The morning call., 1892-05-11

he roints out shown what we can do in
vessels for the navy, and the same measure
of success should not be absent in construct
ing vessels Tor commerce. Well, it is
sign of the new order OF things that an
Eastern shipbuilding firm which has here
tofore only given attention to wooden yes
sells now meditates the building of steel
sailing ship and a steamer Also With coal
and iron at command and a reputation for
skill in construction of long standing the
American shipbuildeT would be disgraced
if he failed 10 produce tirst-class work. There
is nothing occult in the designs of the finest
commercial vessels in the world. Every
year there are improvements and advances
in the new designs, but there is really moth
ing secret about what has been done, and
exceedingly little about what is being done.
We may, therefore, conclude that IN any
new departures In steamer-bullding our
naval architects and shipyard artisans will
not make the mistakes which came near
running the much-vaunted crack liners of
the Pacific Mail Company, the City OF PekiDg
aud the City of Toxic. These vessels were
Landed as the largest and finest afloat, but
they had hardly got round the Horn when
it was discovered that the Tiveting 0f the
plates was the perfection OF bungllng and
bad workmanship There were thousands of
"weeps" in thu skin, due TO bad rivets, and,
at enormous cost, good deal OF the work
had to be done over again. Our builders
must 6ssuredly have improved in their
methods since that blunder was per
petrated.
One deduction can be drawn from Mr..
Wrighfs declaration that we can construct
ships as cheaply as in England. The Pacific
Coast ought forthwith to have line of
steamers-or two lines. if necessary-to
connect San Francisco with New Y ork via
the Straits of Magellan. Six or seven
steamers forming one line would leave one
steamer always In port at each end of the
route and fairly efficient and cheap freight
service could be maintained, greatly to the
benefit OF the commerce OF the whole coast.
Such a service would hold the railroad
companies, and especially the Southern
Pacific always in check. At present the
railroad companies have so cieVerlY man
aged things that San Francisco is treated as
if il were no port at all and were no better
off than an inland, Isolated place like VIM
nemucea. AT 10 knots per hour cargo
steamers could make the voyage from New
York 70 San Francisco in less than 60 days,
including a StOppage IN Chile Tor e0allng,
and it is not improbable that vessels
capacity would pay we'll at One-third
Of the rates for freight charged
for overland transportation. There would
be a loss in time, but not TO a remarkable
extent, because freight is often a month In
transit by rail. This would be competition
be felt on overland communication. AS the
time TO Liverpool from San Francisco is
very little more than 10 New Ork, it would
be easy 10 find cargo for England when
shippers could nat ill up with cargo for the
Eastern States. When the Nicaragua canal
is opened these steamers would still be of
service by the shorter route. Some of our
merchants are thinking about this solution
Of the difficulties Of transportation which
press with such fearful weight upon the
whole coast, and the moment has arrived
when they should act Relief from Con-
gresS in the manner afforded 10 the share
holders of the lnman line is hardly TO be
expected, especially as there would be no
help from the railroad companies.
In tie annual report Of the Southern Pa
cife Company for last year the gross earn
ingS are put down at considerably more
than S2.0OO,O0O compared with 1880 and
there Is only q very slight increase of OPP
Grating expenses. The gains are remark
able both in passenger and freight business.
In freight receipts the increase is million
and half compared with the year pTeced-
ing. The president INDUCES in a retrospect
on the growth of trade in California from
fruit and vegetable produce. This is graft
flying as an indication OF enterprise on the
part Of our farmers and Orchardists; but
little or no credit can be claimed by the
Southern Pacific Company for the develop
ment Of the State, the uniform practice Of
its managers being TO squeeze all they can
out Of those who feed il with traffic Presi-
dent Huntington said recently that the way to
secure low rates is to increase the tonnage.
The tonnage by this report, has mounted up
very materially, but there is no sign of the
rates climbing down. Quite what the ton
mage should be to insure a gracious reduc-
tion of rates Mr. Huntington may tell the
fublic next year, when he makes another
speech brimful OF advice, and adorns it
easy TO laugh when you can do 1t at the eX-
penSe Of others.