried ON by that
line, has decreased on account of the heavy
storms and earthquake which devastated the
Island, and of the yellow fever which prevail
ed in Louisiana last year.
At a meeting 81 the company held in May,
the Company obtained permission from the
Government to establish new line on the
Pacific Ocean, between Panama and Valpa-
raiso. The object of establishing the latter
line is to have the benefit of the trade be-
tween France and the republics of Columbia,
Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile, which is
estimated to equal twenty-six million dollars
year.
The following figures show the steady
growth of travel by the line running 10
TO this city. The average receipts OF the
Company for each trip in 1854 was SOS, 600;
in 1865, $40, SO0 in 1866, 81, 200, and in 1867,
S4S 400. In 1867 the number of passengers
was 1865, against 7,09S the year previous.
The average speed of the French steamers
is over twelve knots an hour, and average
time of the trips is nine days and twenty
hours between New York and Brest This
will be decreased as soon as the Lafayette,
now on the way to be transformed into a
screw steamer at St. Nazaire, shall shave
been substituted for the sidewheel steam
ship Europe. The Lafayette will be ready
in a couple of months, when the Europe
will be sent to the West Indies.
The steamers are TO be provided with q
double screw, which has produced a remark
able result on the Washington, now running
between St. Navarro and Vera Cruz. In her
last trip she obtained reduction of three
days and three nights over the average of
the other steamers belonging TO the line
The Company owns twenty-one steam
vessels, fishing establishment at Newfound-
land, several sailing vessels and schooners
attached to the fisheries, rope factory at
Granville, and machine foundry at Hub
bervilliers. The cost of the vessels amounts
to $l3, l20, 736, which is reduced to sl2,0OO,-
900 by the sinking fund.
The postal service of the Company last
year produced 81, GIG 900 on which the pro-
fit was over million dollars.
The Pacific steamers will run monthly be-
tween Panama and Valparaiso, landing at
the intermediate ports of the equator, Peru,
Bolivia, and corresponding with the already
existing service of st. Nazaire and Colon,
Panama. In consequence of this arrange
ment, the auxiliary service of St. Thomas
to Jamaica will branch on the line of Mex
leo, and will 90 as far as Panama. The
Pacific line is TO be served by three new
steamers, of 5000 tons each, with q 450-horse
power engine, giving an average of ten
knots an hour
The Company has obtained an annual sub
vention Of three-quarters of a million of
dollars, and an interest of five per cent, up
on the capital of the Company, provided
their capital does not exceed twelve millions
for all the lines. The Government, how
ever, will be interested in a fourth of the
Company, whenever its profits exceed eight
per cent. The total Of the expenditures of
the Pacific line is estimated at two millions,
on which the French Government is to ad-
vance eight hundred thousand dollars.-N
Y. Post