Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-19
SAILING SOUTH.
THE GULF oF GUAYAQUIL AND THE
RIO GUAYMAs
Some Reasons why the United States
Ras So Little Commerce with the
South American States.

Bas So Little Commerce with the
South American States.
r Special Correspondence OF the REcoRp-USIoN.]
STEAMSHIP ''SERENo," Feb, 1890.
You may search the world over for
pleasant sea-traveling without finding any
thing more agreeable than down the west
ern coast of South America, where one is
always sure of fair weather, still waters
and fine steamers. Especially is this the
case during the season of our Northern
winter-the summer time in these latitudes
when breezes blow cool and invigorating
even directly over the equator, without the
damp chilliness that pierces ones marrow
on the Atlantic.
Strange to say, not an American keel
pIoughs the Pacific from Panama to Cape
Horn-yet not altogether unaccountable
when we consider the reasons that have
left the America OF the North almost with
out commercial dealings with her South
ern sister. The shor t-sighted policy of the
United States Congre SIS in refusing to aid
steamship lines, even by payment of a
moderate sum for carrying the mails, has
much to do with it for the venturesome
capitalist who might invest money in such
an enterprise would have to compete with
the well-subsidized companies of Europe.
At present there are two lines of steam
ers plying regularly between Panama and
Chile-one Chilean, the other English.
The latter, which is by far the best, was
projected as an American company, by
William Wheelright of New York city.
More than forty years ago this gentleman
secured a Concession" for its establish
ment in these waters, and then he hurried
home to the United States, expecting to
readily raise the necessary funds for carry
ing out his plans. But neither the mer-
chant princes, capitalists nor Congress
could be induced to offer him any sort of
aid or encouragement, and finally he took
himself and his project to England, where
a wiser Government
SNAPPED AT THE CHANCE
OF securing rich emoluments for all time
to come. Subsequently Mr. Wheelright
obtained subsidies, also, from several of
the South American republics, whose ports
he enters. The natural consequence is
that the whole passenger traffic of the
Southern Pacific toget her with nearly all
its commerce, has passed irrevocably into
British hands, whose vessels sail every
week from Panama to Liverpool, via the
straights of Magellan.
The Chilean line sends vessel every
second week and carries mostly local
freight Several smaller steamers, belong
ing to French and German companies, ply
between various west-coast ports; and
there used to be two other lines, Spanish
: and Italian, but both the latter have re-
Gently withdrew their boats. The "Pacifc
Steam Navigation Company" which Mr..
Wheelright organized, is to-day the largest
ENTERPRISE of its kind in the world owning
more that sixty first class steamers and
carrying every bit of cargo between Eu-
rope and South America. For this trade
it maintains two sets of steamers, those
for the still waters between Panama and
Valparaiso being large and beautiful,
with open decks and airy state-rooms
while those designed for the rougher pas
sage through the straights and across the
stormy Atlantic were especially constructed
for heavy seas.
:.
pany is now in Liverpool. 1t was first
established in London, but did not prove
a brilliant success until after its removal !;
since (which time the trade has been con-
stantly increasing. Mr.. Wheelright also
built the first railroad in South America,
In Chile. and the grateful natives have
very properly honored him by huge
statue in the city Of Valparaiso.
The distance form Panama to Valpa-
raiso is 1915 miles, and the trip would
become very tedious one-occupying
twenty-five days-were it not for the fact
that hardly half the time is spent at sea,
there being no fewer than
THIRTY-EIGHT PORTS
t. be visited on the way Through the
many years that the British company en-
yed undisputable monopoly its charges
Were enormous-not less than $40 per ton
for freight, and S297 per capita passenger
rate for distance about the same as that
between New York and Liverpool. The
Chilean line, however, has lately made
competition so brisk that, when rivalry
runs high, either company will recklessly
reduce their fare, offering to carry people
for almost nothing at all rather than let
them fall into the hands of the other
Wishing to take advantage of this con-
venient state of affairs, couple of young
Englishmen who were bound for sup
south" as they say hereabouts. made care
full canvass in Panama among the travellers
booked for various points along the west
ern shores of South America, and finding
a goodly number of them, who agreed to
stick together and 60 by the line that
l. L.. Il
managed the matter so well between the
rival companies that everybody's fare was
reduced TO an absurdly small sum-ours
for the whole 3,315 miles being less than
$50 each, American gold, with no charge
for extra luggage and "stop-overs" of in
definite length allowed. And we were
given extraordinary attentions and courte-
sizes withal-aiternoon tea in the Captains
cabin, nice little lunches sent up before
bedtime, and everybody had state-room
all TO himself, mother and daughter, or
husband and wife, being given two large
communicating rooms with plenty of extra
space for trunks and steamer chairs.
These British steamers have their an
ehorage in Panama some seven miles out
from shore, near the island of Toboga
while the Pacific mail steamers of the
American line, bound for San Francisco,
lie at points equally distant, for the alleged
harbor, though lovely to look at, is shallow,
rocky and dangerous inshore, with long,
black reefs showing their ugly heads above
the water. As the tide on this side of the
lsthmus rises from eighteen to twenty-five
feet, setting in and running out with re-
markably strong current. the matter of
embarking and discriminating is by no
means child's play and can be accomplished
with comparative safety only at what is
called
"HALF TIDE"
And there must be no delay about it, for
this is emphatieally the time and tide that
<'waits for no man. Ii you and your be-
-, ,,,t Ia s,,ni NJ tho ,,rc,,or