The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-04
OCEAN FREIGHTS.

Ocean freights during the season of 1885,
81 from Savannah ruled higher than for
several years previous. The export move
ment of cereals from eastern ports were
much greater than usual and a brisk in
quiry for steamers for Black sea and Bal
tic grain trades caused a steady demand
for tonnage in all directions The national
consequence was higher freight rates
The opening quotations for cotton were
as follows: Per 100 pounds to Liverpool
81 cents; to Bremen, 81 cents; to Genoa,
IS cents; to Barcelona, 50 cents; to Re
val, 60 cents These rates, however, did
not hold good very long. The increased
prices demanded for tonnage and the
growing scarcity of freight room had the
effect of forcing rates upward from to
10 cents for September shipments. There
was . still further increase for October
and November rates, in some instances
going 20 points above the opening quota
tons.
The high rates paid for steamers to load
cotton during September October and No
vember resulted in attracting a large
fleet of boats to load in December and the
early months of 1897, thus forcing cotton
rates down to about the level of the OPEN
ing prices.
There were comparatively few sailing
vessels chartered for cotton the compe-
tuon among the various steamship lines
and tramp steamers for this business in
surfing better satisfaction. as a rule. TO
shippers, than chartering of sailers. the
business Offering for the latter being al
most exclusively confined to small car
goes for out-ports.
Sail tonnage during the year was in am
pie supply and rates ruled low throughout
the season. There was about the usual
business done with naval stores freights.
but the introduction of steamers to take
ind haI
depress rates on sailers.
Rates of coastwise steam freights ruled
at a low figure during the year The
shipments of fruits and vegetables were
about double thosGAof the previous year,
while vegetables We're increased slightly
and melons were about 50 per cent. less.
During the early part of the cotton sea-
son, there was a lack of berth offerings
on foreign steamers, and the coastwise
steamers took advantage of the situation
ana secured large proportion of the
freight for foreign ports.
The number of bales of cotton shipped
per coastwise steamships expressed in
round figures were $4,000 bales, a slight
increase over the previous year The
shipments of pig iron were a little less
than the previous year
Coastwise business by sail showed a
slight decrease, several cargoes of lumber
having been shipped by barges during the
first part of the commercial year. The
barges, however, did not prove profitable
and the scheme was abandoned after
about half a dozen cargoes had been ship
ped. The introduction OF barges had the
effect of lowering rates for schooners, and
during the past six months frelghts have
been lower than ever before.
The following is the number of vessels
arrived at this port during the year, end
ing Aug. 3d. 1897, with their rigs nation
ality and net tonnage. The number does
not include arrivals at Tybee but only
those vessels which have actually arrived
at the wharves and have discharged and
loaded. 1t does not include river or inland
coast steamers, or sailing vessels, nor does
it include vessels under 100 tons: