New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-14
!. 6TRAN 70 VERA O1uZ.

ss-sszss STEAM 70 VRRA CRUZ - sas.s,.
| The failure for three consecutive ses
sions to obtain line Of steamers between
New Orleans and Vera Cruz induces us II
propose plan by which it may be effect
ed. 1t is to induce the railroads between
New Orleans and New York to take tn
contract, ask a subvention and put on 4
steam line on joint and common account
We will first prove the value of this trade
| l. A foreign mail passing over tn
roads would pay at least as much as fol
an equal transit of time and distance by
the present ocean route. The trave
movement between Mexico, the United
States and Europe, both ways, can moi
be less annually than twenty thousand
over the whole rail routes in the United
States. The specie and bullion exported
from Mexico to the United States and
Europe is not less than twenty millions o.
dollars annually.
The domestic trade between the United
States and Mexico may be estimated at
S5,OOO,00O. The re-export of goods re-
ceived at the ports Of the United States,
destined for Mexico, is from twelve to
fifteen million dollars annually. A sum-
mary of these resources will show the
railroad companies what there is to play
for. It is, in round numbers, the carriage
over their whole routes of from thirty-dve
to forty MILL on dollars specie, merchan-
disc and produce. A travel movement of
twenty thousand persons and subvention
of more or less money for the foreign mails
moved over these roads.
2. Can these railroad companies get
this travel and trade?
THE COASTWISE ROUTE.
We have before US the advertised sched-
ule Of the only regular communication
between Vera Cruz and the United States.
The New York and Mexican Mail Steam
ship line leaves New York, via Havana,
and Sisal, on the coast of Yucatan, to
Vera Cruz, making the voyage. in say nine
days. This voyage must be, with its varia-
ton from a direct course, fully twenty
eight hundred miles, It is subject to in
surance along the whole American coast
of Hatteras, Cape Fear and the Florida
reefs It is at most seasons exposed to the
discomforts of tropical climate and a de-
lay in tropical ports.
The inboard line of rail, of which we
write, would make the following time:
Vera Cruz to New Orleans, seventy-two
hours; New Orleans to New York, seventy
two hours; total, six days, which may be
reduced several hours. The ocean voyage
on this route is nine hundred miles across
the Gulf, against the ocean and coastwise
voyage stated. The comparative rate of
insurance may be estimated by the differ
ence in the ocean distances.
THE FOREIGN TRADE AND TRAVEL.
The present schedule by the British |
royal mail steamers between Vera Cruz
and Southampton, England, is twenty
seven days. The route lies Dy way Of the
island of st. Thomas, and is about 1000 |
miles Of sea risk and insurance. This
line carries the British and Mexican travel, |
specie, mail and merchandise.
The inboard route being six days be-
tween Vera Cruz and New York, and
eleven days by steam to Liverpool, there
would be saving of ten days time and
interest on money, with the saving of in
,urance on TIL difference between four
thousand and seven thousand miles of
ocean risk. We may state this saving of
insurance on specie at fye-eighths of one
per cent.
There being, then, traffic worth con-
Pnding for, with certainty of making
better time, We will state the mode in
which this business may be commanded.
There is gap in the inboard line between
New Orleans and Vera Cruz. It must be
filed by steam ferry.
There is double daily mail service be-
ween New York and New Orleans. 1t
would cost the government no more to
END its Mexican mails over this route, as
he service is paid for by the mile. There
would then be incidentally saving to the
government of the difference between the
nail pay between New York and Vera
Jruz over an ocean route of $500 miles
md one of 900 miles.
The railroad line between New Orleans
nd New York is 1882 miles in length.
We have given the length of these several
Dads and estimated their approximate
ost as follows.
There are several competing lines of
all between New Orleans and New York,
f which we will take those leading by
,Iobile to Atlanta as a common point.
rom Atlanta to Washington there are
lines, while from Washington
o New York the route is the same to all.
FROM NEW ORLEANS TO ATLANTA.
Miles. Cost. |
lew Orleans to Mobile. lao $1,000 900
iObile to Montgomery. ......... 181 5000 900
to West Point. 80 2,5O0,000 |
Vest Point to Atlanta. 81 2475, 900
tlanta to Richmond, via Dan
vile ....... ..............-.. %, 9WUO 100 |
to Washington. us 5000, 900
ashingtOn to Baltimore. 40 1,500 900 |
baltimore to Philadephia..... SO 900 |
Philadelphia to New York. 49,. 80 2,5O0,00O |
Total S35 255 600 |