The Saint Paul globe., 1904-01-24

terprise, Is destined always to be very
important port, though New York, nav,
ing the larger harbor. Will always stano
first And since the White Star line
came in the stock of the port is rated
higher than ever before.
Probably the most remarkable new fea-
ture of Boston's trans-Atlantic commerce
"a change which the White Star service
is emphasizing-is its suddenly acquired
traffic with the Mediterranean lands. The
Dominion line a little more than two years
ago announced regular saiiings to Genoa
and Naples-a service which it established
and built up right in the face OF intense
opposition from certain interests. which
saw in this undertaking an attempt to get
away from them very profitable bust
ness. At time when the immigration
from Italy and other Mediterranean coun-
tries was increasing by leaps and bounds,
the Italian and continental lines Whlch
had this traffic were naturally ayerse TO
letting an outsider share it. For some
time, therefore, there was a struggle to
secure privileges from the Italian govern
ment, but once these were gained the
Boston, Mediterranean service was started
and at once became popular.
And there was every reason why 1t
should succeed, for not only were the ships
which were put upon the service good
ones, but Boston has for some years past
been growing into q market for Italian
York. Hither from almost anywhere
comes the padrone to engage help for the
construction of highways in Illinois Ur
railways in New Mexico, or canal\worh
in the Dominion of Canada. Such condi-
tions Of hiring labor have made Italians
very favorable to the direct line from
Naples to Boston.
Then, too, it should be added as an in
teresting fact that Massachusetts, has in
innate relations with Portugal, which this
steamship service has helped along. For
great many years back Cape Cod and
the southeastern portion of the New Eng
10 fofa hoX frrll Of l1n IA RI L
Portuguese settlers, often running away
from conscription, who used to come over
here huddled together into their own leaky
little schooners, with view to prosper
ing in Yankee land from mackerel fishing
and from cultivation of cranberry bogs.
The Boston Mediterranean steamers of
the White Star line, which touch at the
Azores islands, have picked up a great
deal of this immigration from the Portu
guese mainland and they have, it is said
brought over great many of the
islanders.
This kind of passenger traffic refers in
largest measure, of course, to the third
class, by which most of the immigrants
travel; but in another direction the service
has gained powerful hold. This in the
first class passenger travel during the
winter months to the Riviera, the Nile
and other populous resorts on the Med
iterTanean. To people from every part
of the country, and particularly to those
of the middle West, 1t has proved to be
very COHN eHlenL 10 go out TO Italy or
Egypt by way of Boston; SO that, through
the winter months, during the past two
years, the Dominion line has maintained
the custom of putting on its largest ships
to accommodate the increasing number
of Americans who have formed the habit
Of wintering in warm lands. 1t was large
ly for accommodation of first-class pas
sengers that the service was extended
from Naples to Alexandria, and it is to
accord with the predilection of the aver
age well-todo American family for the
south of France that Marseilles has lately
been made a port of call
Besides this connection with Southern
Europe, Boston has also within the past
year given new service to Manchester by
the Leyland line, and to Antwerp by the
Red Star line. These services have proved
successful and are currently believed to
be but a beginning of other connections
with European ports which the Interna-
tional Mercantile Marine company may
establish. With its destiny in the hands
of a great American enterprise Boston
looks forward confidently to becoming the
Liverpool of America.