The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-01-21
THE pARsEE LETTERS.
No. 80.
10 Horace Greeleg /:

ton to submit to the Atlantic Works
specifications for two iron ships of
l 900 tons each, old measurement.
must, however, state first that the
price Mare asked for an iron ship of
/ 900 tons, old measurement, ready
equipped for the sea, is fourteen
pounds sterling per ton, old measure
ment, or exactly, in gold dollars, S76, :
76. A ship of 600 tons would, there
fore, cost S76. 100, gold.
l was received by the very intelligent
and gentlemanly sahib, who is treas
urer of the company, very cordially.
soon felt satisfied that Dhanjibhoy Wad-
di of Bombay was right, the Ameri-
cans are per Sc the nation OF nations to
build ships. The letters of introduce
ton / brought from my New York
banker ut once convinced the treas
urer that was ready TO order and pay
cash down for two iron ships my spec
iiications were submitted TO the engi-
neer, officials, DC, and after looking
over the extensive works for hours with
the treasureg sahib, we returned to the
Office.
The calculations had in themeantime
been made very carefully. Theprice
was 1925 currency, or $50, gold, at my
option, per ton, old measurement.
The option whether the payment was
to be made in gold or currency was to
be decided by me within fifteen days
after the signing of the contract
Ny heart-the stout heart of Fire
Worshipper-sank into my Parsee pat
ent leather boots when / heard this
price; my commission was gone; Es-
sebhoy's daughters, Diamond and Ru-
by Bangles, were not worth so much
paste doubieis, if they depended upon
the commission to be got from the pur-
chase of the two ships: all vanished IN
TO thin air IS soon rs | heard of the
price.
'Sahib," said l "iook at the offer
Mare has made my Bombay friends
through Forbes Forbees. lie offers 10
build and equip thousand ton iron
ship for eli per ton old measurement,
or IN gold say SIC, 760; while you ask
me $50, 900 for a similar vessel; / can
not, therefore, entertain the offer. But
1 viii telegraph from here to London,
and my friends there will telegraph to
Bombay the price, and l shall await
instructions. But I can hardly be-
ieye that my friend III Bombay would
give sl3, ,240 gold more for III iron
ship than he could get one IN Scot
land. ;"
"Sii.. said the polite treasurer ga
hib, sit grieyes me to think that with
our capital. and willingness 10 employ
II, we should loose the chance of huild-
ing two iron vessels! But | feel still
more ashamed. Inundated, and cha
gined 10 know thai my counay's baa
policy and my country's class legisla-
ton forbid me, and the company / rep
resent to send American ingenuity.
American marine architecture 10 your
country, to that land where our wood
en- vessels achieved 50 high n reputa-
ton that they not only had the pre-
ference, but always commanded high
er freight than any other ships.
81 know full well that it will not
lead to business, altho' you will do
your duty and telegraph; our ship
building Is IN the clutches of a rapa-
cious, Inonopolizing iron oligarchy, up
held By class legislation, against which
we cannot fight. Indeed" contin-
ued the sahib, "we resemble very
much that poor Frenchman, Lucas,
who was attacked the other day by his
own lions IN their cage. The honess
jumped at his throat, just as the pig
iron men jump ut ours; and, rs If that
were not enough, the old lion whose
teeth were less sharp, attacked poor
Lucas's legs, just as the general tariff
does IN gnawing at the sails, timber,
brass, glass; in fact, everything we
use in equipping a ship.
s'Ha, sahibI" said I, but you know
the humble Spanish servant of Lucas,
whose name ought to be remembered
brave Me1ldez, fought the beasts off, and
brought his master out In triumph" !"
Alas" said the sahib, with mel
ancholly smile; ''there is brave
Mendez even in this country, who dealt
hard blows at the beasts, not with the
butt-end of revolver, but with his
pen. This courageous beast-tamer
whose name is D. A. Wells, keeps the
animals at bay But the damage il
done; the wounds have been dealt; we
are bleeding, and getting weaker every
day. OF course, we don't mean t,
follow the example of poor Lucas, an6
die of our wounds; but heavenly good
ness only knows how long our suffer.
ings will last.
''Sahib, /" said /, "as it will take /
few days before I get an answer to m,
telegram, would be glad If youwoule
give me little information about irol
ship-buildlng, the state of the ship
ping trade, &C., &C."
i The polite sahib was but too glad {,
give me all the information / desired
10 Greeley, sahib, I shall have the sa,
pleasure to give it you in my next lei
! ters. Admiringly yours,
A. CURIosBHoY, Parsee merchan
Of Apollo street, Bombay
No. 80.
10 Horttce Greeley
SAIuB OF most renowned politics
economist, I open this with dee
I regret. I had such surprise in stor
: for you, which now is frustrated
namely 7 had made up my mind /
Il travail on Fssebhoy's IlncIe Dhnr