The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-04
STRAITS OF MAGELLAN.
Traffic Finds This Passage Tint For-
merly HAD to Round the Horn.

Traffic Finds This Passage Tint En-
merly HAD to Round the Harm
VIM. E. Curtis in the Chicago Record
Steamship City OF Paris, at Sea.-No,
long ago received a letter from Mr. Ed
ward F. Sweet, a careful reader of the
Record. who often suggests Interesting
topics by his inquiries. asking If dia not
make mistake in my reference TO the
straits OF Magellan in recent paragranb
on the railways Of Brazil No; there is
very little freight sent around Cane Horn
nowadays. Sailing vessels are craving
scarce In the southern seas. Now and
then you see big clipper loaded with
grain from San Francisco or Seattle TO
Liverpool; or a tank vessel loaded with
OIL from New York for China. India or Ia
pan, or collier bound from Cardiff To
Callao or Panama, but very little mer-
ehandise Is carried In sailing vessels. The
steamers carry it all. Steamship rates
are so low that the difference In insur-
ance ana the loss of interest on the In
vestment and the desire to keep the mon
eE IN circulation, make Il Improbable
TO snip by sailing vessels for long VOYAGES
II takes sailing vessel from six to nine
months 10 make the voyage from Lfy-
erpool TO Valparaiso or Panama. while a
tramp steamer win cover the distance in
from forty 10 fifty days. Suppose a cargo
~ worth $4,000 The interest on that
amount at the rate Of G per cent per an
mum would be from $500 20 $4,000 during
the sailing voyage, while by steam IL
would not exceed 1900 or $3.50. The
Insurance premium on cargoes sent by sail
Is double. often treble those on steam
particularly " the skipper intends TO
double the cape.
But even the freight clippers avoid the
cape these DAYS. IL Is cheaper to pay for
tow through the Straits Of Magellan.
They are now wen lighted and marked
with bencons by the government Of Chile.
and steamers can make the passage
through the narrows during the night
Formerly that was dangerous because OF
tho crooked channels. and most OF the
Insurance companies stu have clause
IN their policies forbidding the use OF
what ls known as "Smyth's channel" be-
cause that has not been thoroughly char
red and is fan OF sunkcn rocks
All the steam fleets 30 through the
straits, ana the big companies have coal
ing stations az Puenta Arenas, the only
town in Patagonia. other vessels buy coal
from an old Yankee sailor who once liv-
a in Chicago on the triangular piece of
ground Ia Milwaukee avenue. where Jones
q Laughln's warehouse now stands. lie
~ "a iNHai hd"lN NWNi AcAtts ana u Know n
90 every seaman IN the South Pacific. lie
used 90 have vessel on the lakes. but
enlisted la the navy when the rebellion
broke out IN 1861, was discharged az VAL
pariso In is65, entered the service OF chile.
and finally settled az Pucnta Arenas In
consequence OF an extraordinary piece OF
good fortune. I have forgotten his name
but ] saw a good deal OF him during few
days I spent len that southernmost town
of the world, ana had hts story from his
own lips. i Will call him Smiley. Tor hls
name d. something like that
"a was early in the sos. I believe. that
Smiley. then serving as engineer upon n
tug employed by the chilean navy. sad
summing himself on deck one day In the Am
chorago OF Puenta Arenas, when he 90.
serFe1 vessel coming down with the cur