The sun., 1897-09-09
SEI TRAMpS HURRY HERE.
,oo BoArS HUsTLTNG TO CARRY
oTR GRAIN TO EUROPE.

~
,.o Rlch Hnrvests in the United states.
. ncso, truuTs, as tho craft that sail from
~, N rort picking up carsoos wherever they
ara called are hurrying to America now,
"" .,In carry grain from this country to Eu-
" " some OF the ships are italian. othcrs
IVY ,h,n nrc German, moro Of them Norwe-
o.. VI hut tho greatest number wherever they
h,nna. fly the flag OF England. British
80 sV carry the srcater part Of her commerce
. h,v. made England the mistress of the
seas, H.,
,.,,,.rrn,hcr OF these tramps you will fndtho
..o,tes. prosperity, for the British ship owner,
- managing owner" can catch scent Of prof
,,oh,a cargo more quickly than beagle can
~ nm A rabbits trail and 1t Is because OF this
~, orders have Cono out from tho dingy count
,ar -ooo,s OF London, Liverpool, Glasgow, and
co.tle. on. Tyne to all parts OF the world
,.l,no the shippers to drop all else and get to
,hs American soaboard as soon as possible.
uor, ships are wanted badly to take grain to
TNrone. In consequence, there has been for
N, mast month and will continue to DO an al
most unprecedented movement toward this
sor,,rv Of tramps, the little cargo boats OF
-bicb K!y.ius sings much. 1t Is calculated
.,.t at present there are o5 per cent more
tr0,nps in American ports.thanthere usually arc
=, mis- season. and with the rush that has begun
,ror seas this percentage will be increased
,s-rcly before another month has passed. Only
avail number OF these steamers are coming TO
Ssr York for cargues. The majority Of them
arc bopnd for Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk.
and New orleans, but wherever they go 1t Is
the grain they are after. Some Of them have
shsr,ers before they leave their sailing port,
p,or, OK them will find charters waiting for
,,eu when they arrive, and many are coming
a, A "srer," trusting 10 ind q cargo when they
80, her,, As about 5000, 900 bushels Of grain
NJ all kinds are being exported from the sea-
boar, each week. there is a good show for all Of
them.
Tho tramp type OF the ocean steamer, which
israplily driving the sailing ships from tho seas
"a in a sense peculiarly British institution
Although other nations have adopted the typo
and furnish at times sharp rivalry for the Eng
I.hmen. The vas. majority OF cargo boats fly
the British flag. They are particularly dear
to the British heart, for not only do they carry
all hut a small part OF the ocean commerce OF
the world but they are owned largely by the
great middle class OF England, by widows and
orphans There Is scarcely village IN Eng
land where there Is not some family whose In
cone comes from tramp steamer. There are
some large corporations that own fleets OF
steamers, but most OF these arc made up OF
persons not wealthy, who invest their savings in
the fl shares and feel rich when they
realize per cent. on their money. But O larger
mar. O. the steamers have managing owner"
and a number OF other part owners who have
shares in them. Sometimes q sharp shipping
agent decides 10 build a steamer. He puts
some money into 1t, he gets a number Of others
to put their money into It, and be takes the lob
xrha ha 0or
only his share Of tho profits OF the vessel. but
gets a commission on al tho charters he pro-
cures This makes a very good job for him,
and the English stockholder. content with
small interest, Is happy II his ship receives
but little money.
Most OF the tramp ships arc built on the east
coast Of England, Newcastle Is Q great seat OF
this industry. The ships are not built for
show or beauty What the ship owner wants
hthe cheapest possible steamer with the largest
carrying capacity for her Dimensions He
wants ship that VIII burn not more than fifteen
or twenty tons Of coal day and can log along
from end Of tho world to the other at nine
or ten knots an hour. Tho type of tramp
steamer has been improved very much in tho
last few years. Formerly Q 1.5ootonner was
very big tramp, and the average size was
nearer 1000 tons than 200. But the newer
tramp Is not uncommon, while one of 2. 500 tons
Is to be met with in almost any port
1t Is not likely that the enormous movement
Of grain from this country to Europe will result
IN any very material rise of freights Freights
bid fair to remain firm, and shipping men say
the great number Of ships that are hurryins
hther to get a share Of the grain will tend to
prevent any increase. Moreover, IN tho carry.
ing Of grain a formidable rival to the tramps hna
arisen within the last few years. This !s the
great cargo passenger ship OF tho regular com.
panies, OF which the hugo Pennsy lvania OF the
Hamburg American line Is q striking example.
Each OF these ships, With their enormous car
ring capacity, can do the work of two or three
ordinary cargo boats The greater part of the
grain taken from this port will go over in them.
In addition to these the big new tramp steam
ers already referred TO, with their large carry
Ing capacity, help to keep down tho trelghta
even at time when there is 9 strong demand
for ships
large part Of the tramps now headed fol
this country many of which have never been
mere before, are coming from tho Black Sea
ahd South American grain trade. In Russia
and Argentina advtces have been received thai
NE exports Of wheat from those countries viii
% below the normal, and the prospects OF ire
neadously Increased exports from this coun
" nave made the owners and agents send
tner ships here Many Of them are coming II
ballast The great rush few weeks ago to gel
IN stun before the new tariff law went into efYec
mas resulted in decided falling off for thu
present OF the incoming carrying trade.
Most OF the shps that have not been assured
" charters before they left their sailing por
make for the Delaware Breakwater or Hamp
lon Roads to walt for orders. From those place.
ney are sent to Galveston, New Orleans, Nor
io!k' or wherever else cargoes are waiting fo
them.
"nIe the amount Of grain shipped from thi
s'r' Is very large. comparatively little of 1
goes IN tramp steamers compared with th
amount shipped in them from Southern ports
1' present there are Iess than dozen "extri
oSatS IN the harbor. Some OF them came II
without charters, but thcy were not com
psNed TO lie at anchor down tho bay for a lon
Anie Tor there were plenty OF brokers waiting
'of them. glance at the Maritime Registe
.no"s That many tramps are on their way her
rum al parts OF tho world, and q great majori
Oh them will carry grain away. Tho las
~" years have not been particularly prosper
Jus ones for the British ship owners but no,
'hsS are getting better. and they are goin