The evening times., 1899-01-31
EXPORT TRADE With
BRAZIL HINDERED
A Tramp Steamship Trust Ap.
pears as all Obstacle.
Possibilities of Building Up an Ex,
tenSiye Trade With Danes.
Denmark's Subjects Incensed With
Germany Because of Expuisions
From SchIeswiE-HOi

Consul General Eugene Seeger, at Rio
de Janeiro, in report just published, says:
Il regard it my duty to again call at
tention to a serious obstacle in the healthy
development of our trade with Brazil, viz,
the conditions created by the combination
of the foreign transportation companies,
whose steamers are plying to and from the
ports of Brazil.
These companies are: Lamport & Holt,
Liverpool; Prince Line, Newcastle; Nor
ton Line, Liverpool; Sloman Line, Ham
burg; Chargeurs Reunis, Havre.
These lines, which constitute q trust,
had in August last reduced the freight
rates on coffee almost the only return car
go OF the steamers plying between the
United States or Europe and Rio de janet
ro and Santos) TO 10 cents per bag, in o.
der to drive out of Brazilian waters the
transatlantic steamers, whose owners did
not enter into the aforementioned agree
ment. About six weeks afterwards, when
! the tramp steamers $50 called by the
! trust were hunted down and the refrac-
/ tory coffee shippers brought TO terms,
I freight rates We're increased again TO 80
/ cents a bag, which rate is charged at pres
ent. One Of the results of this practice
! is that there is not enough freight room
! available at present for the export trade
/ of the United States with Brazil, and those
who want TO import merchandise into Bra
I'll before the date on which the increased
tarir goes into effect January /, 1899
are frustrated TO a very large extent.
Another serious obstacle to our COM
petition in Brazil with European export
I ers is the fact-complained of by Rie de
0
! can goods and probably traceable to the
/ same combination of American ship
owneTs-that freight rates to Brazil are
( unnecessarily higher from the United
/ States than from the European ports. 4
! Rio de Janeiro commission merchant told
me not long ago that he made an addition
| al profit on -four bought in New York by
shipping it via Hamburg; and the head CT
| 4 well-known Sac Paulo house of import
| ers and manufacturers of agricultural and
! coffee machinery told me last week that
| N buying a large quantity of pig and cast
! iron he could not avail himself of the
/ lower prices offered by American houses as
! against European competition on account
! OF the higher freight rates from New Or!l
/ From the manifest, I saw that cargo uf
! -four recently arrived here from New York
! paid 50 cents per barrel, while the scued-
! uled steamer freight Of -four from liam
! burg to Rio de Janeiro or Santos is 30
! marks slid per ton (of eleven barrelsJ.
In this connection, ] may say that the
published freight tariffs of the different
/ steamer lines can hardly be taken in evil
! dence in regard to the freight actually
/ charged against different shippers as the
| representative of one of the members of
! the steamer trust has assured me. stating
/ that transatlantic freight rates are. in
/ ali cases OF Importance, the subject of
! specific agreements.
/ The above described are among those
| conditions which ought to be taken into
! consideration, by those who try to under
/ stand why the United States is not having
! its fair share of the import trade of Era
! Zil.''
| consul General Leeger also writes that
! the Congress OF the United States of Brazil
1 has promulgated a law ordaining that on
/ and after January !. 1889. 10 per cent of
/ the duties on goods imported in Brazil shall
be paid in gold, which, at the present rate
OF eNchange is equivalent TO an increase
! OF the tariff rates of 90 per cent
| The Brazilian tariff Will soon undergo
| its annual revision, which. according N
| the experience of the last eight wears
! means an increase in duties on all mer-
! chandise which may be made to Weld more
! revenue.
Consul Halstead. of Birmingham. in a
| communication to the State Department
eHCIoSes cara addressed to the editor
/ of the London Daily Mail. which, the Con
SUI says, draws attention TO trade possibiI
lties IN Denmark and should receive some
attention. Ii IS stated in the paper for
warded by the Consul that if English NOR
chants make an effort, they can secure y
market worth $40. ZOO coo a wear
IhiS Is the present value of Danish i'm,
ports from Germany, and the bulk of this
business is TO be had by England for The
taking.
The recent expulsion of unoffending sub-
jects from Schleswig- Holstein has SO stir
red the patriotism of the Danes that ratb-
er than buy anything German. they arc
gladly paying more for the goods OF other
countries. 'iei
Merchants and shopkeepers here are any
ious and willing to do business with Ene-
| iish firms but complain that the latter arc
not ready TO meet them hallway nv adant-
ing themselves to Danish requirements
Ihis is the old, old story of blind conser-
yatism. ''ii'si
Inc present chance is one that comes
once In generation. British mercbant
nave but TO seize it boldly, and the vicfor,,
Is ihelrs. But they must strike while The
iron is hot ""iie 'he
thder date of January Consul HaIstead
OF Birmingham, reports:
Inc cordial reception which b,. -.
given new trade publication here is 81
OF the many indications that British ~
chahtS and manufacturers are aroused 10
the dangers of American comnetit;on rr, ~