The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-12-08

ing the Chlna, f'ormOSd and Japan
lines. Some of these steamers are now
under charter TO the Japanese govern
ment and being used as transports In
the conveying of troops. The magnifl-
cent line owned by this company, op-
Grating between the Mediterranean and
China. although not entirely suspended,
has had several of its best ships with
drawn. rather than take chances of
conlsca'tion by the belhgerants, through
the carrying of some articles that might
be declared contraband of war. It is
these splendid steamers which the COM
pany propose sending to Portland, and
as showing the appreciation of Portland
shippers Of the necessity OF such line
1t may be stated here that the COM
pany's representative, almost unsolicit-
ed, has been offered a surety Of 6,000
tons of freight per month to leave this
port via the new line. This freight will
naturally consist principally of flour.
People generally do not realize the Inn
menslty of the Asiatic market. AS a
well-known flour exporter said yester-
day to The Sun reporter: "It is bound
to come; this city must have steam.
ship line to the Orient, and the time
for its inception is ripe. Why, IS months
ago not sack of flour was shipped
from the Pacific Northwest to China
or japan but what was handled at
Portland. Now, with the Northern Pa
cihc line from Tacoma, the Empress
line from Vancouver, B. c., and no
line from Portland, the Asiatic trade
has drifted from us. But this Is the
natural shipping center for China and
Japan and with our resources and nat
1t can be recovered, and with the start
ing of this new line of steamers 1t can
be brought back to us. The -four men,
merchants and shippers of this city
now realize the opportunity that was
lost in allowing the Upton line to die
through lack of patronage, and to a
certainty this coming line will receive
full and ample support.
The very fact that we have fresh
water in our harbor is sufficient of a
consideration to induce steamship
owners to make this their terminal
port, for the reason that a vessel ly-
ing in fresh water will leave on its
outward voyage with clean bottom.
enabling the ship to make better time.
and obvlating the necessity and ex-
pense incident to going into dry dock.
Again we have in abundance the
bwo staple imports of China and Japan,
flour and lumber, and 1t should be and
will be that Portland is the greatest
shipper of these two important ex-
ports"
AS showing the magnitude of the Chi
na-Japan trade with the Pacific coast,
there are at present four steamship
lines operating and depending entirely
en- that traffic. The companies are the
Northern Pacific Steamship Company,
leaving Tacoma, three steamships; the
Canadian Pacific Steamship Company
known as the Empress line, leaving |
B. c., three steamers; the
Occidental and Oriental Steamship |
Company, of San Francisco. four steam
ers; and the Pacific Mail Steamship |
Company, of the same port, with the |
same number of ships. So heavy is the
business transacted by these steamers
that it was only by special favor mer-
chant in this city succeeded in securing |
300 tons of freight to be sent ON next
Pacific Mail boat, 1t being inn
possible to procure shipment on any
IF the other lines.