The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-20
Cur OCEAN COMMENCE,
Prospects 81 IN EarIy supply Of
Foreign Ships.



pasr Ta~ssxsp. Feb 10. - Tbs
scarcity Of tonnage 70 load foreign
noted In the Sunday pesT-IsTEEEf
sEscKs. appears 20 be only temporary
and indieatisns point to supply esIssal
10 the demand before the misi6ie d
April. Freights. however. are very
srm At prices largely in excess OF rates
for corresponding period last year.
Quotations to-day on iusnf,er freighss
are as follows
To Melbourne wharf, 60 sd.eszss. sxzfns;
5osf4ss 81 IN February. 1873.
To Hoison's bsy. SIS stfs66<. against ~
Tosgdney. SIS sstasos. against sosssszs Cd
70 vAfperxsso. sos. against SIS Cd
To MCnfevidso. 80 70. against vi -.
To san Francisco geoais. 81. against y %
Being asked by the Posr-isTELLf-
eExcKE correspondent to give his
views concerning the eanse Of the
present scarcity Of tonnage and the
prospect for the immediate future,
Mr.. James GrifsIths. Ut the shipping
firm OF Messrs. Griffitbs. Meyers IL
Stefson, said
The prime csnss OF the advance IN lam
Der freishfs can be attributed 20 the coal
strike Ia Australia. A large number Of
vessels hxse been iTgng In Australian ports
waiting TO load coal for Pacific coast ports,
and our supply Of vessels has been almost
entirely shut OF California ports used 10
get from IS to 20 vessels . Tnsnah. the ma
iority Of them wooden vessels that came
70 Puget SOUND 10 lead iumber We have
had none now for nearly fens months
Again ocean fseigbfs afyaaesd all over
the world. aud this advance took . number
OF suitable vessels out Of the lumber trade.
Ships do not seek Lumber when they can
find more profitable carzoes. Lumber Is
Wheat freigfifs. however. have declined ~
shiiifngs TO II shsIiinxs pence from the
prices Of three months ago and this VIII
tend 90 relieve the pressure.
Vessels which have loaded coal since the
strike ia Australia ended are beginning 20
arrive IN California poEis. sixteen vessels
are nov an the way from Australia 10 san
Pedro ssd San Diego, most Of them avail
able for lumber Ny Impression IL that
the present scarcity Of tonnage will be re-
Iieyed within the next ten weeks.
Despite tie fact that several coast
ing vessels are loading eannery sup
plies for Alaska. there il ample tom
mage for the coastwise lumber trade.
The outlook for large and profit
able foreign lumber trade for the COM
ing year IL certainly bright. Stocks in
Australia have run very low. in conse-
quenec OF lack OF supply, anu prices
are well maintained. The demand,
not only at Melbourne. but at AIDE
laitie and Brisbane. is steadily increas-
ing. The same statement holds good
for the east and west coasts, and VAL
paraiso promises 10 be big customer
ON account OF the general business
activity there. Buenos Ayres will
take much more lumber than last
year, IL ships can DO secured to carry
IL, and five vessels have been chartered
for London direct. II is the same old
story of Puget Sound fir needing only
ito be seen 10 be appreciated
The American bark Charles u. Ken
ney will load a cargo OF gas coal at
Newcastle for Seattle. terms private.
This Is believed to be the first cargo of
Goals taken 10 Seattle. The old saw
about the transportation OF fuel natur-
ally presents itself.