Morning journal and courier., 1883-05-22
Tuesday. MAY 22. 1855.

DIRECT TRADE WITH IRELAND.
This country has done great deal for
Ireland and has not received much return
| except, perhaps, in tho blessings which
few from the government by the
Irish in our cities. Consul Platt, of Cork.
suggests that we might benefit by direct
trade with Ireland and he has sent to the
State department an interesting letter relat-
ing to this matter received by him from Mr.
William ]. Lane, a prominent citizen of Cork
What Mr.. Lane says is well worth atten-
tion. He points out that Ireland has pop
ulatien of over 5, ,0OO, 600 TO be catered for in
almost all the necessaries of life. They have
few or no manufactures of their own. In round
numbers it is estimated that the Irish import
800, 600, 900 worth of manufactured arti-
cles, chiefly from England. A large amount
of American products finds its way to Ire
land, but through England. In the way of
canned meats, fish and fruit; in green fruit
bacon, pork, beef and other food products
in hides, skins, bark, cotton and other raw
materials used in manufactures, Ireland is a
large consumer of American products. But
every single item of the above list goes to
Ireland not direct. but through English ports
and English brokers. This system of Amer
ican trading with Ireland only through En-
glish ports and through English brokers is,
of course, direct impediment to the aevel-
opment of a healthy commerce between the
two countries. To prove this, all goods of
American production which are ultimately
consumed in Ireland either enter or pass by
some Irish port on their way to an English
port. 1t may be taken for granted that a
week is always lost by this system of English
ports being used as the landing piers for
traffic for Irish merchants. In addition to
the loss in time, the freight to England is
necessarily heavier than it would be if an
Irish port were the destination of steamer,
as one day saved out of eight would make
vast difference in the expenses of voyage
Then, before the goods reach the Irish mer-
chant, there are added the port dues in Liv-
erpool, expenses of discharging from Amer
ican and transshipping on an Irish steam
ship, the freight back to Ireland, which in
many cases equals if it does not exceed the
freight from America to England, and, final
ly, the commission of the English broker
through whose hands they pass at the port
of discharge, and that of his agent in Ireland
who distributes them on arrival. There is
also second insurance premium to be paid
on the shorter voyage.
sEs.It is thought that this accumulation of un-
necessary expenses adds at least ten per cent.
to the cost of goods beyond what it would be
if they were shipped direct to Ireland from
America. The remedy for all this Mr.. Lane
thinks would be found in the establishment
of direct line of steamers between America
and some Irish port. He admits what has
before been pointed out by some who have
interested themselves In this matter, viz,
that the chief difficulty would be found in
the meagreness of the return freights, but he
believes that after few years Ireland would
be able to supply good cargoes. He would
count on a large passenger traffic on the re-
turn voyages from the start, while the pos
sibility that the line might secure a contract
for carrying the United States mails is very
important consideration which should not be
lost SIGHT of