The morning call., 1893-10-01
NEW MAIL ROUTE.
The Postal Flag at the
keWeenaW's Peak.
McNEAR rIAY BE CAUGHT.
Something About. Wheat, Charters
and Trade in General Along
the City Front.

The surrendering of the mail contract bv
| the Pacific Mail Steamship Companv has
given rise 10 he rumor that still fnrtbar
"ecreases WHf".pe made in the Panama
service OF the corporation, and that the
''ihe l. not lar distant when perhaps only
| lonely steamer or two will ply between
lhls port and the south on the line of the
Southern Paeific's adjunct.
No official confirmation of this story can
be obtained, but judging from inside signs
the Mail Company must be losing money
fast, and the maintenance of a regular
line OF Panama steamers must be very dis
tasteful and financially embarrassing to
them.
Yesterday the red mail flag was spread
at the peak of the North American Navi-
CATION Company's steamer Keweenaw.
giving notice that the opposition company
has won victory of no mean Importance
in securing the contract for carrying the
mails from this Government.
1t is not thought that the Pacific Mail
steamers will stop q; San Diego any longer,
but the North American Navigation Com
pany'S Vessels will. Captain Merry said
in an interview some time ago that it was
the desire of the corporation " hich he rep
resents to treat all parts of California
fairly. This was when the Keweenaw
made her first stop at Port LIS Angeles
The steamers of the IN. A" line will give
a much better mail service in the end than
their competitor has. In consequence of
aece ting the postal contract better time
will probably be made.
One very important feature of the deal
is that stops will be made much oftener at
Central American ports by North AmeTi-
can steamers, and the result will be just
what San Francisco merchants have long
wished for. Trade will again be diverted
from New York and this city will secure
the bulk of the southern business, pro-
vided our traders are alive to the adj
vantageous situation 10 be offered them.
The freight business done by the Pacific
Mail Company on the Panama route has
declined 50 per cent III one year and is still
dropping off.
Prospects do not look very bright for
G. w. McNear's attempted cineh of the
wheat market, and judging FROM reports
received down the coast farmers do not
intend to ship to this city until they are
certain that a sufficient number of vessels
are in port looking Tor charters, thus in
surfing them more liberal advances and
prices.
At Hueneme, Cayucos. and other SOUTH
ern coast ports, wheat is reported to be
pouring into the ware hOuses. but very
little is moving. Sellers seem determined
TO make bitter fight against the main
tpnance of corner" by any one person
and will try to hold out against the
wheat kings.
There are eleven disengaged ships and
o. barkentine in port with total ton
mage of 21,S27 tons against 124 81 tons last
year. McNear's corner has not all to do
with this astonishing decrease in unen-
gagged tonnage, and the figures go to show
that our shipments bv water this year
have increased at wonderful rate. There
are Sd 49, tons chartered for grain against
80. 35S tons engaged last year.
Dispatches from London tell of new rate
TO Sydney from Vancouver. Much stress
is laiG upon the fact that San Franchises
trade is being diverted toward the Cana
dian Pacific lines.
As far as outbound business with Ha-
wall and the Colonies is concerned, The
CALL has already told that it is on the
increase, but iDb und shipments do not
seem TO be in PROPORTION. Ii the Canadian
Pacific is getting our trans-Paciic trade
il is securing it all on imports. No decrease
in exports is noticeable.