The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-20
GRAIN GOTyG TO EUROPE.
The Heart or the ship Owner Again MADE
isImd by "a Nm.h of Isn.Inc...

All last summer and through the fall pas.
sengcrs over the Fulton ferry saw the ships
Hamilton Fish and Isaac Webb Of tho Black
Ball Liverpool packet line lying idle in the dock
just above the FISH market. They were appar-
emily IA permanent fixtures IA the pier to- which
they were tied. Other ships Of tho same line
lay Idle In Brooklyn. and it was frequently re.
marked that the shipping interest had declined.
But thc'.s ships arc gone. and those who be-
came Interested in them from long familiarity
naturally ask what mas become Of thcm. Yes
tcrday reporter Of THE Sun asked Capt. Beal
Of the Black Bail packet james Foster. Jr
Gone to Liverpool with grain" was the
answer.
Then frcghts are good ,"
Yes. frcights are very good now We only
stay in. port long enough to load and get Oh
',Why was it that the Black Bail ships lay idle
well you see lt-t winter Just before the
war broke OUT. We Hl waited, expecting war TO
frcghta would bo plenty and command good
rntos. War WINS declared but ut that time tina
surplus OF grain in the country was compara-
lively small AMI prices were Mt once run up ia
ssmch n figure that shippers would not buy.
Then there was q rush to our port OF foreign
world. and frcigli4 went way down for the for.
eigners would rather carry grain Mt a loss than
TO, lie in port ut greater loss rs they must
otherwise do. So W. lay all summer waiting for
better times. Our crops Of Last year were az
immense that prices went down. and as crops
failed In many other parts Of the world by roa-
son OF war or unipward Weather. our shipments
arc now immense, and We have Just all we
can do"
To what ports arc the principal shipments
from here, Captain -
"Of grain aud cotton nil to Liverpool, where
they are stored IN anticipation Of an armisics
Dr declaration Of ponce. either Of which will
open Eastern ports. In other case there must
for | fancy that the Turks are pretty nearly
starved out and at the first opportunity will buy
all they can get Probably some parts OF Russis
are inst as badly Of. too
what rates are YOU getting now p
Eightpcnce sterling ,16 cents for wheat
You see. the great steamship lines fix thei
freight rates n month ahead and Of course we
must conform 10 Thorn. For instance. in Janu.
AIRY they say that during the month OF Fcbru-
airy they will carry for a certain sum. and thus
rates for February are unalterably fixed for
that month. Eightpcnoa ia n fair rate. In for.
mcr years II would have been very good. but
now. you see, the frcights that We get from this
side have to pay for the voyage both ways,
Formerly we used TO calculate on getting good
freights back as we'll as out: but now our own
manufactures have 50. increased. that We i'm
port very little from England and our sIips
have TO come back in ballast"
What IL your tonnage. Captain ?"
/ 800 tons"
And what time do you consume on round
-" About forty days for tho voyage over and
back and we lie about three weeks IN Lyerpool
and about the same time hero"
=, Then on tho. whole. Captain. you consider
the times as good for your business r"
Yes, compared with n year ago they are very
good. New York harbor is full Of sailing YES.
sells and STEAMSHIPS Of all nations. but there is
work for all, and when the Erie canal opens the
rush OF grain TO be shipped from this port will
be immense.