New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-18
AMERICAN STEAMERS.
LINES CONNECTING THE AMERICAS:
QUIETLY But SURELY BUILDING UP GREAT
TEADE-wHERE THE STARS AND
STRIPES FLOAT,

Tile great transatlantic liners which 90 rushing acoss
the North Atlantic, breaking records and Vyihg WIN
each other in the splendoc Of appointments and rates
OF speed so much engross the attention OF the puDIc
that the lines Of American ocean going steamships
which sail from New York are entirely lost sight OF
By the general public and 1t Is matter OF surprise
to most men when they are told of their existence
1t Is alas. true that all the great and famous trans
atlantic liners fly other flags than that Of America,
out unnoticcd uDhcralded aud slowly great lines OF
American steamships have been growing up, which
connect this Of the Western waves with Central
and South America. the West Indies Mexico and the
Southern coasts Of our Own country.
IL Is. perhaps, natural and according TO the eternal
fitness of things that leaving transatlantic traffic to
foreign nations. nation which has strong an un.
written law the Monroe doctrine should build up
as a foundation for its merchant marine lines Of
steamships with the sister Republics of the south and
those fair islands against whose shining shores tho
trade winds dash forever the sparkling water of tho
Caribbean Sea. Every year new ships added. and
every ship is larger and moro elegantly appointed
than the last There are now steamers OF 1000 tons
sailing ont Of New-York under the American flag
which scarcely exceled by the great transatlantic
liners in the elegance Of the passenger accommodations
and cxcced by no vessels I'm seaworthness and COM
peteness Of equipment in other respects. In none Of
these vessels has high rate OF speed been sriven
for the idea being TO produce class Of vessels which
would combine great cargo-oarrying capacity, ample
and elegant passenger accommodations. and reason
bic rate OF speed. From southern Brazil to the Rio
Grandc. there is port of importance in which an
American steamer cannot be found and these steamers
uperop IN every respect to the steamers Of foreign
lines plying to the ports Incredulity may
shake its head at this last statement but the answer
is 60 and see" Go TO where the Organ Mountains
and CorcOvadO keep watch over the glorious bay Of
Rio. and see the flags Of every maritime nation I'm the
world flying from the merchant feet anchored there.
Then any other excel equal the new ship
Of the United States and Brazil Mail Line. The ships
Of this line, five in number. after leaving New-York
stop at that city of Newport News which Mr. Hunting
ton has c0niurcd up the site Of the great Union
cncampmen and there take in coal and -four and the
United States mails Then it Is away for the southern
seas the Magellan clouds and the southern Cross Tho
first stop is AT St. Thomas where the Nag Of the little
kingdom Of Denmark flies from the little FORT and two
cumbling castles OF two longdead and crumbled buc-
cancers frown over the little city. Cruising along by
beautiful islands the ship next stops TO unload or take
in cargo under the shadow Of the hill where monu-
ment marks the spot which Josephine used 10 sit
and throw at tree, u try to divine by her
accuracy Of aim whether her English lover William
would come back TO her. and where also, the Old negro
sybil told her that she would be Queen Of France
And 50 on down by Barbados to where the yellow
Amazon PUSHES by Para. and TO the Brazilian cities OF
Maranhao Pernambuco MaccO, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro
and Santos trip Of about SIX thousand miles.
When the 25th parallel Is passed on the trip
down and it begins 10 grow warm the air
Of the saloons and staterooms Is Kept cool by machines
which blow the breath Of tropc cIimes and
islands over tons Of ice and distribute 1t throughout
the passenger quarters Of the ship. The American
steamers arc fully appreciated in Brazil and set
hrher price for freight and passage than those OF any
other nation.
The Brazilian Government gives the line con-
siderable subsidy. The United states has so far gwen
the line the cold shoulder IL was one OF the am
billions OF John Roach to live 10 see this line on
paving basis and the Alliance was one Of the last, II
not the last ship turned from his yard before lie
fell political martyr Under the energetic MANAGE
mcnt Of Captain j. NJ Lachlan. John Roachs dream mas
become a reality and there Is a hrst-ciass hhe ot
steamers running between the United states and Brazu
paying basis.
For twenty five years previous to 1877 the nrm Oh
j. F. Ward Il Co. engaged in the Yves. Indian
trade constantly freighng vessels Cuban and other
West Indian ports. In 1877 line Of steamers was
established which. growing with remarkable rapidly,
now has eleven steamers in its fleet, and brings I'd
New orl the produce Of Nassau. Cuba and the Mex
can Coast. Not only Havana, but ports on tie south
side OF Cuba are touched at By steamers OF this lne
and besides Vera Cruz, it runs steamers TO Piogesso
and taps the peninsula Of Nucaan. The new steamers
Of the company are Of $500 tons burden and have
Messenger accommodations a. luXunOuSy fitted up ~
the ordinary transatlantic lines. Everywhere the Iiie
j., extending lis connections in the west lndles ana
Mexico and every year is getting more and more OF
the trade Of those regions and bringing them int
closer relations with the United states The steamers
now run to the ports OF Vera Cruz, ProsreSso' TAM
peche. Frontcra. Timpico. TuApan. Havana Matanka'
Calcena, saca La Grande. Nassau, santiago de Cuba
and Ccnfuegos
How many people have an idea Of this feet Of steam
ers constantly going and coming between Mexican anu
West Indian port and New York: constantly ncIeas-
ing in number and SIZE and gradually, nay, rapidly
gathering into American hands the commerce OF the
Antle, and Of the land Of the Montezumas'
Another enterprsing line which has come into ex'
istence within a few years and now houri>hes ana
grow, /, the Red ID Line. In 1879 Boultoh' bliss
Dallet chartered three small and not particularly new
or fine German steamers and began running them io"
New. York 10 Venezuela. The firm had been in trade
with the ports of that country and saw the "pp"''
tunity presented By its development and growing
wealth That was eleven years ago, and to-day '''
firm has a fleet Of six American built steamer pr =
on the Red ID line. and has Increased the '"m'0'"
between Venezuela and the United states ~ ere''N
that the old commerce is almost ont OF any ooinp'r
SON ON their way To aud from Venezuelan ports
these ships stop mt the quaint Dutch island OF curacao
and bring il into touch with New-lorA. The export
and imnort trade between the United States ana
Venezuela i'm lss5 was Of the value Of e32o' ooo ~
against II .3l ,436. the value OF the taue De'"ee"
Venezuela and England the most actively competitive
nation This state OF things is due mainly To the e'
Enlistment Of the Red ID Line, and the hsufes ior
ls-s could be largely increased.
The steamers have large passenger traffic, strange
a. II may oppcar and are fitted up in a manner thai
contents and delights old travellers The largest Of these
steamer, are Of about 5000 tons register The racine
Mail Line Of steamers is the best known Of any Ameri-
can line one line Of finely equipped steamers OF ths
company plies between New-lOrk and Colon ana an
other line runs up the west coast to san Francisco
n ,ha fn,no of Central AUlcGfb
and Nexico Then there is the clyde Line, which
,ps steamers 10 those Islands Of the Greater ana
Lesser Antas which other American lines DO not 'ouc
and also 70 the Colombian ports OF salgT anu
Cortacena and 10 the Caribbean port OF costa ma.
ob"r lines are being formed, and III fi't aIc III ~
cration which bring this port to Central Ameroa 'o
communication with New York ne hry I w ,hss
,''rnarn ',ilinc ONT of Ncw-Sork which ply 10 w
steamer, md 10 the southern seaboard cities are