The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-17
ter of those entered at either New Or
leans or Baltimore.

ter of those entered at either New Or
leans or Baltimore
In one respect the position of Puget
sound is unique. The proportion of the
foreign commerce carried in American
vessels is enormously greater at this
port than in any other ocean port in the
United States. For example, the ton
mage of American steam vessels which
cleared from this port TO foreign coun-
tries during the month OF July is only
exceeded In actual volume by one single
other American port, that Of New York.
and New York's excess is only some
1000 tons In volume of American sail
tonnage clearing for foreign ports dur
ing the same months, New York is
again the only ocean port In the United
States which exceeds Puget sound, and
in this case the excess in favor OF the
Atlantic port is only 500 tons. One ad-
ditional good-sized schooner sailing
from Puget sound would have put the
two ports on an equality in this respect.
Out of the 9s,o7s tons which cleared
from Puget sound during the month of
July, but 1929 was foreign tonnage.
over so per cent. of the foreign COM
merce of Puget sound Is carried in
American bottoms. Only about IS per
cent OF the commerce Of New York
during the month of July was carried
In American bottoms; and in other
ports the disparity is even more strik-
ing. Not a single American steam ves-
sci entered during the month at the
port of Philadelphia, and the tonnage of
American sailing vessels which cleared
from that port during the month was
less than one-half the amount which
cleared from Puget sound.
The total steam tonnage clearing
from the port of Puget sound for July
was considerably In excess Of that from
San Francisco. IT was one-eighth as
great as the total steam tonnage which
cleared from New York. was more than
half as great as that which cleared
from Baltimore: was substantially one
half as great as that which cleared
from Philadelphia, one-third that Of
Boston, two-thirds that OF New Or
leans. and was not exceeded by any
other ocean ports In the country, save
those mentioned.
The prestige of the port OF Puget
sound is not matter OF the future
This port is already one OF the greatest
in the United States. In some respects.
as shown. II Is second only to New
sound is yet in its infancy. IT has but
one rival on this side of the continent,
and that rivalry Is rapidly becoming a
close one. San Francisco is already ex-
ceeded In the volume Of tonnage en-
ployed in foreign trade during the last
month for which figures for purposes of
comparison are available, and consid-
erably more than one-haif of the en-
tire coasting trade of San Francisco is
confined to the importation of the prod
ucts OF Puget sound. in vessels owned
and operated from the Washington
cities.
II will certainly be but very short
time when Puget sound win take the
place among the ports OF the Pacific
which New York holds among the ports
Of the Atlantic. 1t Is to be hoped sim
cerely that In doing so this port can
likewise maintain its distinction of
being the particular American port
which handles its foreign trade IN
American bottoms. largely owned ut
home.