New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-27
COMMERCE WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES.


BY CHARLES s. HILL.
Washington. July 26 (SpecisD. Charles S. HILL
of Washington widely known account Of his active
efforts 10 promote the revival Of direct commerce be-
tween the United States and foreign countries. has
prepared an important letter on the subject which
will soon be published AMI from which The Tribune
correspondent has been permitted TO make some eX-
tracts. Mr. Hill states and maintains these propo-
sitions: Commerce follows the mails commerce is
guided by the flag; commerce is developed BY fast
mail ships
Under the first head Mr. Hill says:
merchant in South America will not send an
order 10 the United states for goods when he KNOWS
and especially Of the uncertainty Of the malls and
difference in price and in exchange from the rate
merely one incident Of disadvantages 10 which We
subjected quote from letter received from
the Consul Of Yenczeula and Guatemala at New
Orleans. +. Martinez
a letter from a commercial house in Quebec. dated
October Z, and sent TO Maracaibo. Venezuela, via
Sew-York reached that plaGo on the February last,
1877 DAYS after. when II requires only ten days by
the American steamers going every zen DAYS rom
to buy certain quantity of coifee. During such
long period coffee had better prices in Maracaioo and
that firm mot with loss Of 5000
The merchants of South American countries can
send their orders amostly directly 10 Europe, and
ofcntlmos tho goods on their way before an order
could reach New.York. Instead Of a monthly Amci
can line from Brazil We want weekly departure
and arrival Our merchants should not b. left M
dencnd upon change ocean tramps,7 which are put
on ront9 only 10 steal legitimate business in American
doing by subsidized lines Of England, which well
afford 10 divide their foreign subsidy with these
ocean thieves 10 destroy American trade.
In support OF his Second proposition Mr. Hill
writes:
Who that watched the debates Of Parliament. and
the appropriation made from tho British cNchcIuer,
has failed 10 observe the excitement aroused whenever
the question agilated 10 give the British mails 10
a foreign nag for transportation Everybody knows
that En- gland has built up her power as nation ana
sidlzng her mail steamships England has even OBJ
fsincd control of the worlds commerce by carrying
the mail Of foreign countries. She has even estah-
lished mali lines of steamships that would not and
could stop at any port OF tho BRUSH Empire.
Inc h h snPp"s a. hc influence ~ the
British flag in controlling the mall and guiding ne
Substituting Of the Pacific steam Navigation steamship
Company. ~
was tho chief induccment for supporting this
commune alton between New-Grcnada. Bolivia Peru
and Chill rendering It nsce' sary for the English to
maintain mercantile establishments In he chief ports
and the west coast Of the Pacific, and thus
iustifyng the Government In inculring the eXpcnse
And may appropriately quote Prince blsmarck :
opinion of commerce being guided by the nag lie
said in his annual appeal TO The German Relchstag
for subsidy grants 60 German mail ships as follows
"On the day when the feight trade T. given over
to foreigners. mortal blow win be given to the in
anomaly from national standpoint 10 concedc the
transport trade 10 industrial rivals. In
choosing those 10 export home products people are
exposing themselves TO all kinds Of foul play
Thus II IS that the United States IS crippled in
maritime power dependent upon foreign ships carry
our mails Obliged 10 pay yearly nearly so00,000 as
subsidy TO foreigners for carrying our mails for II.
compelled ~ submit TO the non-ecOn0mlc drain made
by Great Britain for carrying our freight aud our
tourists annually the sum Of s130Q00.O0O. and hunl
aird a. people before the cyes Of the world because
our National Legislature VIII not pay fairly and
squarcy other nations nobly pay for share In
the worlds trade
We are on the eve Of great event. which sets
forth Grand prospect for dey clipping flcrcan
mece IN tho call Of Congress Of American Nations
10 this city next fall and in as>eulling The delegates
TO that congress n VIII hc fnTciby impressed upon