Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-02
THE PLIMsOLL LOAD LINE.

The New York papers evince great
Jealousy OF Newport News and otner
southern ports. But lately they were
Kicking" hard and high against certain
railroad freight differentials which they
declared worked greatly to the advan-
tage Of southern ports, and now they
arc I'D in arms almost against the
British Toad line"
1t seems that by rule OF the BRUSH
Board OF Trade vessels clearing in the
winter from Virginia and other southern
ports are allowed to load six incheS
deeper than those clearing from Phiia-
deiphia. New York, etc. This "dinercn-
tiar' takes into account the greater
dangers OF the more northern routes
and so II is that a large vessel saiiins
out Of Virginia waters can earn N'oVV
more In freights on each voyage man
II the same vessel sailed from New
York. All this our New York friends
consider unreasonable and foolish ana
they have, therefore. inaugurated
movement to have the United States
Government request the British Board
Of Trade TO annul the rule.
That the British will be pleased 10
oblige the New Workers we cannot be-
lieve. In the first place, the British are
slow to change any Of their laws, GUS
toms, rules, or regulations. In the Sc
cond place. the rule In question rccog-
nizes the undeniable fact that there is
more danger in the path of vessels going,
for instance. from New York TO Eng
land than in that of those going from
the Virginia capes TO England. Again,
our British cousins are not in very
good humor with our government at tins
time. since It has been discovered that
in addition to enacting a most monstrous
tariff. Congress has laid a sneaking
prohibition chat is really what it
amounts to) upon foreign goods brought
into the United States through Canadian
ports, IL not upon goods brought into
our own ports by British vessels.
So we think. and trust, that the British
Board of Trade will pay no attention to
the New Workers. circumstances. How
ever. the commercial organizations
of Richmond, Newport News, and Nor
folk would do well TO make counter move
so that we may be sure 10 retain the
advantages we possess. We do not find
New York or any other port giving up
any Of the advantages that it possesses,
and why should we? Why, indeed?
The New York Journal of Commerce is
leading the fight for the change, and we
take the following explanation from one
of its editorial articles:
For many years Baltimore has been
trying to get the United States Govern
ment to cut canal from the upper part
of Chesapeake bay to the lower part of
Delaware bay, in order to give Baltimore
a more direct outlet to the sea. The
opening of the Virginia capes is long
way south of the course of steamers
from Baltimore for the ports of North
ern Europe. 1t is out of their way-in
other words, as soon as they get clear
of the capes they must come north again
until they are practically on the course
they would follow If that canal were
made and they could go straight east
from Baltimore.
But the profoundly wise rules of the
British Board of Trade would not allow
six inches If they went due east to the
Atlantic as it allows them to do now that
before getting on to their course they go
so far south as the capes Of Virginia.
Under the original North Atlantic winter
load-line rule vessels from Baltimore
were obliged to afford the same free
board as vessels from Philadelphia, New
York, and Boston. From Baltimore and
all points further north the additional
winter free-board was required. This
had the curious effect of requiring YES
sells from Baltimore TO load lighter than
vessels from Norfolk and Newport News,
though all entered the ocean at the same
point So the rule was amended TO read
that the additional free-board was re-
quired from ports the entrance to the
river or estuary on which they were
situated was north of 81 degrees, 30
minutes Baltimore is north of that lati-
tude, but the capes of Virginia are south
of it, so that this language relieved YES
sells from Baltimore from the necessity
OF loading lighter in winter than in sum-
mer.
at obviated the incongruity as re-
garded Norfolk and Newport News. but
ii created another equally great. Balti-
more and Philadelphia are but few
miles apart, and Baltimore is north of
tne alleBeu danger llne OF 81 uesreeS, oV
minutes. and it is not disputed that YES
sells from both ports go to the same
European ports and. therefore, take the
same courses across the ocean, the only
difference being that vessels from Balti-
more have to make a little detour to the
south before they can get on their
course, and yet under the remarkable
rule made a dozen years ago by the
British Board of Trade, which has thus
far refused to consider any rectification
of it, the steamer from Baltimore may
carry 125 or $50 tons more freight than
the steamer from Philadelphia"