Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-02
WANDERERS OF THE OCEAN
How Tramp Steamers Are Built and Run at
Profit.
They Generally Yield a Big Income
to Their Owners-Are the Worlds
Trade Carriers.
From the Philadelphia Times.

successfully carried on is a matter about
which the public knows very little. Per-
sons hear and read much about schooners,
briggs, banks and ships, and in a general
way know something about them; but when
1t comes to the craft popularity known as
the tramp" even many of those whose in
terests are centered in shipping plead ig-
norance.
A tramp steamer is a singular kind of a
craft. To begin with, on their bottoms are
carried 20 per cent of the worlds COM
merce. America has not single one in the
foreign trade. The English tramp sails
every sea. Its flag cannot be missed in any
part of the world. The English tramp car
ries the bulk Of Philadelphias imports and
exports.
The method of operating such a type of
vessel, viewed from business standpoint,
is almost as interesting as their perilous
experiences. They are a profitable invest
ment and, contrary to popular opinion,
their running expenses are nothing like as
heavy as Is generally supposed. Those en-
gagged in the grain trade pay their owners
at least per cent profit, and sometimes 10
and II per cent Often special charter
will net 10 per cent.
The majority Of tramp steamers are built
in England. When new one is to be con-
structed the company owning others takes
in additional stockholders. This is done SO
that, should the new vessel ever incur dam
ages the other vessels of the line cannot
be tied up. Although belonging to the same
owners she is practically operated by her
own company. When the steamer Is built
if she is of 5000 tons meta large size, by
the way-and she carries total crew OF
forty-five men, she is then ready for the
vicissitudes of business. Necessarily the
latter will be of an uncertain character.
In the matter of securing business for a
tramp three parties figure. First, there Is
the shipper, who may be in any quarter OF
the world; second the owners, represented
he broker who is the
middleman between the two o
For instance John Smith has 10000 quar-
ters or 100, 900 bushels, Of grain in America
which he has sold in England ana Tor
which he desires transportation. He writes
to a ship broker in Philadelphia and asks
If he can supply him with vessel. Inc
broker, in the meantime, Is constantly III
touch with the owners of tramp steamers
abroad. He is daily furnished with list
of vessels at the moment disengaged. w men on
he hears from Smith that he has 2o,ooo
quarters he consults his list and hnds that
the steamers Blackmoor, Redwood ana
Clearwater are available
He then endeavors to get the pest rate
for his client. He knows that the ruhns
ouotation for grain Is IS Cd per quarter for
freight. He cables the three owners men
toned and their rates are slightly at Var1-
ance Often spirited bidding by canle
ensues but finally the Redwood Is secured
at "a I'd, If the Redwood is In Philadelphia
at the time thu charter is made she Is
called 'on spot" If abroad clause in the
charter specifies what time she must be
loaded here and cleared: for instance, be-
tween December l and 10.
This is all that Smith has to do with the
transaction. His freight bill is not due I'M
til the cargo is delivered on the other side.
The ship broker does not make anything
out of Smith He is only too CAD to get his
cargo. The ship owners, for whom he Sc
cures the work. pay him about $50 or 500
and he Is out of 1t.
Orders are then sent to the captain of the
Redwood by his owners and he proceeds
to Philadelphia as soon as possible. Often
the captain must hustle to make his loading
port. If he should get under the spout at
the grain elevator too late to load within
the limit the shipper could insist on can
collation. of the charter.
A 20,000-quarter steamer can be loaded in
a ffteen-hour day. A II, O00-quarter steamer
has been loaded in Philadelphia in six
hours. Sometimes a many as seven grain
spouts are used from the elevator to the
vessels hold. The grain thunders into the
hold with the speed and noise of an ava
lanche.
Meantime the captain and his agents are
attending to the various requirements of
the ship. The customs officials watch the
cargo going in. When all Is stored the
matches are closed and they return a man
ifest of the cargo to the customs house.
Clearance papers are issued and the tramp
is ready to depart.
Up to this time the captain of the Red
wood has done nothing in all these transac-
tons but to bring his steamer safely to
Phlladelphia to load. He becomes the all
pervading personality, however, so soon as
the vessel weighs anchor. He has signed
important papers certifying that he has re-
celved so much and so much in apparent
good condition" and that he will deliver
the same in the same condition, barring
collision, fire, shipwreck. pirates, strand
ing etc. He has also signed the bills of
lading, has been furnished with innumera-
bic certificates from weighers and inspect
ors that the grain is thus and so; that the
ship Is In such and such a condition and so
on almost ad infintum
NO time Is specified in which the VOYAGE
must be made. Often the captain does not
know where he is going. His charter calls
Ior MIN to proceed to Cork where orders
wlll be given him regarding his ultimate
destination. This is done to economic time
Whlle the purchasers on the other side are
deciding just what port would be the most
delivered. " 81
When the Redwood finally arrives she
mas SO many days to discharge and then
her trip Is over No one knows where bar
next voyage will be. She may be sent to
emma, Ca!cutta or any other place in the
naviSable world The average life is about
thlrty years, but in that time she paws for
herself many times oyer P"s" hoi