Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-10-01
TRAMPS OF THE SEA.
STRUGGLE OF CARGO BOATS FOR
AMERICAN GRAIN.

TEA08-MO4E
Ocean tramps, as the craft that sail from
port to port picking up cargoes wherever
they can are called, are hurrying to Amer
lea now to help carry grain from this
country to Europe. Some Of the ships are
italian, others Of them are German, more
of them Norwegian, but the greatest num-
Der, wherever they IRE bound, fly the flng
Of England. British tramps carry tho
greater paft of her commerce and have
made England the mistress of tho seas
1t has been said that where you find the
largest number of these tramps you will
find the greatest prosperity, for the British .
shipowner, or managing ownor," can
catch scent of a profitable cargo moro
quickly than a beagle can pick up rab-
bits trail, and 1t Is because Of this that
orders have gono out from the dingy count
ing rooms of London, Liverpool, Glasgow
and Newcastle on Tyne to all parts of tho
world telling the skippers to drop al else
and got to the American seaboard as soon
az possible Hero ships are wanted badly
to take grain to Europe. In consequence
there has boon for the past month ana VIII
continue to be IN almost unprecedented
movement toward this country OF tramps,
the "little cargo boats" of which Kipling
present there are 20 per cent more tramps
in American ports than there usually are
at this season, and with the rush that has
begun overseas this percentage will be in
creased largely before another month has
passed. Only small number OF these
steamers arc coming to New York Tor chr
goes The majority OF them arc bound
for Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk and
New Orleans, but wherever thoy go 1t IL
the grain they are after. Some of them
hnyo oh arters before they leave their sail
ing port, moro of them will find charters
waiting for them when they arrive. and
many are coming on 'spec,' trusting to
find a cargo when thoy get hero. AS about
s, 900, 900 bushels Of grain Of all kinds arc
being exported from the seahonrd ench
week, there Ia a good show for all az them.
Tho tramp type Of tho ocenn steamer,
which is rapidly driving tho sailing ships
from tho suas, Is In u sense peculiarly
British institution. Although other nn-
lions have adopted tho type md furnish at
times sharp rivalry for the Englishmcn,
the vast majority Of cargo boats fly tho
British flag. They gre particularly dear
to the British heart, for not only 40 they
carry nll but small part OF the ocean
commerce of the world but they arc owned
largely by tho grent middle GLASS OF Eng
land, by widows and orphans Ihero IS
scarcely u villngo IN England where there
Is not some family whose Income comes
from u tramp steamer There aro some
large corporations that own fleets OF stenm-
ers but most Of those are made up OF per-
sons not wealthy, who invest thcir savings
In tho II shares and feel rich when they
reulize yer cent on thor money.
n.,k 1.,,. Sf s,ffh n
"munnging owner and IL number Of other
part owners who have shares In them.
Sometimes sharp shipping agent decides
to build stcnnor. He puts some money
into It, he gets number of others to put
their money into It, and he takes the job
of managing owner, whereby he receives =
not only his share of the profits Of the Ves-
sci, but gets commission on AL tho char
tors he prncures. This makes u very good
lob for him, and the English stakeholder,
content with small interest. is happy II his
shin receives but u little money.
Most Of the trump ships aro built on tho
cost const Of England. Newcastle is
oreat sc,t of this industry. The ships are
not built for show or benuty Whit tho
shipowncr wants ia tho cheapest possible
steamer with tho largest currying capacity
for her dimensions. Ho wants ship that
will burn not more than IL or 20 tons or
conl u day and Gun jog along from ono
end of tho world to tho other at nine or
ten knots IN hour Tho typo of tramp
steamer has been improved very much III
the last few yenrs. Formerly 1,50O ton
ncr was u very big tramp, and tho average
size was nearer 900 tons thnn 200, b,!t
the newer steamers nro much lnrger, ana
a 1000 ton tramp Is not uncommon, while
ono of 2, 500 Is to be mot with In any port.
1t is not likely that tho enormous move
meDt of grain from this country to Europe
will result in any very material riso OF
freigIts Frrights bid fair to rcrnin firm,
and shipping mon shy tho great number of
ships that arc hnrrying hlther to get Il
share Of the grain will tond to prevent any
increase. Moreover, in tho carrying OF
grain formidable rivnl to the tranrps has
arisen within the last few years. This Is
tho great cargo passenger ship of the reg
ular companies, of which tho hugo Penn
sylvania of tho Hamburg. American line IS
q striking example. Each of these ships,
with their enormous carrying capacity,
Gun do tho work of two or thrco ordinary
boats The greater part of the grain token
from this port will go over in them. In
addition to these the big new tramp steam
ers already roferrcd to, with their large
carrying capacity, help to keep down the
freights even at q time when there is q
strong demand for ships.
A large part of the tramps now headed