The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-03
TRADING WIN SOUTH AMERICA.
Evnrts's subsidizcd Line of Steamships Not
What IL Necessary TO Increase IL.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: As
THE Sun is the only metropolitan journal that
seems to have interpreted rightly the COM
municatons that Hayes and Evarts recently
sent to Congress In respect 10 our trade with
Central and South America. it may not DE out Of
place to present few facts TO show that Evarts.
at least. has wiliully or not misreprcscntcd the
state OF affairs. and has mislcd the public into
the belief that our commerce with those coun-
tries is actually suffering for want OF subsidized
lines Of steamers between our ports and theirs.
Does not Mr.. Evarts know that this country has
had steam communication directly or Indirect
~ with South America for moro than thirty
years that Is TO say with the west coast Of South
America. by the way OF the Isthmus OF Panama.
and by the same route steam communication
with all the Central AmcricanlStntes since 1854
Tho late William Whoeright. an American.
impressed with the belief that a profitable trade
between the United States and tho west coast 81
South America might be bul il up, some thirty
I'VE or forty years ago urged capitalists OF New
York Boston, and Philadelphia to unite with
him in establ .shlng line ofsteams ships between
Panama and the States Of Ecuador. Peru.
Bolivia. and Chilli. His project failed here. but
b" went to England and succeeded in enlisting
British capitalists in the scheme The result
was the establishment OF line OF hrst-class
steamships on the Pacific coast. TO run between
the points indicated. The line is owned and run
~ the Pacific Steam Navigation Company. an
English corporation.
For all those years. at least thirty our NOR
chants, and even our Government. have had
| their correspondence transmitted By this Brit
| ish line Of steamers, which makes those con-
nections with the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
panys vessels running to and from New York
established IN 1919 30. Subsequently other
lines Of American steamships between these
two points nave been established. and are doing
The Panama Railroad Company's line Of
steamships. established some twenty eight
years ago, plies weekly or semi weekly between
ne port ol Panama aud those Of the States OF
Costa, kica, Nicaragua Salvador, Honduras,
and Guatemnla. alording our merchants the
amplest opportunity to communicate with mer-
chants residing In those States. We have every
mail facility with the Central and South Ameri-
can States on the Pacific that can DO reached bv
steamships, We have postal convention with
sion Of our mails from Panama to the West
coast and the Panama Railroad Companys
steamships convey all our mail matter TO and
contract The remainder OF the service Is per-
formed by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.
and sometimes weekly between New York and
Notwithstanding all this. Mr.. Evarts says that
leUors sent from this country 10 Central and
south America have TO 40 "A roundabout way.
hy the way OF Europe, before rcnrhine their
dcsunutoni and ne makes that assertion pre-
text for establishing subsldllcd lines o! steam
ers to those countries.
Can It bo possible that Evarts IL ronlly icno-
rant Of tho existence OF these several lines Of
steamships, or docs he, 10y Ignoring them en-
tircly. expect o. suhsrrvo the ship-building In
Il
payers OF this country
Tho lunb.ly OF our merchants to compete
Will N" English ami German merchants who
ira lo with South ana Central America il owing
| entirely 10 the discrimination by the Pacific
| Mail Steamship Company and the Panama
hpIlroad tomlanY in favor of the English and
German shlpp rs Hs against the American ship
per, in the matter Of freight charges. Mr.
EVnlts = theory MS 10 want OF steamship and
mail facilities has nothing 10 do with IT,
| There are enough steamships American and
| lor-gn engaged in tho trade 10 carry A.. no
| freight and mails that are offered Mr. Evarts
| cannot plead Ignorance rs to the unjust dis
ordinations OF these two powerful CORPORA
| tlOns against our merchants. His attention has
been called 10 the fact since he has been al tho
| mead OF tho Department Of State. and he has
| been asked TO have them removed. in order that
| our merchants might be able 10 compete with
| their English ana German rivals in tho mar
| kets OF Central and South America Instead Of
| doing this, he ascribcs cause for our i'm
| pared trade that has no foundation in fact and
| PROPOSES u remedy that is entirely inndcduatn
. IT Mr. Evarts Will consult the merchants Of
| New York who are engaged in the Central and
| south American trade he will ascertain tho
| Kind OF treatment they receive ut the hands Of
| the two American corporations. Both Hayes
| and Eyaris may talk rs much as they like
| Nnoul Improving our commerce with these
| States. hut nothing will be accomplished until
| the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and tho
| Panama Railroad Company are required TO
place our shippers on the Same fooling with
| lhelr English ana German rivals. Uuflrtunntu-
| ly. Hayes and Eyarts have both Shown them
| solves Incapable OF comprrhending the subject
| upon which they have tried to eniighten the
| public. ANTI-SUBsIDY,
| NEW YORK Dec. 81.