Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-10-09
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING, OCT. 9, 1875.
COMMERCE. OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

COMMERCE OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
NECESSITY OF SHIPS AND sHIP-BUILDING Fol
the WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES.
The western shores of the United
States, forming the Pacific coast line
from the northern boundary of Wash
ington Territory to the southern bound.
AIRY of California, in extent about TWEEN
ty-ive hundred miles, are indented with
harbors suited to the development of
commerce, having behind them coun-
try unexcelled in nearly all the produc-
tons necessary to sustain life and min
lister to the wants of man, and before
them the islands and eastern shores of
the Pacific, embracing those empires
and kingdoms of Eastern Asia, which
enriched all countries beyond their bor-
ders, in ancient or modern times that
secured their trade. Not knowing or
neglectful of the teachings of history,
the cities of the west coast are allowing
this rich Pacific trade to be carried
away from them, either because they
have not the energy or enterprise to
take it to themselves or the forecast to
estimate its value.
About twenty-five years ago, Ambrose
w. Thompson pointed out TO the Gov
eminent the advantages which would
accrue to the country by securing the
trade of China, Japan and the spice is
lands. He had even before that time
written much on that subject, and it
was due to these writings that Peny's
Expedition was sent out and that the
treaties with Japan and China were
subsequently made, and likewise, later
on, that the Pacific Mail Co. had its
contract from Congress. Unfortunately
that company was held by stock gam
blers and spectators, and never had its
control placed in the hands of men who
had that knowledge of commercial af-
fairs which, applied properly through
the means of these Pacific steamers,
would have developed trade in San
Francisco which, long before this time,
would have spread along the Coast,
making commercial city at every good
harbor. Instead of this being done,
the capital of that company has been
wasted by stock-jobbing operations in
Wall street, and discredit has been
brought uponthe National Congress in
the fruitless Investigations to ascertain
how many and to what extent members
were involved in bribery to secure an
increased subsidy, not wanted to sus-
tain its business, but to make up losses
caused by its affairs being trusted to
the control of ignorance and folly.
That subsidy, however obtained, is now
lost to the shareholders, and the COM
pany must earn an honest support by
intelligence in it's management and in
tegrity and economy in its working, or
sink in ruin. While this experiment is
being tried, can San Francisco and our
west coast ports afford to wait the re-
suit? It would seem not, if we look at
the natural advantages in their favor
and estimate those which may readily
be created to add to those which Ma
ture has so beautifully bestowed.
1t has already been said that the Pa
cifc Mail Company's managers did not
know the sources of trade in the Pacific,
nor the means of developing them
and their ignorance is evidenced by the
kind of steamers first placed in the ser
vice, and which were wholly untitled
for it, being of the paddle or side-wheel
kind, and largely wasting fuel, where
little, If any, would have been required
over the main part of the distance to
be run, had properly formed and well
adapted screw ships been used. The
iron" screws" lately put on the Pacific,
though not properly adapted, would
have answered far better, provided they
held together (but which does not seem
likely if the published accounts in the
papers OF New York be true, that on one
OF them q large number of rivets and
bolts worked loose on the voyage QUIT
Tor any reasonable length of time, and
q succession of accidents in losing
screws, and otherwise, seem to indicate
that fate like that of the Guatemala
said TO have been lost by variation Of
the compasses caused by such use Of
the calking iron, in forcing up unequal
butts, and false sheer-edges as tc
change the " magnetic polarity OF the