Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-01-05
new PATHS TO TRADE.
Plans to Divert Oriental Com
merce to Pacific Ports.
MERCHANT MARINE FLEETNEEDED

Monopolize the Entire Trafic-Chi-
cage Mans Proposal to Shorten
Route of Commerce From Eastern
Countries.
To divert to Pacific ports, from it's
present roundabout course through Lon
don and New York, the growing COM
MERGE between the United States and
Ceylon, Burma, India, China, Japan
and the Philippines, and to form as a
means to this end a great international
trading company which shall build and
operate on the Pacific ocean a fleet of
merchant vessels, bringing the products
of the orient to the western gate Of the
United States, is the project to which
Vincent L. Tissera, a Cingalese-A meri-
can resident of Chicago, is now devot-
ing much Of his time and energy, and
with hope Of success. Mr.. Tissera be.
lieves that the realization Of this project
would mean the addition of millions
annually to the volume of trade in Chi
cago, and that the venture is one in
which American capital will embark
readily when the advantages to be at.
tanned are fully understood.
Mr.. Tissera, a native of Ceylon, was
sent to the United States in charge Of
an agricultural exhibit arranged by the
British government of Ceylon for the
Worlds fair. Since the close Of the fair
he has been in business in Chicago as a
tea importer, and his experience has
opened his eyes to the possibilities of an
increased trade between the United
States and those in that quarter Of the
globe in which be was born.
The growing interest in the subject of
national expansion which has followed
the Spanisll-American war Mr.. Tissera
looks upon as a condition favorable to
the furtherance Of a project he has had
in mind since coming to America, and
within the last few weeks he has taken
steps to interest capitalists and railroad
magnates east and west and in Chicago
in the plan. His argument is that by
the creation Of a merchant marine OIL
the Pacific ocean between 2, 900 and
5000 miles can be cut off from the dis.
lance travelled to carry the products Of
the oriental countries to the American
market, and that the stimulus given the
import trade would result in a greater
export trade to those countries which
offer a vast field for the disposal Of
Americas surplus products.
ago." said Mr.. Tissera, (Which illus
trates how American commerce is ham
pered. I wanted to ship only a single
ton Of goods to Ceylon. There are two
lines of merchant vessels connecting on
the Pacific coast with the northern Pa
oific and the Great Northern railroads.
One of these is owned by British capt.
%talists, the other by Japanese. I found
the entire carrying capacity of the fleets
of those two lines was booked ahead for
seven months.
"Ceylon, Burma and India produce
many articles that the United States
uses in large and increasing quantities.
Chief among these are tea, coffee, spices,
ebony, plumbago and cocoanut oil, the
last two being used in large quantities
in the production of lead pencils and
soap. In return those countries buy q
great deal Of American -four, pig lead,
fish and lumber, and the number Of
products they would take if properly ad-
vertised and introduced is illimitable.
"For the Pacific trade ships owned
by American capital are needed, and it
would be necessary that they be SUBJ
sidized il they are to compete with for
eign boats that are subsidized. This
nation could make no better investment
than to aid in the development Of .
merchant marine to carry its products
to markets that would afford an outlet
for all its surplus, and thus increase it's
industrial prosperity at home. 1t would
not be necessary to give any large SUBJ
sidy for a long period Of time. Once the
vessel owners had established lines Of
reciprocal trade between this and the
oriental countries the business would
almost or quite take care Of itself.
IA proper International banking sys.
tem," continued Mr.. Tissera, sis also
needed to facilitate the development Of
Americas International commerce.
Why should London be the clearing
house for American foreign trade?
Through that avenue the foreign COM
petitors Of the United States become &C.
quainted with our trade secrets, know
the prices for which we sell various
commodities and to whom we sell them.
These secrets should be guarded. The
United States, the greatest producing
nation in the world, should be the
clearing house for the world"
Concerning the immediate effect upon
Chioago's commercial interests of the
realization Of his plan for t%ranspaciio
trade, Mr., Tissera pointed out the inn
portance Of this city as q manufacturing
center, its proximity to the coal and
iron fields, and the possibility Of pro.
duoing here, as il already done, all
kinds Of iron and steel wares. These,
with mechanical implements Of all
kinds, he said, would constitute a large
factor in the export trade that will be
developed with the oriental nations.
Sewing machines. bicycles and watches
would find a large market, while con-
densed milk and cream, jams and jel-
lies, fish Of all kinds, shoes and leather
goods and an infinite variety Of food
products would be sold there in large
quantities, provided a little enterprise be
shown in introducing the goods.
"The growing tea trade Of Ceylon,
demanding large quantities Of pig lead
for lead foil, said Mr.. Tissera, ''makes
the field for that product particularly
promising. But it would be impossible
to enumerate the articles which America