The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-13
shall be deemed guilty Of crime and. on
conviction, shall be fined not less than $1,000
nor more than 5000, and imprisoned not less;
than twelve months nor moro tnan five years.
MAIL LINES I'D BRAZEL
why New Orleans should ne selected Ar
the Terminus Of steam hip
Line 10 south America.
TN. Y. TrifJ,lne, /

why New Orleans should Re selected As
the Terminus Of a steam hip
Line 10 south america.
IN. Y. Tribunel
| WASHINGTON, March Sin assigning It's
| reasons for recommending legislation favors-
BILE to the establishment OF ocean mail steam
ship service between the United States and
Brazil, the Committee ON Postoffiees and Post
Roads says that the subject involves consid-
erations reaching. very far beyond the mere
deed, that the latter are OF secondary inl-
portance. The main object contemplated s
the revival OF American commerce by opening
new. avenues OF trade, thus giving quicken
ing impulse to all our industries. The COM
mittee says In its report:
Perhaps The most remarkable feature in the
history OF American commerce Is the strange
indifference which has always until now ex-
listed in this country In regard to trade rela-
tions with the Empire OF Brazil. 1t is mag
niicent country, governed by an enlightened
ruler, and rapidly, progressing toward a con-
dition OF the highest prosperity It covers
and contains population Of 12oDo,OOO. It
has foreign commerce OF $500, ,0O0, 600, and q
coasting, trade of about s5O,0O0,OO0 open to-
foreign flags; OF the trade, which is yearly
increasing, the United States has less than
$25 900, and exports only about $7,25O,0Up
to that country, although it needs q great
many, II not most. Of our manufactured pro-
ducts, The rest of the trade is with Europe,
trade against us goes to England to purchase
supplies for Brazil, all of which supplies we
ourselves produce.
Why is this 7 The answer is h,1miliating.
There is not a steamship line between the
United States and Brazil, not even foreign
owned one; but there are nine regularly
established steamship lines between Europe
and Brazil, each of which is generously paid
for carrying the mails semi-mouthly and all
the vessels employed are first class and or
over 5000 tons burden. Eogland, France and
Germany each has steamship lines to Brazil.
and each pays very lib rally for the transpor-
tation OF the mails there aud elsewhere ON
the high seas
There is not single American banking
house in Brazil, and not banking house in
New York doing Brazilian business. All ex-
changes are negotiated through London.
Every letter from this country directed tn
Brazil has to- go, not directly south, but across
the Atlantic, 5000 miles, to England, and
thence 5000 miles to Brazil; and about nine
tenths OF the postage on il, goes to support
the heavily paid steamship lines between the
two last narned countries. The postage on a
letter to Brazil, until Brazil entered the Postal
Union, last July, was Il cents, and about 10
cents OF that went to English steamships
The postage is now less, but is divided In the
same proportion. England pays her lines
about So per mile, and France pays hers over
81 per mile, for every mile travelled for trans
porting the mail to Brazil
1t will, OF course, take. time TO divert 8
large portion OF this South American trade to
the United States. England will make deg
perate effort to retain, 1t. Although, after
establishing a monopoly Of trade, she has
sometimes reduced, or entirely withdrawn
her large mail pay, she has never done SO as
long as there was competition. She has paid
in this way in the last ten years over S50.OOO,-
coo, and she is mistress Of the seas.
The conn mmittee regards the establishment
of two lnes to BrazIl-one from New York
and the other from New Oreans-as neces-
sary for reasons which are at once apparent.
Three-fourths OF the imports into t6is coun-
try come to New York tt is the great heart
and centre of our commeroe-the emporium
OF American trade. A steamship line Is about
to be established from that port to Rio Janeiroe
under a contract already entered into with
the Brazilian government, and the require
ments Of that contract are similar to those
proposed in the bill offered by the comnrittee
in regard to the character Of the ships, the
service to be performed etc Tnasmuch as 1T
is believed that no line can be successfully es-
tablished and maintained without the CO.
operation OF the two governments, 1t was
thought to be safest and best in every respect
to make New York the terminus OF one line.
Other reasons induced the selection of New
Orleans as the terminus OF the other line. In
he first place witness, who appeared before
the committee and VINO had negotiated the
contract for the New York line with the EN-
peror OF Brazil, testified that it was the wish
at New Orleans, and that the Emperor would
cooperate with the United States In giving
aid to it If established. But in addition to
this there are overwhelming considerations
affecting the interests Of the American people
in it's favor. New Orleans is to the inhabi-
tants Of the Mississippi Valley what New
York Is to the Eastern states, and the great.
magnificent territory of Texas, with it's
boundless resources Of all kinds, now being
rapidly developed, muet be included as among
her tributaries. The success of the work al
he mouth Of the Mississippi assures her SUI
as q commercial port for the fll-
tlIre. But, above all other considerations.
New Orleans is the natural outlet and inlet
Tor trade between South America and the
United States.