The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-27

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The above exports Of Circuit Britain are
composed almost exclusively Of manufac-
tured articles, while tho exports from tho
United States Except 10 Mexico, China, japan
and Australia) are almost exclusively Of
breadstuifs, provisions and petroleum.
We have before us little map Of the world,
giving tho mail routes Of England, France
and the United States 10 tho principal mar
kets Of the world for manufactured goods,
viz: Central and South America, East and
West indies, China and japan, which tells the
| whole secret Of this great discrepancy. For
example. the only line we have on the Atlantic
is from New York TO AspinwaIl England has
u line from Liverpool and another from Canada
to Aspinwall, and thence up The Central Amer
lean eoast 10 Vera Cruz In Mexico. France has
also line VI steamers directly over the same
route. France and England have also direct
mail communication by steam with Bucnos
Ayres, touching MT oil points IN the east coast
Of South America; the English line extending
around tho Horn TO Panama. In the Pacific
we have mail routes from Panama to San
Francisco, and from this point 10 japan and
China and Australia. but the French and Eng
isb have also lines of steamers 10 all these
points. But here Is the difference TO her va
rious mail lines England pays annually g.
3i4,s6G. and France TO hers "A, 1876 JOB, while
we pay ours NOTHING. These arc the prices
paid by these countries 10 secure the immense
disparity between their exports Of manufac-
tured goods and ours. Theauestion H. only,
is the investment good one does 1t pay2
We hardly think there can be doubtupon that
subject. Refer to tho tables and see the diff
ference between the outlay and the returns,
and we hardly think there is any room for
speculation.
Again, the total foreign commerce Of Cen
trail America was estimated by Our Minister,
Mr.. Williamson, In his last published report
to the State Department, at s27 ,545 2ie for the
year 1876 Tho share Of the United States IN
this trade was about $50O0G00, or scarcely 10
per cent, while tho share of New Orleans, the
nearest American port, was too small 10 be es-
timated. This comparatively small proper
tion Of national and local trade IL attributable
entirely to the want OF adequate mail steam
communication. We have heard that the last
and unpublished report Of Mr.. Williamson
states that out Of total foreign trade Of
$22,000,D00 for the year 1s7G-77, more than
$t9,OO0,O00, or 30 per cent was entered and
cleared ut the Pacific ports Of Central Amer
lea, leaving but 10 per cent supplied from the
Atlantic ports. The course Of this commerce
Is across the 1sthinus Of Panama, or by
way Of tho Pacific coast. This trade,
ut least, should be diverted TO the United
States by direct communication with New
Orleans, and ct no very great expense. At oil
events, the American people ore evidently fast
coming to that opinion. and we are glad u
note the purpose that Ii becoming manifest of
testing the matter OF the tropical American
trade, and we have no doubt that New Orleans
will reap the benefits Of the endeavor by the
establishment Of tho proposed line Of steam
ships between this port and Rio. 1t will then
remain for New Orleans to determine whether
she shall be mere shipping point or the in
termediary market between this country and
the tropical Americas.