The times., 1899-04-10
need OF 4 STEAMER
line TO THE EAST
Opportunities for American
Trade in the Orient.
Control of Food and Fuel Supplies
in Mediterranean Regions.
United Stntes-Commerce With
the Philippines.

Consul Robert s. Skinner, at Marseiles.
writing to the State Department. paints a
very interesting picture of the opening
for a new steamship line to the East.
During the year 1898. l53 ships left Mar
seilles for various ports in the United
States, every one of which sailed under a
foreign flag. This condition of affairs has
continued for years, in spite OF the exten.
sive and rapidly increasing commercial in
tercourse between Marseilles and the
United States; and, instead OF finding
American vessel owners interesting them
selves in the trade, it is discovered on the
contrary. that proposed French company
intends to look to the United States for
large portion OF its capital. 1t cannot be
supposed that American business men Will
definitely abandon the Mediterranean 10
foreign shipping, and it is Consul SINNERS
purpose to call attention 10 an existing op-
portunity to create successful American
line which shall make Marseilles a port of
cali, while at the same time binding to-
gether New York and the Orient
Whatever may be the political future of
the Philippines, it is impossible to con-
ceive that Americans shall fail TO estab-
lish there important commercial interests,
and almost as impossible TO believe that
such interests can take permanent root
and be properly developed, without the aid
of an American steamship line operating
from the Atlantic seaboard. The most con-
vincing proof that such a line would pay
its own way is the fact that the Messenger
les Maritimes, the Peninsular and Oriental,
the Orient, and the British India companies
all have regular and frequent sailings from
Marseilles 10 the Far East
An American company would therefore
have an equal opportunity for trade of
long standing, to which would be added
the monopoly of the traffic between New
York and Manila and generous portion of
the trade from New York 10 Marseilles,
now controlled by two lines and irregular
steamers plying between this port and the
United States.
In support of these suggestions, il will
occur at once that with extensive Ameri-
can interests in the Philippines, where we
now have 80, 600 troops in round numbers.
a regular service of the first order would
be a great public convenience. For tour
lists. the trip could be made attractive by
traffic arrangement permitting those who
so desired TO sail direct from New York
10 Liverpool. and thence by boat and train
10 Marseilles. This would permit spending
a week or ten days in England and Europe
and shorten the ocean voyage by the same
length of time. During the Spanish oc-
cupation of the islands, the Transatlantica
Company had regular sailings from BARGE
Iona and secured the most of the European
freight for Manila. Already, these sailings
have been diminished in number, and
freight is seeking an outlet via Marseil es
This city is the natural point for break
ing The long voyage. by reason of its ad-
eantageous position. its proximity to the
Riviera. which would attract travellers who
now take the German steamers to Genoa.
and the opportunities for discharginP and
taking on freight.
To return TO the traffic question more
in detail. an American line would find in
the Philippines 10000 tons of copra, which
must annually make its way to Marseil1es
This quantity fell to 1900 tons last year,
but only because of political troubles.
From Marseilles eastward, opportunity
wotld be had for securing portion of the
endless variety of articles which seek India
and the Orient generally. From Marseilles
10 New York, goods are exported annually
TO the value of from SO. .000, 600 to 81 900 900.
From the United States TO Marseilles there
would be 10000 tons of cotton oil an
nually, wheat. slaves, and thousand
staple articles which now enter this mar
ket.
The belief that such an enterprise must
sooner or later be taken up. has naturally
followed as a result of investigation of
methods Of introducing American products
into this consular district. and more espe-
cially American coal The difficulty in the
way has usually been the question of
freight. Under favorable conditions, there
is no reason why the United States should
not be the controlling factor in the fuel
and food supply. not only OF the city OF
Marseilles. but of the whole Mediterra-
mean region.