New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-07

tries. The number and quality of th
ocean steamer lines which now resort
the port Of New Orleans. with its immens
river navigation and perfect rail connection
I with every city in the Union. renders
the most eligible point for the concentra
ton and distribution OF all commerce an
travel destined for or from the Cult port
OF Mexico to any part OF the United State
or Western Europe.
We have now twenty-five steamers RUE
ming to the European ports, with even
greater number to the Atlantic and Gul
coasts of the United States. We have line
of rail connecting, by daily train and tn
shortest time. with every city in the Cniol
and in Canada. The member of the depu
tation to whom has been referred the sub
iect of travel connections reports that a lin
OF steamers connecting Vera Cruz directly
and without touching at coast ports, with
| New Orleans would enable a passenger from
Vera Cruz to reach St. Louis or Chicag,
within tive, New York within less than six
and Liverpool in less than seventeen days
This would show saving over the coast
steamer lines of three or four days to New
| York. and saving of nine days on the linel
| to Europe, with reduction Of ocean risk
from about 5000 miles on the coast steamers
and 1000 miles on the European steamers, tC
| less than 1000 miles on the New York vOy
| age, and 4OOG miles on the voyage to Europe
The advantage of this route as to travel
is corrobOrated by the investigation OF
another member as to the shipment of pre-
cious metal by Oy of New Orleans. The
following estimate Of this last advantage
is submitted:
Time between Vera Cruz and London
via New Orleans and New York, seventeen
days. Time by British Royal Mail steam
line between Vera Cruz and London
twenty-seven days; gain by the New Or
leans inboard route to New York, ten DAYS;
equal at six per cent per anpum to LEG
per cent. Rate Of charge on specie
shipments. by British steamer from Vera
Cruz to London direct, one per cent. Via
New Orleans-freight from Vera Cruz to
New Orleans assumed at one-fOurth per
cent; insurance at one-fourth per cent;
New Orleans to New York, by ex-
press, one-half per cent; New York to
Bank of England, freight and insurance,
three elghths per cent; total charges via
New Orleans and New York one and three
eighths per cent. This difference of three.
Fights may be c0unteracted by the economy
of time stated, and by the fact that silver
shipped to New Orleans may be converted
into sterling exchange and so save the cost
and risk of further shipment. The
location of q United States mint and the
facilities for converting Mexican silver into
American coin, will aid in determining
specie shipments over this route. With this
demonstration Of the advantage in time
and marine risk of the New Orleans route,
and the large amount of specie annually ex-
ported from Mexico to London, the rail.
road and steam lines interested have every
motive, and great advantage in contending
with outside lines for this valuable business.
That this change in the transit of these
shipments may be effected is rendered prob
able from the fact reported by the Ameri-
can consuls that specie destined for England
10 exported by Pacific coast steamer to San
Francisco, and thence over the Pacific road
to the British steamers at New York.
AN APPEAL TO THE WEST.
Beyond the local interest which New Or.
leans may have in becoming the entrepot
Of this and other tropical trade. she would !
appeal to the great manufacturing and pro.
vision cities of the extreme West 1t is |
their duty to aid in removing the diplo. |
matte distractions to more enlarged and |
liberal trade relations with all countries I
raw materials capable of being |
combined into fabrics. Hides, wool, furni,
ure and medicinal and dye woods NAV be
imported direct through New Orleans, and
Western products may be sent to tropical
markets over Western rivers and railroads
instead OF by Eastern lines. These Western
titles may thus become themselves com.
nercial centres as to the specie and tropical
rade. They NAV reverse their present de-
upon Eastern outpOrts for finan-
ial credit and ways of transportation. 1t
duty which we can not omit to remind
he manufacturing and transportation
aterests referred to that New Orleans can.
OF unaided maintain an adequate
ne of communication with Mexico. She
an hold the position until reinforced by
hose who are chiefly interested. 1t ia the
mole transit trade and travel of the
topical countries which alone can maintain !
lch a permanent connection. 1t must be
,mem bered that transportation companies
o not set up as either patriots or philan-
lropists, and that, if the present line to
era Cruz shall be withdrawn for want of
atronase. the interior cities, rail and river
anspOrtation may see this whole business ,
ansferred to Eastern ports for facilities of {
lpOrt and importation. This considera. {
on will, it is hoped. lead the railroads {
'ncentrated at New Orleans, with all their q
ibutary connections to adopt at once such t
hedules OF their freight and connection (
will insure the dispatch of consign-
ents both ways between the interior and 6
exico upon through bills of ladine, at T
red rates, and without delay or detention c
1t is proper also the remind the corporate g
thorities of New Orleans and Vera Cruz g
at either to conduct or develop trade re- d
lires the abatement or abolition of all | t
argos for wharfage on through goods, il
tn the best facilities for the shelter and r
spatch on the best terms and in the best n
der. as also the most improved facilities i:
quarantine and health inspection.
RAILROAD CONNECTION WITH MEXICO. !.
The deputation deems it duty to express a
3 opinion that tine communication be- il
cen the two republics is at present too II
,ited and defective to enable us at once q,
derive all the advantages to which both a
lntries are entitled. Mexico can not be | ii
veloped through her only eastern port, d.
ording adequate depth of water and tt
per harborage for a foreign trade. 1t Il,
st be by the connection of interior rail. D;
IDS alone that the whole zone of tropical d.
'ducts and the richest mines of Mexico eff
l be reached from the United States. CO
'eady one American trunk road will cross hf
xas on the 32o parallel. Another will b,
verse the diagonal of the same th
tie, crossing the Rio Grande and "
ering Mexico little south of n
twenty-seventh parallel, this road ha
be net on the Mexican frontier by an po
er on the same gauge. The first trunk ii,
d will by branches develop the States of tn
rthwestern Mexico and the Pacific coast a
II the port of Guaymas down to that of tn
zatlan. The second will penetrate the de
Dical regions west of Tampico and Tux th
. traverse the rich mining regions of pu
Luis Potosi, Zacatecas and Guanaiuato wi
enter the valley of Mexico from the co
th. This way of communication will
eve the Intercourse between the two an
ntries OF all objection to the sea voyage wi
gulf ports These roads will give the TO,
tern and Western cities of the United | tn,
les access to market which may be An
eloped up to any demand. They will IN co,
'ose between themselves and their Eu- In: