Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-08-04
Sarm Copies.
THE FOREIGN SHIPMENT OF HAY.


The Hay Trade journal of Canajoharie
n. V, reprints from the Quebec (P. o.
Chronicle the following letter from \.
j. Anger q Co., hay firm of that city:
Will you ALLOW us small space in
your valuable columns to correct the
wrong idea SO extensively circulated 10y
all the newspapers throughout the Do.
miniOn about the hay trade. They all
seem to have "the hay fever" Unfor.
tunateIy, instead of helping " hat might
become profitable trade, and help to
the farmers, these erroneous reports and
booming articles will have Il contrary
effect.
We can speak about this trade with
some authority, being one of the first
or not the tirst Canadians who have
tried to introduce Canadian hay into
England, after constant work of over
three years and considerable expense.
Last fall, just when we were being
favored With orders, report, said to
have been made to Ottawa by Sir Chas.
Topper, that hay was selling at e. to fS
In England, went the rounds of the
press, when hay was only selling at
SIS. Cd. per ton Owe have exchanged a
curresp ondence with Sir Charles about
of causing very heavy losses to amateur
shippers, who were induced by it to
ship hay on consignment. HAY was
shipped so largely that the markets of
Liverpool and London were soon glut-
ted to such an extent that from S2s Cd.
1t dropped TO Cos. One steamship alone
landed in Liverpool 10000, bales. The
consequence was that thousands of dol
lars have been dropped from Canadians
pockets.
We noticed the other day in your
columns a statement that hay was sell
ing for S $40 per ton in England. Now,
sir, the paper from which you copied
this was not well Informed. There was
some enquiry in June, and prices went
up to ll0s. in London, and again the
newspapers have so extensively publish
ed this and exaggerated it that il brought
out another small army of hay-shippers
everybody you meet OH the streets is
speaking about it, and running to steam
ship companies offices to obtain space
to ship hay.
The natural consequence was that
steamship agents put up the freight and
when they were glad to get Dos. and
Dos. from Montreal, they asked (and
what was strange succeeded IN getting
COS. The same could be said of freight
rates from New York, Boston, Phila-
delrhia and Baltimore, where this spring
the price was Dos. and Dps. 81. from
New York to London. 1t is now COS. |
with per cent primage. We have sold |
a considerable quantity of hay since last |
year to an English firm. One of the
firm paid US visit lately. He came
lover to investigate this hay business. |
He writes US today from New York, |
that he returns disguised with the |
manner in which the hay business is |
being conducted in this country.
We have every day cables from our
correspondents, ana loss. to HOS. is .
the most that can be obtained at pres
ent, deduct the high rate of freight and
heavy expenses of cabling, etc, what is
there left for shippers?
The same may be said of the French
trade. The Electeur was proud the
other day to notify farmers that hay
twas selling at $50 in Bordeaux and
|Havre. Now. sir, here are figures that
cannot be disputed. The ocean freight
From New I ork to lIavre is now Sl5.75
per ton. inland freight from points be-
fween Three Rivers and Montreal to
New York is y cents per 100 lbs.
fquaI to S2090 per ton of 2,240 lbs.
leaving 500 to shippers To pay the
price OF the hay to the farmers and ex-
the waste by shrinkage
Why, sir, we have paid to farmers our
selves since last year $40 to SD per ton
PIT 2OO) lbs, and some farmers who
nave also caught the fever are asking as
high as SIS per ton.
You must not forget that hay is being
deceived in England and France from
Pther countries. Norway and Russia
have both. this year, a splendid hay
prop. Scotland has not suffered from the
brought, and la ge quantities are being
fhipped to France and England from
Pouth America. Freight rates from Nor
way and Russia are very low, these cOun-
fries being quite near. Therefore with the
high rate of freights and the exhorbi-
pant Ideas of the farmers induced bv
newspaper articles. we are much afraid
hat there will be different results from
hose anticipated. Under our n. 2.
lystem, steamers have to travel three
thousand miles, empty, or nearly so, to
feturn with cargo; they naturally
pave to ask more for freight than they
you'd If there was goods to bring out
10 this country.
We have advised all our friends to be
palm, not to ship on consignment, to
'ell only F. o. B. steamer here, and to
Insist on payment before they lose sight
NJ their goods.
Quebec, July II, 1893