The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-08
GERMANY AND SOUTH AMERICA
Steamship Companies Plying Be
tween These Countries Pay Wei.

NpAb HhsaSS ~ bE-
tween These Countries Pay Wen.
The annual report Of the Kosmos Steam
ship Company. of Hamburg, contains
much interesting information relative to
FeTmany's commercial progress in South
and Central America The following ex-
eeTIts from this report were sent to the
state Department by George H Murphy,
the United States Vice Consul General
at Frankfort. Germany
The net profits of the Kosmos Com
pany in 1900 amounted to S9S2. So. consid-
eTably exceeding the amount earned in
the preceding year The company was
accordingly able to declare a dividend of
% per cent During the year the voyages
OF the kosmos steamers on the west coast
OF America were extended much farther
north than heretofore. namely. to San
francisco These trips are now made
once in every three weeks, and the results
are satisfactory 4 failure Of crops in
Chile materially contributed TO the com
Fany.S success. Is it became necessary to
transport large quantities Of grain to the
south Under normal conditions, it is be
lieveG that the KosmOs ComDanv's line to
California viii be a profitable one. in spite
Of competition. While the traffic between
California and the west coast ports has
proved very satisfactory. the direct traffic
between Europe and California Cas well as
MeNico) and vice versa has been disap-
pointing. BY an agreement which has
been effected with the Mexican Govern
me1t- the payment of port charges is not
required at Acapulco, ManzauiHo. San
Bias, and Mazatlan.
In Central America business Is largely
dependent upon the prices paid for coffee.
the principal article Of export. These
have unfortunately again fallen. but, in
spite of this, the Kcsmos Company is sat
ISiIed with the results of its Central
American business in 1900
The traffic with Peru continues to i'm
prove This is partly due to the increased
expectation of ore. Many mines which
were abandoned for years IRE now again
being worked. As most Of these ores 90
to England. English steamship lines nat
urally get the larger part Of the bust
ness: but the KOsmos Company also par
Iclpates in this profitable carrying trade
IN spite of ats crop failure, Chile MAIN
tanned in 800 its ability to buy. owing to
favorable copper and saltpetre prices II
accordingly assisted the Kosmos line con
sideTably with freights TO and from Eu-
rope
owing to a rise in wages and the price
Of coal, this company was obliged to raise
its freight rates somewhat in 1900. but not
nearly so much as other cornpanies
Strikes have seriously interfered with
| the completion Of new vessels for this
| line, Three new steamships Will how
ever. soon be added TO its feet.
An agreement has been effected with
the neutrality-suspicious. Line, which, il
IS believed, viii prove advantageous to
both companies. In consequence of this
agreement, the Hamburg American Com
pany win add three Of its ships to the
tTenty-eight Kosnos ships in 1901 This
increase in the number Of vessels employ
ed was rendered urgently necessary by
the establishment OF the San Francisco
line"
The annual report of the Hamburg
American Line for 1919 shows that 1t was
able TO pay TO its stockholders a dividend
OF 10 per cent aggregating s. 800, 90 This
company is directly interested in the new
Is established steamship company Italia
whose one vessel has already established
profitable intercourse between Genoa and
the La Plata States. A second steamer
IS now ready for this line
The newly founded HambU-g-NOTth
Brazil Line has proved Self-SUpIoTIin
but before il can become profitable, there
must be a considerable improvement at
Para in the arrangements for loading and
Unloading ships Further advances were
MADE Dy TINS company n 1870 IN It's Ell
forts to complete the direct connection Of
South America with Hamburg. The lines
of the firm A Q. de Freitas & Co. IL Bra
I'll and the La Plata States, were puTchaS-
ed for this purpose and the services Of
the employees Of this firm were secured
Thus, in the past year, fourteen vessels
were added to the fleet Of the Hamburg
American Company in South America. In
Ike manner. the Aatwerp-La Plata Line
Of MeSsTS- GelIatly, Hantley < Co. was
also acquired. An agreement has been
effected with the Hamburg South Ameri-
can Steamship Company. in order to OBJ
yiaUe competition. This agreement also
extends to the North Brazilian and Cse-
noa-La Plata lines. An agreement has
likewise been effected with the KOsmos
Company which VIII increase the i'm
portance Of Germany's commercial iufiJ-
ence in South America"