Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-31

The shipping Trade OF Savannah
and the Health of Charleston.
The following articles, from the Liverpool
Journal of Commerce of the 18th, will be read
with some interest:
SAVANNAH SHIPPING TRADE.
British shipping at Savannah in 1881, as
compared with 1880, showed an increase Of
twenty-seven ships entered, with an aggre-
gate tonnage Of 0.O56 tons, and an increase
Of twenty-four ships cleared, with an aggre-
gate tonnage Of {, 533 tons. The freight for
cotton during the early part of the season
was good, and although it declined some
what towards the end OF the year, it still
remained fairly remunerstive. Lumber and
rosin Except small quantities Of the latter
carried as dead weight in cotton laden ships
are exclusively carried by sailing vessels.
principally Norwegian and Swedish, these
ships being sailed much more economically
than British ships, which scarcely compete
for this particular trade. During the wear
one hundred and sixteen Swedish and Nor
wegian sailing ships entered Savannah en-
gagged principally in this carrying trade, al
most to the exclusion Of E9glish sailing yes
sells We find that in common with the
Consuls at San Francisco and New Orleans,
Mr.. Joel, the British Consul at Savannah,
comments upon the excessive number OF
desertions from British ships, and especially
as regards Savannah, from ships registered
in the British colonies. During last year
754 men were registered in the Consulate rs
engaged. discharged, deserted, or died. "
these 800 were engaged, 2S9 deserted, ~
were discharged, and Z died. OF the 2S9
deserted, 125 were from ships registered In
Great Britain. having total Of 243 men as
crews, being 10 per cent. of deser,ions, while
from vessels registered in British colonies,
having a total OF AS men as crews, there
were 1874 deserters, or q per cent Of deser-
tions Mr.. Joel, who has supplied the fig
ures. makes the significant statement that
experience has clearly demonstrated that in
the large msioriiy Of colonial registered
ships the desertions are cOnnived at by the
masters, who profit largely by the trans
action.
HEALTH OF CHARLESTON.
Inquiries from Europe as to the health
fitness Of ships crews at Charleston and
other ports on the coast Of South Carolina
having occssioued some correspondence on
the subject, Mr.. Walker British Consul at
Charleston, dPduces that the harbor Is
healthy generally at all seasons Of the year;
that the visitations of yellow fever cpl
denies have become rare (the last one was
ON.
vessel during The months of June, July,
August, September, and probably October,
should, for the purpose Of taking in cargo, or
for any other purpose, ascend either the
Cooper or Ashley rivers, the principal rivers
flowing into the harbor, though only for
two or three miles, they enter the mslarisl
region, and II the crews are not sent back
nightly TO the city, or kept in the city while
other labOrers are employed In the loading
Of the ship. the chances are that one and all
will suffer from mSlsri2l fever either before
or after the departure Of the ship. In
Charleston harbOr the water is salt, and
the port is healthy, but above the barbor
the Ship is exposed to wind Oft the malarisl
land rather than from the ocean; to brack-
ish water, and then to fresh water, and
according to the distance she NAV go,
she undoubtedly exposes her crew to
the properly dreaded influences Of
malaria. Il is therefore very important, re-
marks Mr.. Walker, that masters OF vessels
trading with Charleston should be notified
Of the danger, so that their crews should
not be allowed to stay on board their ships
when it becomes necessary to send the latter
up the rivers for phosphate rock or other
cargOes during the summer months, say
from Is. June to LIST November. Prejudice
against the port during the excepted months
arises, It is imagined, from failure to draw
a distinction between the heslthfulness Of
the harbor proper and the insslubrity OF
adjacent waters flowing into IT, and the
object of Mr.. Walkers observations is to
draw this distinction plainly and unmistaka-
bly.