Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-20
TRADE OF THE SOUTH,
Imports of s45O,O0O,OO0, and Uncle
Sam Furnishes but a Ninth,
CARG0ES THAT GO TO ENGLAND.
Sailing the South Pacific on British Com
pany's Steamship.
SPANISH GOLD BURIED In THE SEA
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH. ]

! CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPATcH.l
On BOARD THE STEAMER SERENo,)
| SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN, March 8.
| You may search the world over for pleas
ant sea travelling without finding anything
more agreeable than down the western coast
of South America, where one is always sure
of fair weather, still waters and fine steam
ers. Especially is this the case during the
season of our Northern winter-the summer
time in these latitudes-when breeze, 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
ploughs 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 without
commercial dealings with her Southern sis
ter. The short-sighted policy of the United
States Congress in refusing to aid steamship
lines, even by payment of moderate sum
| for carrying the mails, has much to do with
| 1t; 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 steamers plying between Panama
and Chili-one Chilian, 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 40 years ago this gentleman Sc
| cured concession" for its establishment in
these waters, and then he hurried home to
the United States, expecting to readily raise
the necessary funds for carrying out his
plans.
SNAPPED UP BY ENGLAND.
But neither the merchant princes, capi-
talists 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. Subse-
quently Mr.. Wheelright obtained subsidies,
also, from several of the South American
Republics. whose ports he enters. The
natural consequence is that the whole pas
senger traffic OF the Southern Pacific,
together with nearly all its commerce, has
passed irrevocably into British hands, whose
vessels sail every week from Panama to
Liverpool, via the Straits OF Magellan. The
Chilian line sends a vessel every second
week and carries mostly local freight. Sew
eral smaller steamers belonging to French
and German companies, ply between various
west-coast ports; and there used to be two
lines, Spanish and Italian, but both the
latter have recently withdrawn their boats.
The Pacific Steam Navigation Com
pany," which Mr.. Wheelright organized, is
to-day the largest enterprise of its kind in
the world, owning more than 60 frst-class
steamers and carrying every bit of cargo be-
tween Europe 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 aud airy staterooms; while
those designed for the rougher passage
through the straits and across the stormy
Atlantic were especially constructed tor
heavy seas. Mr.. Wheelright also built the
first railroad in South America Tin Chilli,
and the grateful natives have very properly
honored him by huge statue in the city OF
Valparaiso.
SOME CHEAP RIDING.
The distance from Panama TO Valparaiso
is 8, ,315 miles and the trip would become a
very tedious one-occupying 25 days-were
it not for the fact that hardly half the time
is spent at sea, there being no fewer than
3S ports to be visited on the way. Through
the many years that the British company
enjoyed und1sputed monopoly its charges
were enormous-not less than $40 per ton
for freight, and $297 per capita passenger
rate for distance about the same as that
between New York and Liverpool. The
Chilian line, however, has lately made COM
petition so brisk that our fare or the whole
1915 miles was less than $50 each, Anne
can gold, with no charge for extra luggage
and ''stop-overs" of indefinite length al
lowed. And we were given extraordinary
of onrto hal-
tea in the captains cabin, nice little lunches
sent up before bedtime, and everybody had |
a stateroom 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 big English steamers are three |
storied affairs, and the lower deck, into |
which one is ushered from the tender. is far
from prepossessing at first sight. There are
long lines of stalled sheep and cattle, most |
of them to be slaughtered for food during |
the voyage, and groups of shock-headed,
saddle-colored Peruvian and Chilian-d deck |
hands, who look as if they would like to |
slaughter US. So perfectly do they person.
ate ones ideas OF pirates, as gained from |
opera choruses, that one momentarily ex- |
poets to hear them burst out into singing. |
And the resemblance to well-remembered |
opera scenes does not cease with these lower |
regions. Ascending ladder-like stairway |
tothe main deck, you find that the "Sereno,"
and Her Majesty's ship 'Pinafore," are in |
many respects as alike as two peas in a pod. |
There may be no Dick Deadeves nor Little |
Buttercups on board. but the gallant cap
tain is as typical Briton as was "never,
never sick at sea-" and on all sides one |
hears deal of self-congratulation that in |
spite of all temptations to the contrary, |
everybody remains an Englishman.
A BIOGRAPHICAL PARADOX.
By the way, those going north from |
Panama must first sail due south more than |
one hundred miles, in order to round the |
peninsula of Aguero, which stretches forth |
a long arm, slightly curved eastward, en-
closing in its embrace the bay OF Panama.
1t seems a paradoxical statement, but is
nevertheless absolutely true, that Aspinwall,
on the eastern side OF the Isthmus, is in
reality farther west than Panama CITY on
its western coast! By consulting the map
and getting the crook of the Isthmus well
in mind, you will see that the Panama rail-
road, instead of westward-ho-ng from
Aspinwall as its passengers fondly imagine
runs southeast. In this connection it may
be mentioned that the port OF GuayaquiI,
in Ecuador, the very westernmost town in
all South America, lies almost in direct
line south from Washington, D. C.
Panama Bay, which is ITO miles long and
nearly $50 miles wide at its mouth, is
swarining with sharks, especially in the