The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-18
FEW BIDS TO SECURE
MEDITERRANEAN TRADE
MADE BY AMERICANS
Waters of the Greatest of Seas
Rarely Visited by American
Vessels of Commerce.
MUCH NIGHT BE. DONE
Smaller American Countries Also
Capable of Exploitation-Busi-
ness with Carlsbad.
MUCH NIGHT BE DONE.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

ness with Carlsbad.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE Mediterran-
can, which for so many centuries has car
ried the vessels of the trade kings be-
tween the Orient and the Occident, is still
almost unfurrowed by American merchant
men. The shores of this mightiest of seas
have been passed unnoticed by commercial
explorers. and its markets have never been
really tested. Yet the little countries that
border IL on the south, east and northeast
offer splendid opportunities. Such little
trade as has been established by this coun-
try along the Mediterranean is not accred-
tied to US, for those of our products which
have reached them have been carried
through Europe, and are regarded as Eng
lish, French or Italian goods. Up TO March,
1902, when direct line of steamships began
to sail between New York and the Levant,
all goods and machinery ordered from the
United States by Greek importers had tosbe
brought through other countries of Eu-
rope, causing long and vexatious delays
and a consequent handicap TO our trade.
Now that these ships touch at Grecian ports
once a month, 1t is to be hoped that Amer
lean merchants and exporters will take adj
vantage of the line. From the invoices
certified at the United States consulate il
Athens, and the consular agency at Piraeus,
1t appears that at least nineteen-twentieths
of the Greek exports to the United States
are now shipped by the direct line.
+ + :
The little countries in the western hem
isphere as well as those in the eastern are
apt to go unregarded in the scramble for
trade. Honduras, a near neighbor to the
new republic, has been almost entirely
overlooked as an unloading place. OF
course, this country has for years taken
nearly the whole Honduras banana crop;
but no attempt has been made to cater
TO the wants or wishes of the Honduras
buyers The sale of articles not wanted
cannot be forced, no matter how cheap
they may be- Suggestions from merchants
already in Central America should be acted
on and not treated with Indifference by
American exporters Many complaints have
arisen in the past on account of American
shippers not following shipping and pack
ing instructions. Inland transportation is
furnished by horses and mules, over roads
for the most part no better than trails,
which in the rainy season become almost
impossible owing to the large number OF
rivers TO be crossed. Bridges are few and
far between, fords are many and danger
Gus. Most of the banana plantations are
provided with OK carts to haul their prod
uce TO the shipping point. Most of the
rivers are navigable for short distances,
and lighters are used on these. Ample
transportation along the coast is supplied
by fruit steamers and sailing vessels. There
are no wharves, and loading and diseharg
ing are done from the open beach. This
work is extremely difficult during foul
weather. Heavy articles are handled with
the greatest difficulty. and their trans
portation to the interior is impossible.
+
The Siberian anchurian is at present the
most interesting system of railways in the
| world, owing to the fact that it cannot but
! be tremendous factor in the Russian side
of any contest in that part of the globe
1t has recently asked for an appropriation
of 5000, 459 for a connecting line of the
| TRANSPORTED Railroad with the Manchurian
and S1O,9 10000 for the Circum- Baikal. The
Chinese Eastern Railroad Company has
surrendered to the newly formed Siberian
Association its steamers that kept up COM
munication between the ports in Tartary
| bay, in Peter The Great bay, in the Ok
| hotSk and Behring seas, and between Vlad-
| livestock and the ports Of Korea, Japan and
China. The railroad company retains only
| the steamers Manchuria and Mongolia for
| communication.
The Ussuri Railroads exploitation has
not been able to make both ends meet. The
deficits have been considerable and Il re-
duction in the salaries of the employees is
| imminent
Russian exporters have been seeking a
| way to secure cheap rates for the trans
| portation of their merchandise across ST.
| IBERIA. 1t was suggested that a combination
| of railways and seagoing and river lines
| should pool issues and give Russian goods
a better chance to compete with foreign
| goods in the far Eastern market. While
| the railroads readily offered rebates in a
line with their usual reduction, the Volun-
teer Fleet Company refused, probably be-
| cause their rates are already at bottom
| figures. Therefore, the Amur Steam Nav
igation Company, almost out of business
at present is the only one to take part in
| such rebate for Russian goods; but with
railroad lines under government control
| the Volunteer Fleet Company, a subsidized
| government concern, such pooling of in
terest would seem easily accomplished.
|
United States Commercial Agent Twells,
stationed at Carlsbad. Austria, has been in
the Carlsbad consular district for less than
a year. but states that. from his observa-
tions and Investigations, he is led to be-
lieve that a profitable export trade might
be built up with that section This district
is one of the most productive on the Euro
pean continent. Mr.. Twells says: "Consid-
ering how DESTROYS most of the corporations
are to improve railway traffic and sanitary
| arrangements, gas, electric light and water
works, the development of agriculture, gar
dening and foresting. the endeavors and
| anxiety shown by the wealthy Austrian no.
| bility to get hold of the most improved ag-
ricutural inventions so as 10 obtain the
! best results, l am convinced that if this dis
trict received the attention it deserves from
our enterprising American manufacturers
and merchants, profitable trade may be
built up"
The manufacturers and merchants of the
| Carlsbad district are reported to be hard
| working, honest business men, who seldom
become bankrupt The bankrupt in that
country is looked upon as a social outcast
The moment the decree of bankruptcy has
been issued by the law courts he has to give
up his social position. The postal authori-
ties stop all mail and parcels addressed to
him and hand them over to the solicitor who
has been appointed by the court TO wind NJ
his estate In fact, the law is so severe
that a bankrupt is imprisoned if the Grim
inal Investigations, which are instituted in
each case of bankruptcy show that he is
to blame for not being able TO pay his cred
itors, and If the latter do not agree to give