Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-07-25
Extension of Commerce.

the American continent on higher North
ern parallel was still more so, but yet it
has been accomplished and will be applied
to chief purpose in transporting large
share of the worlds trade. Through it
English craftsmanship has developed its
usual sagacity, and seized with character
istic enterprise the opportunities OF ex-
tending commerce which is the great power
of the British Government. AS soon as
completed it was made link in the cham
from England to the East, and another to
Australia, a country annually growing in
its productive resources, especially in wheat
and sheep,-two interests Indispensable in
providing supplies of food for the millions
of buyers and running the factories OF the
United Kingdom. From England to
Japan the distance is four thousand, i've
hundred miles less by the Canadian route
than it is by the Suez Canal, and six thous-
and miles less than by way of the Cape
The distance from England to Australia is
about equal by each of the routes-the
Canadian and the Suez-but in many re-
spects the transhipment by rail across the
American Continent over a line operated
primarily for the benefit of English COM
merce is preferable to the Suez where it
has to pay tribute to other than British
interests.
San Francisco and the trading marts on
our Pacific coast have received large bene-
fits as has our commerce generally in the
growth of the exporting values as they
have sustained the purchasing demands of
Australia. English craftsmanship and the
commercial enterprise of the British people
keep always in hailing distance of each
other, and their alliances generally secure
the objects in view. We have had occasion
often to note particularly the immense
strides in the production Of wheat in Aus
tralia, and the recent estimate of the last
wool-crop of that country places it at near
one hundred millions of Kilograms, valued
at twenty -four million pounds sterling. A
kilogran is ten thousand, two hundred and
four pounds avoirdupois. This is about
one-eighth of the wool product of the
world. The value of its exports in wheat
and wool alone makes it a great purchas'
| ing country from others that produce COM
modities it does not, and in this latter
phase the United States. Notwithstanding
the limited encouragement the Government
under Republican rule manifested in open
ing channels of foreign commerce, is having
valuable and growing trade relations with
Australia. One of the most complete
agencies in conducting the commerce be-
tween the United States and Australia is
the "Australian and New Zealand Steam
ship Line" which plies between Brisbane,
in New South Wales, and San Francisco
Some of the British trade between the
Australian colonies and the United King
dom takes this route, and in crossing the
American continent pays tribute to our
lines between the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts. British policy now proposes to be
relieved entirely of this tribute as well as
to enlarge its facilities of transportation
across our continent. The contract which
makes San Francisco the American port in
running this line of steamers will expire
next November, and now an agent of the
Dominion Government is negotiating for
the discontiuuance of San Francisco as the
American Port by the transfer to Van
couver, the terminus of the Canadian
railroad on the Pacific coast A subsidy of
one hundred thousand pounds sterling is
asked, which is small sum to be provided
for maintaining an important project which
English statesmen for the commercial
progress of that realm shall deem it neces-
sary to accomplish. The Canadian line Of
railroad was built for purpose more i'm
portant to British power and progress than
the development of tho fields it traverses,
and the deserts it penetrates. 1t was in
reality to secure highway across the
American Continent-from Ocean to Ocean
unrestricted in any form when it was
necessary to apply it to the advancement of
British progress, and in keeping open, by
the shortest routes of communication, the
perfect connection between the central seat
of authority and the most distant of its de-
tendencies.
| The transfer of the American port from
San Francisco to Vancouver will not so
seriously disturb our growing relations
with Australia, that the recuperative power
of the Golden Coast cannot soon restore
| them. The case well illustrates the neces-
sity of greater efforts in promoting the ex-
tension of our foreign commerce, and the
application especially as it concerns our
own section of country in opening the doors
across the Atlantic and along its southern
extent for the products of our fields and
factories, aud il this We are gratiisd to ob-
serve the activity of our Government under
the direction of President Cleveland in eff
forts to widen our commerce.
The Northern Pacific, as we'll as other
continental lines of railroad, was built in a
large measure for the accumulation of
riches through Migrants made by the
Government. The Canadian Pacific was
AoA OIL ChbiAOly dilAOAoAu pun "ou 40 w
have connecting lines of Ocean steamers
at each terminus, and to be the agency in
conducting continental trade. We build
interior lines of railroad and increase the
facilities of transportation to the coast, but
make no corresponding effort for the es-
tablishment of lines Of Ocean-steamers to
carry our products to the countries where
they would be welcomed very much to our
profit.
Mexico Central and South America are
annually increasing in quantities, buying
more and more of improved machinery for
numberless purposes, and other manu-
featured fabrics which we could furnish,
but only small percentage of the supply
is sent from this country for the reason
that Our shipping interests are not equal to
the opportunities offered.
The Argentine Republic as commercial
power is just beginning to rise, and is pro-
portionately with its opportunities far in
advance of our own in enterprise. The
Government has guaranteed per cent on