The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-13

we may incur. Can't you charter a
vessel in Manila? '
Il was just thinking of that. Yes, /
could, of course. Yet it wouldn't be
safe to take anything but an English
or Dutch bottom. I'd want to pick
my own crew and know pretty we'll
| who were on board: couldn't do that
with one of the compania S boats, and
there might happen to be nothing else
in port. There's one thing that might
be done, and-I guess--it would work.
whats that?'
"Charter the Countess herself from
the government, for a month. You
know she connects with the Saigon
Messageries boat, taking in Yloilo on
the return trip, between the island
voyages; at least, that is the tempo
rary arrangement. Now, between each
trip we usually lay up at Cavite for two
weeks; and Ramirez has twice tried to
charter her for quick run to Hong
Kong in that time. The Countess
would easily make Guajan and Hong
Kong. out of Manila, in 16 days at the
outside, allowing day and half to
load at the island, if we needed it.
Then we could reach Saigon in five
| days more, and turn her over to the
government in time to make the Mes
ageries connection all right
what would it cost to charter her 2"
SWELL, probably little more than
what the compania pays. She'll regis
ter over 5000 tons, gross, and can do
IA knots when she wants to; that S
pretty stiff travelling for compound
engines of this size. But the govern
nent don't care for more'n ten knots;
SO they pay Ramirez & Co. $500 a
month. 1 guess we could have her at
$4,000, easy enough"
"Any expenses besides that?"
"Of course there are. Coal bills, at
least $4,000 month, if you keep SHOW
ing Ii knots out of her. She'll burn
over 36 tons day at that speed, and
you can't get decent, free-burning coal
in Manila for less than eight dollars.
Then there are port charges, consul S
fees, demurrage and numerous Incl
dentals, all of which fall upon the
charterer. The owner pays the sal
aries OF officers and crew, repairs and
the special expenses of the Ship
so that we'd blow in the whole
twenty thousand on the mere use of
the steamer for month";"
"H'm,well, at least eighteen, Ishould
say. A 3,oo0-ton yacht is pretty ex-
pensive luxury; and she'd be practi-
cally nothing more than yacht for
our purpose. There's no cargo at
Guaja jan worth handling."
Seems to me steamer ought to be
"a pretty good investment"
THAT depends great deal upon the
cargo and the time of year she's in
commission. Freights are so low at
present that half of them don't pay
expenses; still, the tramps that make
over ~ knots are doing most of the
business, and at mething of a
profit"
"Dick, we've gotto buy the Countess;
that's what We've got to do. How
much would r.. nirez take for her?
Him! she cost s $4,000 to build on
the Clyde, and she's as good com
pound tramp as there is on salt wa
ter. But the triple expansion boats
that they're turning out carry more
cargo with less coal, and he couldn't
begin to get that for her now. If we
were to offer $500, 0cO-$1O,OoO down
and the balance within six months
and he We're satisfied as to our respon-
sibility, l think he'd let US have her."
''Then We'll take her. If you don't
care about the investment rll buy her
myself. Now, how soon can you get
back to Agana?"
I'D want at least six days in Manila
to discharge, coal up and settle mat
tiers with Ramirez. The government
may kick little il they want the
steamer for another trip, but Iguess
the old man can fix that; we'll pay
them few thousand rather than have
any hitch about it. Say IS days from
now; how would that do? Will you be
able to manage it, and beat the padre
for that length of time?"
"Y-e-s, that's fairly safe. No matter
what he may discover, it will be inn
POSSAOAC AOA ulu4 W ACd0 YOU O44 AZ
Manila this trip; and when we own the
ship the passenger list will be as linn
tied as the mail contract. Then, again,
youth have an entirely new crew, regu.
larly shipped for our own voyage. By
the way, why did you speak of making
Hong-Kong first 2"
Because the Hong-Kong & shang-
hal Banking corporation will undoubt-
eddy be able to handle the silver for
us. They have capital of ten millions,
q reserve fund of four and half, and
Mexican dollars, coined even as far
back as 100, are the current medium
of exchange in China to-day. Any
where else the discount on silver-es.
pecially old silver-would be SO heavy
that we'd have to sell the stuff by
weight; so we would get more for them
on the Chinese coast than in any other
locality"
"Guess YOU'RE right. Ididn't think Of