New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-11

THE GREAT STAPLE OF BRAzIL-HoW
TO BUILD UP TRADE.
ryRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBUNEl
Rio, December 81.
Brazil is rich in scenery agricultural staples,
,irerals and politics, but is poor in statsucal
incarnation. An enormous amount of business
= transacted at this port, but the investigator
,vbo strives to obtain official Information IN
relation to the commerce, exports, imports, manu-
lectures and railways is batiled and disappointed
A. every turn. Ten days experience here has
convinced me that there are no avallaDe sources
of accurate information respecting the commerce
and trade of Brazil, and that such entries as
appear in the year-books and pollucal manuals
arn nurelv coniectural 1t is impossible, for en-
annie to procure a trustworthy exhibit OF the
sbinping and tonnage of the port as carried I'M
aor various national flags. Each consulate may
u,aLe I'm ouarterlv statements of its own ship
rirg and the exports TO its own country, but
onara+ive table can only be furnished by the
oa7cials here and no attempt is made to supply
r+bsn+;c ipformation More care is taken with
Tho statistics respecting copper production and
.vnort than with any other branch of trade, but
tho figures even there are untrustworthy and de-
tective. | consulted an American whom Minister
Adams had recommended to me as the best-in-
formed man in Rio commercial matters. His
answer was: al have lived here ten years, and
dpring that time have been laboring TO get the
facts for which you ask, and have not yet sue
ceeded in doing so. Statistics do not grow in
Brazil
The books of the United States Consulate show
that the only steamers entering Rio under the
American flag with regularity are the three YES
sels of the United States and Brazilian Line
These steamers bring large consignments OF flour,
kerosene. lard and general merchandise in small
quantities, and take back coffee. In carrying eN-
norts from New-York they have little competi
ton except from tramp steamers but IN their
return voyages they have vigorous and success
ful rivals in the Lamport & Holt Line. This Is
o wealthy and prosperous English line plying
between Liverpool, Pernambuco, Bahia Rio, San
tos Montevideo and Buenos Ayres. Those steam
ers bring English and European merchandise in
enormous quantities to this coast, and return
ordinarily by way of New-York, loading
Nd with coffee for the American market
Some of the steamers run in at Para
for carQoes Of rubber, but those that
have their holds well allied with coffee sail di
rectlv for New-York, whence they return to Liver
uool with cotton and -four 1t is one of the most
nroftable triangular courses traversed in English
trade Cotton, wOolen and linen goods and man
ufactures of all kinds brought TO Brazil;
coffee is carried to New-York, and return Cargoes
70 Liverpool are always 10 be had. Tie great
bulk of the coffee for the American market
is taken by this powerful line, and German and
other European steamers cooperate with them
The three American steamers go down to Santos
which is rapidly becoming great coffee port, and
take cargoes there and then put in at Rio for adj
ditonal consignments; but they carry in the
course of year only a small proportion Of the
coffee that is shipped TO NewYork. They are
hampered 10 considerable extent by the Brazilian
coasting trade and mail contracts, which compel
them TO put n at four ports before heading for
Barbados and New-York. The mail subsidy is
worth 81 900 a year to the line and the coast
ing trade is profitable; but much detention is
caused and the coffee exporters in Rio prefer TO
shin by the Lamport & Holt Line because the
carqoes can be delivered in the North more
speedily. l am informed here that two of the
largest coIee-mporters in NewYork order all their
supplies by the English in preference to the
American steamers The saving Of time is of the
utmost importance when the prices of coffee and
the rates of exchange are varying with extraordi-
nary fluctuations from week To week.
There will be an improvement Of facilities
doubtless when the three new steamers promised
for the American line are in service: but at pres
emit the English vessels are carrying the bulk OF
the coffee TO the United States, and doing this
largely by making better time or else by offering
cheaper freghts. One complaint which is made
by merchants here is that the American line will
not deliver coffee except at it's wharf whereas
the English or German steamers are willing 10
unload wherever large importers desire them 20
discharge their cargoes There may be some faults
in management. either here or in New-York, but
the CHEF reasons for the comparatively small
cargOes Of coffee taken out Of Santos and Rio by
these steamers are slow transit and infrequent
trips The steamers have TO compete with pow
erful rivals. They should have Government aid
in the form Of liberal payments for mail trans
portation. But the company should also improve
its service in every way and employ American in
stead Of foreign agents TO look after its business
in Brazilian ports fast mail and transporta-
ton service with Americans shore to direct the
cOmpany's interests will unQuestionably facili-
tate the transfer Of the coffee carrying trade from
the English 10 the American flag. The present
service is inadequate for the requirements Of that
trade.
There are twenty-five sailing vessels, compris-
ing four or more lines. which ply regularly be
tween Baltimore and Rio under the American flag
These vessels bring ont -four, kerosene lard and
lumber, and take back coffee This trade is an
important one and it shows what can be done
when recourse is had TO the old-time methods Of
American mercantile energy These vessels never
lack cargoes because the owners buy and sell as
they sail The cargo which is brought into port is
sold here; and coffee is bought and taken 10
Baltimore. where the home market is supplied
These twenty-five vessels do an active Transports
ton business in this way. The captains are
manly, old-fashioned American sailors. and they
are constantly TO be met in port and never with
a word of complaint Of lack Of cargo Other
American sailing vessels coming into Rio with
carnnes frnrn NeM-Nnrk or Now EnnlnnA ron4o