New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-10
CARRYING TRADE OF BAHIA-lsss.

Sweden ..............
! portugal ~ " 10
Argentine Republic OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
boIelum
900 173
There is only one conclusion that can he drawn
from this comparative exhibit of shipping. Amcri-
cans in order TO increase their trade in Bahia
/ must have larger share Of the carrying trade
With only twcnty-cight American steamers enter
ing port where 81 European steamers either
take or land freight, their own commercial inter
ests are inevitably sacrificed. Apart from the
| loss of prestige suffered by the disproportion be-
tween American and European shipping, there are
practical difficulties attending the extension Of
trade when steamship communication Is lnfrc-
quent. A Portuguese merchant can order goods
/ from Liverpool, lavre, Hamburg or Lisbon and
get them in the course OF a few weeks. Mails are
frequent steamers are fast and shipping facilities
are excellent If he attempts 10 trade with New
York houses. the mails are laborously slow. There
is nut one outgoing mail month by direct Ameri-
can steamer, and all other mails are carried by
way of Europe in twcnty-Seycn days 10 Ncw-l ork
or else by the Lamport and Holt and Red Cross
lines II has taken the steamer Advance twenty
nine DAYS 10 reach Bahia from Ncw-York on this
voyage and she has only two sister ships in the
American line. Practically II is twenty seven or
twenty-ninc days TO New-York, against eighteen
to the leading European ports, with niTequcnt
against frequent mails The advantage is heavily
in favor Of European shippers. and they control
the 9mmcrcc Of the port. Even with two add
tional steamers under the American flag next year,
capable Of making fourteen knots, the carrying
trade will be unequally divided that the de-
vclopment Of commerce viii be INSTRUCTED
and counteracted There must be adc luate mail
and Transportation facilities bet "ccn NcW-Nork
and Brazilian ports if Americans are to compete
in earnest for the steadily increasing trade Of this
part OF the world.
IL is important 10 observe the conditions under
which this competition is 10 be carried on. The
] GA French steamers which entered this port III
1883 received from their Government bounty
of 80 francs per ton for every 1000 miles sailed
if built in the shp-yards at home, ana bounty
of .O75 francs if of foreign construction. There
is one trading company that received SuDycn-
ton Of SAB, 900 francs for plying between Bor-
deaux and Brazil and the River Plate. There
is also an elaborate system Of bountics for encour-
aging ship-building in France and in consequence
of these measures the number OF steamers in the
Brazilian trade has rapidly increased The Italian
steamers which have a large share Of the carry
inc trade further south, receive similar navIga-
ton bounties for every 900 miles sailed and are
also benefited by ship-building and cOaling boun-
ties The German steamers on this coast are not
directly subsidized, as they are in The South
Seas and the Asian trade, but they receive most
liberal conversation for carrying the mails The
Austrian steamers are subsidized The English
steamers are heavily subsidized by Brazil and am
ply compensated by the home Government for
mail service There is hardly European line
that is not aided and protected by the laws ana
administration of its own country in competing
Ittn ffRI
States is the only maritime nation that systemat-
icay neglects its shipping interests engaged IN
foreign trade The three American steamers now
in service in the Brazilian trade receive only
bcggarly compensation for carrying the mills from
New-YOrk and Newport Ncws-a few thousand
dollars al the most for taxing millions OF letters
10000 miles in the course of year. From
Brazil they receive a subsidy, but from the United
States Government not enough 10 pay for the
trouble Of handling the mail bags.
This indifference 10 American shipping inter
ests at a time when European competition for
commercial supremacy is most active is not con
fined 10 the carrying trade with South American
countries II has been for many
wears policy Of amazing folly which
American lawmakcrs have pcrslstently followed
England began to pay subsidies IN 1870, when
Samuel Cunard received bounty Of $4,000
q regular packet ScIHICt "''"''H ~ P""i'
Halifax and Boston. After lS4j, the English
mail subsidies ranged between SO, 100000 and
~ 600 900 As time went this form Of bounty
was abandoned, but an ample substitute was
found for il in mail contracts on favorable terms
for the companies. During fifty years England
has paid TO steamship owners $25O,OOO,OOO, either
for mail service or in direct service IL paid III
1885 So. 600 for foreign mail transportation.
During the same year France paid S4,1OOOOO Tor
the same service; Germany Sl,6OOOoOi Italy,
81 500, 900; Austria 81 900 900 Belgium, 81 ,OOO,-
600; Spain, 81, 100000. For similar service the
United States paid $326, 1875, Of which S21o, Al
went To foreign companies and less than SjO,OOO
TO American lines. When English commercial
supremacy has been established by systematic
support OF shipping interests and when Germany
France, Italy and other maritime nations are hav-
ing recourse to subsidies and ship-buldng, naNl-
cation and coalng bOuntics as instrumentailtles
for developing their foreign trade, the United
States, with surplus revenues which are the envy
Of every foreign hnancicr, stands alone III It's
indifference 10 the extension Of commerce That
attitude Of deliberate antagOnism 10 shipping i'll
terests will have 10 be changed before American
merchants can hope 10 extend their trade with
Brazil and other South American countries
Mr.. Burke. the American Consul here, is one
Of the brightest and most capable men whom !
have met in the service of the United States
Government in Brazil. lie is Democrat in pol
itics, but American in principles and enter.
prise. When ! asked him what could
be done 70 develop American trade in