New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-18
Six Days Betweea the Cities OF Mexico
and Washington via New Orleans.

and Washington via New Orieaus.
We publish from the Tro Republics. OF
the City OF Mexico, an excellent resume OF
the plan proposed OF connecting the cities
of Vera Cruz and Mexico by steam postal
service. This shows that there is spirit OF
confidence and perception of interest
awaking which will bring the two sister re.
publ;cs into closer practical relations than
heretofore:
The New Orleans REPUBLICAN of June
contains an article on the subject OF steam
communication with Vera Cruz, showing
that the press of that city has at last been
awakened TO the value Of an Intercourse
for which we have so long and enthusiastic
ally combatted. Ga that subject it proposes
that the railroad companies on the routes
between New Orleans and New YORK or
ganize within themselves a steamship com
pauy on Joint and common account, and TO
ask for a contract for the transportation OF
the mails to Mexico. Also, to procure
contract for the transportation otthe foreign
mails via New York.
The REPUBLICAN IN referring 70 the ln-
ducements which offer, to secure the trade
and travel by what it terms the ''lnboard
route" names first, the domestic trade oe-
tween the United States and Mexico, when
IL nXES at %C,tUO,vOU, a II hAS AGA DSAO ~Ao
actual amount: the re.export OF goods re-
ceived at the United States ports destined
for Mexico, and the passeD ger movement.
It shows also the difference in costs, COM
forts, risks and dangers between the IN
board route" and that around by Progreso
and Havana to New York. BY the latter
route it is twelve days, and BY New orleans
| it is only six, whether to New YORK. st.
Louis Chica 20 or any of the principal cities,
| <o fna nDUnrtNnlfv 10
| branch off to any part of the country: Eu-
| ropean passengers by this route Will only
| have to make two short sea trips by the
New Orleans route, one from Vera Cruz TO
| New Orleans of three days, and the other
| from New York to any OF the European
| ports in eleven days: whereas the sea voy-
| age from Vera Cruz is generally twenty
| seven days By this there Will be saving
| of thirteen days ocean travelling saving OF
comfort from danger and OF insurance,
+! which ia the difference between four thOus.
| and and seven thousand miles Of ocean risk.
| The article of the REPUBLICAN looks like
| business; it proposes measures which II
| adopted will turn all the American travel
| and traffic and large amount OF the Euro
| pean to and from the tropical countries 70
| their naturel depot, the queen city OF the
| tropics. and through the southwestern
! channels, the legitimate route. We are
| glad t. see the press of New Orleans
1 aroused on tnis subject, one which has been
1 so long clear to us as the MONDAY sun, and
! we will be found ever battling IL the same
| cause.
| Below we append portion of the re-
marks of the REPUBLICAN, containing cor
rect calculation and one which ought te
| carry conviction to the NEST doubling
| mind:
| Our object is only TO show tnat with
| the vast amount of between thirty-fve and
| forty millions Of dollars invested. and the
| roads all in condition to do mere business
without additional expense, the expendi
| ture necessary to turn this Mexican anC
| probably Central American business upor
| them would be small. We shall even at
| tempt to make it appear that the share o.
| each company in the added trade for one
| wear would more than cover its quota OF
| even an absolute loss on the outlay neces
| sary to make the experiment. For, suppose
| that the cost Of hiring and provisioning
! these ocean steamers should involve the
cost of s. 900, 900 in one year, this would be
! loss on the whole capital of $35, 900, 600 OF
of 2.S5 per cent. But the receipts. OF the
line and ferry III; gAt be put down thus:
| Twenty thousand passengers between
| New York and Vera Cruz at 3d.. sl..co,ooC
| Twenty million dollars specie at one per .oo,o
| Merchandise and mails. 10O,soC
......................... @'''Vo'VVo
There is nothing extravagant or improb
able in these figures, and they show that the
| business which the road will get from this
| connection with Mexico viii indemnify
each for its experimental contribution.
| even if the experiment were attended with
| the loss suggested.
| These railroad companies should meet IN
convention. They should agree to put on
| steam between New Orleans and Vera Cruz
| on common account and at common eXpen Sc.
| They should appeal to the Congress Of the
| United States and Mexico to aid them with
| subvention or to make up weekly or
semi monthly mail and give them the post
| ages. The joint company might either buy,
| build or hire steamers for the enterprise.
The gain from such common work would
| amply repay each company for any outlay
| or risk necessary to make the enterprise
permanent or experimental.
1--WE commend these suggestions to the
inboari line OF travel and transportation
| between New Orleans and New York. We
| do not deprecate discussion or even crltl-
| cism. Let the subject receive the lnyesti-
| cation it deserves, and we are satisfied that
| ali these railroad cOmpa9ies can as well put
| on these ferryboats as the Pennsylvania
| Central or Baltimore aud Ohio reads can
| build lines of ocean steamers as part OF
their rolling stock. There are incidental
| considerations, such as putting this travel
| and specie first into the interior cities OF
| New Orleans, Mobile Washington, Balti-
more, Richmond and Philadelphia, and
| turning the connecting roads OF the West
| upon these lines, which will occur to all
| practical minds. These estimates it Is un-
| necessary here to develop.
''In the repeated DELAYS and failures to
| secure line of steamers by the influence OF
our city, we have decided to appeal to an
| investment Of $i0000,0 900 and a Congress
sional vote of more than ninety members.
| Let US hear from the companies