The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-02-02
AsiH,Ic Trade-HOw 10 Get "a.

Hon Isaac II, Sturgeon, in commu"
nication published in the st, Louis Re-
publican, urges the imperative necessi'
jy orimmediately constructing the Tex
rs Pacific Southern transcontinental
line as business measure Of the highs
est Importance to divert the Asiatic
trade to this country, which now goes
largely to Great Britain, on account of
the eXtortionate rates of the Union and
Central Pacific railroads, He furnishes
very strong argument in the shape OF
n letter from prominent American
merchant ut Swallow, China, which pres
sents some facts of vital importance,
The letter, which is dated Swatow, De-
cember II, 1877, to Isaac H. Sturgeon.
81. Louis, is as follows | mentioned in
my last that | would give you the rates
of freight from China via the Suea to
London and New York, which may be
summed up as follows: freights from
Hong Kong to London 10y steamer via
the Suez canal, about G3 per ton Of fifty
feet, taking exchange at 1, equal to Slj,
taking freight from London to New York
at S. per tom charges in London about
s. per ton, including commissions,
which would make the goods cost in
nelghts, laid down in New York via
Sue2 canal and London about So per
ton. Shippers Of goods to America can
charter British steamers III China to
convey goods to American ports via
Suez canal direct on an average Of SIS
per ton weight and measurement by
the Pacific steamers to San Francisco,
we will say they will take cargo at
Sl2 per ton all through Freight by
car>load of 10000 pounds from San
Francisco to New York, about SI0O or
$40 per ton, which would make the
goods cost, landed in New York by the
Pacific route, some $50 per ton, against
500 per ton via London, and SIS via the
canal direct, with an additional So per
ton for Atlantic freight il the goods by
the American routes were destined to
London. All these freight estimates
are given on rough estimate, but are
near enough to show the enorN
nous difference in price of convey
ing goods by the overland AmerlN
can route when destined for the
eastern Atlantic ports when compared
with the Suez canal route. 1t Is very
clear if the public railways and steam
companies of the United States OF
America ever expect to share in the
CARRYING trade to and from Asia, the
railway communication across the
American continent must be extended
to a very great degree, and rates cheap
ened to enable us to compete with the
carrying facilities offered the CONNER
cial world by other nations. We must
offer abundant facilities for quick trans
sit at cheap rates, and to this end ouI
government should bend her every Ell
fort, so that we may induce the cons
merce of the world to our shores. am
yours, faithfully c, C. WILLIAMS
How are we to overcome the pres
tige of the Suez canal route save by
building a trans,continental line OF
railroad which will destroy the Unlor
and Central Pacific monopoly and re-
duce freights to the very lowest posi-
bic figaro III,
The Texas and Pacific railroad vii
accomplish this, because the cost OF III
construction will be less than hall tina
Of the Gould and Huntington roads
and because congress can control th'
rates over the line. Let thst road b'
constructed, and the rates will fall IN
manner which will make shippers smile
There is a great deal of talk about Sc
curing the carrying trade Of China AM
Japan With one transcontipenta
route, we may wait till the crack q
doom to get it. The letter printed
above shows how far we are now iron
securing the traffic with one line o
railroad which has been erected by II
owners into such giant monopoly tina
the bulk of the products OF ASIA g
around the other side Of the world
Mr. Williams letter is a potent argu
ment for the immediate passage OF tn
Texas and Pacific railroad bill