The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-31
SAVANNAH TO MANCHESTER.
THE BENEFITS FROM A DIRECT
STEAMSHIP LINE.


visit Here-southern Grain For
Export Looked Forward 10 in the
Near Future-Persistent Work in
Behalf of Direct Trade Relations
with Great Britain's second
Largest city.
In a few days Savannah will have as
its guest Marshall Stevens. manager OF
the Manchester Ship Canal Company. one
Of the most prominent and progressive
men Of England. who comes here in the
interest Of direct trade between Savan-
nan. the chief city and chief port Of the
South Atlantic. and that Of the second
city in population and the first IN man
ufactures in his country-Manches
after having completed arrangements of
similar character. now operative at
Galveston and New Orleans. Accom-
panying Mr.. Stevens will be Mai f. j.
Hale Of Fayetteville, y. c.. formerly con-
sui to Manchester Mai. Hale is q promi-
nent North Carolnian, and was appoint
ed consul by President Cleveland during
his first term. Mr. Hale told Mr. f. r.
Mcclellan, on a recent visit to North
Carolina, that Mr.. Stevens had asked him
to meet him in Savannah.
President Purse Of the board Of trade
who has been active I'm enlisung Mr.
Stevens interest. fully realized from the
start the importance Of the Manchester
ship canal in connection with direct trade
from Savannah 10 Manchester and for
the reason that the inland port of Man
chester and points nearer that city than
Liverpool are where the principal exports
of the west, northwest and south are con-
sumed or manufactured for consumption.
In fact, he foresaw and predicted direct
trade with foreign countries when con-
Quoting the campaign, which resulted i'm
the expenditure by the government of
nearly $4,000, that has given twenty
six feet of water from Savannah to the
sea.
A correspondence with Mr. Stevens was
opened in December last. In the initial
letter Of date Dec q, 1895, Capt. Purse
directed attention 20 the facts that Sa-
vannah is the largest cotton port on the
South Atlantic, the largest and most i'm
portant naval stores port in the world. and
stores
phosphate, lumber and other southern pro-
ducts should go direct to Manchester, not
only for consumption or manufacture
there, but also as the natural port of dis
tribution in the densely populated district
directly tributary to that greatest manu-
featuring city and greatest manufactur-
ing center of the globe. He also brought
to the notice of MIR. Stevens the import
ance of the vast systems of RAILWAYS.
with their connections, linking the cereal
and meat producing empires of the west
and northwest with the port of Savannah
the advantages of our fresh water har-
Dor as a protection from barnacles, and
the deep water channel admitting vessels
drawing 6 feet, depth corresponding
with that of the Manchester canal Ac-
companying the letter was "a carefully
gathered collection of printed data thor
oughly covering every possible range in
the domain of information relative to the
monetary, commercial, Industrial and
railway status of Savannah and tributary
data was, witch great fOrethought, sent in
triplicate, so that Mr.. Stevens could place
extra copies for concurrent examination.
Mr. Stevens was quick to see the i'm
portance of direct trade with Savannah
and his city via the canal, with which
he is connected, and promptly replied
pledging the hearty cooperation of his
company and of those Interested in the
Manchester district who trade with this
country. He also said that several firms
of spnners who consume all the sea
island cotton, want all that product i'm
ported to Manchester direct, and had
passed a resolution to that effect Not
only is all the sea island cotton, but three-
fourths of all the American upland i'm
ported into England is consumed by the
mills in and within a radius of twelve
miles of Manchester.
The largest part of the rosln imported
in England is used at points reached with
equal or greater advantage from Manches-
ter than from Liverpool. So of fruit
canned goods, cotton seed oil. cotton cake.
phosphates, etc. MI Stevens places Man
chester as a more advantageous port
from which to distribute the foregoing
as It is not only the nearest port 10
one-tifth OF the whole population of the
United Kingdom, but is in itself a CITY
OF 100000, and the METROPOLIS of the
great manufacturing district of England
AS TO exports, Mr.. Stevens has shown
that Manchester can furnish as mucn
outward merchandise as any other mort
in England. The whole of the salt shin
ped from Liverpool passes over the Man
chester canal, in which it can be loaded
cheaper than at Liverpool. Mr. Stevens
after a thorough investigation contends
that there is sufficient traffic existing
locally not necessary to change except
III NpAo4S lllilS NcSoclS 10 MdnCleSter 0i-
rect instead of to Liverpool by tramD
steamers, to sustain a line of steamships
in other words. that vessels running as
part of a regular line shall do the carry
ing trade of this port Tor the Manchester
district to which the bulk of our exports
so. all goods being delivered inland from
Manchester to almost any point cheaper
and in most cases much cheaper, than by
Liverpool delivery.
Having inaugurated correspondence
with Mr.. Stevens, representing the Man
chester Ship Canal Company. Capt. Purse
began to work among the shippers here
and in the territory tributary to Savannah
and also opened correspondence with Mr.
Plant and other nonresident heads of the
railroads centering here, personally con
ferring with resident representatives. of
other lines Of railway. As a result he has
met with nothing but announcement. AS
an instance of the interest taken in df-
rect trade, the Plant system represents
main lines and feeders to the number of
twelve, seven steamship and steamboat
lines, and three of the largest tourist no
tells in Florida, gave the assurance that
il would do its part in forwarding the en-
terprise.