The morning call., 1893-07-06
A Plan to Open South
American Trade.
A MARKET FOR CALIFORNIA.
CAPTAIN Fuentes Proposes to Bring
Spanish-American Trade
to California.

with the Peruvian Consul-General ana
people whom he hopes to interest In the
matter. II will be remembered by the
readers of The CALL that Captain Fuen-
ties is now chief OF the Naval DE artment
of the Pacific of Mexico. As boy be was
sent by the Chilean Government TO serve
on board an English man-oI-war. and alter
ward went into the Chilean navy under
the Balmacedan Government and CON-
manded the Almirante Lynch when she
sunk the Blanca Encalado of the lnsurgent
navy.
Captain Fuentes claims that there Will
be large inducements made by Ecuador
and Peru in the way of subsidies and re-
auctions of port dues to a steam ship line
from here on a paying basis.
Nothing is manufactured in those coun-
tries, and at present all their supplies come
from Europe.
Speaking yesterday on the subject of his
mission Captain Fuentes said:
II know the trade conditions of Peru
and Ecuador very we'll and know that
both countries would he very glad to trans
fer their trade to the u niied States, ana lt
would be very great gain to this country
and particularly to California, where so
much is produced that they now get from
chile ana Europe. L men li0 ldCi III db UOtl
those Governments would be wiling TO
make large reductions in port duties and
other charges to a new line from San Fran
cisco makes the plan very feasible.
1.-The ConsulGeneral from Peru has
promised large concessions from his Gov
eminent, ana will recommend the granting
of n subsidy to any well-backed company
that Will put on line of steamers.
Just think of the advantages. Nearly
all of their manufactured goods are im-
ported from Europe because the freights
are much lower than from this city, al
though their distance is more than twice as
great. Take agricultural implements and
furniture for instance, which may be pur-
chased here practically as cheaply as any
where else in the world. To lay those
things down in South American ports from
San Francisco under present conditions
brings their cost UP TO fur times the cost
price here. The establishment of direct
com munication with Ecuador and Peru
will mean the diversion of millions of dol
lars of trade from Chile. England and
Germany and other countries Of Europe"
what do YOU get from Chile that We
could supply?"
Flour and wheat, and your -four is of so
much better quality that even with small
difference in price owing to little higher
freight you would command che market
very easily. England and France supply
Ecuador and Peru with furniture, cloth
ing and textile fabrics ana yet it is only
the difference in freight that now pre-
vents them from buying from you.
"When a San Francisco merchant wants
to send goods to Ecuador or Peru they
mus. 60 to Panama first and then be
transferred to a British or Chilean ship
for transportation TO our ports. 1t is not
the freight alone that brings ND the price,
as III addition to the cost OF transferring
double freight charges and port dues must
be added.
II have introductions to some of your
capitalists and ship-Owners, and l think
that the concessions these South American
Governments would make will be spffi-
cent inducement for them to &c into the
scheme. 1t means. in fact, that California
can control the trade Of the Pacific coast
of South. America, which now is in the
hands of the English, Germans and Chi
leans.
Il think l have come at very oppor-
tune time, if this proposed mldwinter fair
is to become an actually. There is moth
ing that would tend more to induce trade
relations with South America than such
an exhibition. San Francisco is within
reach OF them. Chicago Is not; and while
no exhibits were sent to the w Orld's Fair
from the western part of South America |
am sure there would be made good eX-
hibit here this winter
The Peruvian Consul-General was asked
about the matter nf establishing line of
steamers and said:
There can be no doubt that such line
would be very advantageous to all inter-
ested. Peru produces mainly sugar, RICE
cotton and silver, but we must import
many necessities from foreign countries.
and nearly all of them should come from
the United States, and would il freight
rates were reasonable. During the last
few years European countries have estab-
lished five lines Of steamers to our ports,
and yet there Is not one from this country
Our people are disposed to be very friendly
to the Americans. If we could trade by
direct communication large saving would
be made over the freight rates from
Europe, where the distance is 5000 miles
more.
1.-THE price of goods here. suitable for
market, is low enough to compete with
products from Europe, and the only OBJ
stacle in the way of good market for you
is the freight rates, and this certainly
would be remedied by direct cOmmunica-
ton Should direct line be established
my Government would make every effo TT
TO assist it to succeed.
''The anchorage, port duties. taxes on
provisions and much of the tariff would be
suspended in its favor. More than that, /
have no doubt that to a properly backed
line a heavy subsidy would be paid.
"a well-esta blished line could cover the
coast for IA long distance, stopping a ports
commanding the trade Of great deal of
country, and make the whole coast of
South America from Chile to Panama
tributary 10 San Francisco. Down there
along the coast a line with smaller steam
ers running from one port to another
would do large business in distributing
goods brought down from this coast AID
in taking care Of the local traffic in pas
sengers and freight from rort to port
Peruvian imports in 1891 were SIS. OOO.-
600, and exports S12000.000. There are
thirty seaports in Peru, but only eleven of
them are queries majores' and receive im-
ports. a large part of these imports come
from Europe, but should come from your
golden State. There are some things we
could not obtain here. but lumber, wheat,
-four, wines, canned goods, furniture asri-
cultural and mining implements would be
staple articles.
I'VE get from Chile every year two
million dollars worth of wheat. but would
much refer to get il from California. for
yours is of much better quality.
81 think that this proposed midwinter
fair will give great impetus to trade be-
tween California and all South America.
To-day, in a letter to my Government, !
insisted very strongly that it should profit
by this opportunity to exhibit TO you our
country as it is. and then we can recoup
our loss for not exhibiting at Chicago. I