The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-10
TIE COURSE OF TRADE.


The relative growth Of the seaports OF the
United States is shown in q recent census
bulletin and 1t may be we'll for San Fran
ciscans to keep it in mind. Owing to the
determined hostility of the railroad to the
maritime development of the port. San
Francisco has not made the progress it
should have done as a seaport though IN an
average Of seasons wheat can be carried
from Port Costa to LIVERPOOL for one-fOurth
less than it costs from Chicago to Liverpool
by canal and steamer.
In the list Of American ports which are
large importers of merchandise San Fran
cisco stands fourth, New York, Boston and
Philadelphia being ahead Of it, and Balu-
more and New Orleans behind it. In the
decade it increased about SO per cent in the
volume OF its imports; while New York in
creased at about the same ratio, Baltimore
increased 80 per cent, Boston about per
cent New Orleans 90 per cent, Philadelphia
so per cent, and the smaller ports, which
are dubbed together, about 100 per cent
Going back another decade we find that the
imports Of the great ports compared as
follows in 1871, in millions OF dollars: Bos-
ton %, Baltimore q, New Orleans Is, New
York SIS, Philadelphia Il. San Francisco
16, the smaller ports together So The IN
crease in twenty years has been small at
Baltimore, Boston and New Orleans, while
at San Francisco the volume has trebled, 1t
has more than trebled at PHILADELPHIA, II
has increased 50 per cent at New York ana
it has more than doubled at the smaller
ports. The two ports which have made the
largest relative progress in imports have
been Philadelphia and San Francisco.
The table Of exports presents al entirely
different showing. -Four American sea-
ports-tO w.t. New York, Boston, Baltimore
and New 0rleans-are heavier exporters
than San Francisco, aud Philadelphia, Gal
weston and Savannah are close on its heels.
OF the total amount Of domestic produce
shipped from American ports in 1891
SS72. 90, 2SS-New York shipped about 30
per cent, New Orleans y per cent and San
Francisco 3 per cent. The exports of San
Francisco vary so widely in consequence Of
the fluctuations in the wheat harvest and in
prices that it is difficult TO institute CON-
parsons for q term Of years. In the last
census year they were S34, 900, 600. but in
the terrible year of 1873 they were only
$50 Geo. O0 and then again in the great
crop year-1SS2-they were So, CO., 00
Then they dropped in 1886 TO 800 900. in
1855 to S27, 100000, and ran up last year to
SIS. 2c0, eco. When business grows dull the
railroad makes a wheat rate to New Or
leans which draws of portion Of the crop,
and the shipments by sea diminish by so
much. In view Of the steady increase OF
wheat acreage, It is probable that our ex-
port movement will not hereafter fall much
short Of an average Of S4Q0000OO, which.
added T. an import movement of $4,000, 900,
would give q general trade movement OF
/ $50. go, C00-about half the trade movement
Of Melbourne, Austr ALA.
The trade movement of the whole country
footed up last year 81, 716 600, 600, as against
! s., 525. 900, goo in 1881, and 1898. 100000 in
! 1871. Thus the boom in foreign trade which
/ set in at the close Of the war has measur-
| ably subsidized. Our total foreign movement
is about half that of England or France,
bat # the inland movement were added in
both cases 10 the maritime movement there
would probably be little difference between
the three nations,
Considering that San Francisco is the
! leading-alm0st the only-Americau sea-
pert on the Pacific, its maritime trade,
fairly as it compares with other American
! ports, ought to be much larger than it is.
! IL EduuUL De luClcdctu until al ClUiA -
made to stimulate our shipping list. 1t was
/ in the hope of increasing il that the last
| Congress passed the subsidy act. The in-
! tenliUn was good, but the effect has been
small In the first place, the subsidy noted
was so small that no steamship-owner was
induced by it to lay on steamship lines
which would not pay without a subsidy
And secondly, the secret bargain between
the Pacific Mail. the Panama Railroad and
the transcOntinental pool deferred outsiders
! from embarking in a competition with
/ people who we're not conducting business on
! business principles. Freedom IS the nor
! NAL condition Of the sea. but our sea is moi
| free. San Francisco cannot establish line;
Of steamers to the ports which seek its
trade so long as another line, dOubly subsi-
died, is permitted to break them down
and the railroads which would be gamers by
their establishment set their faces agains