Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-11-22

that the more aristocratlc liner is too
busy or in too much of a hurry TO
claim.
The United States has had little
share in the development of the
tramp steamer Its rise took place
in the period following the civil war
when the American people were too
much occupied with the problems
and profits of internal development
| to pay much attention to the COM
! paratiVely modest returns from ocean
| trade. Few of these vessels have ever
voyaged under the American flag and
these few are now mostly on regular
routes. The typical tramp. however.
! usually flying the British or Nor
wegian flag, though pretty nearly
crowded off the well Travelled lanes
OF the North Atlantic, is a familiar
sight in many ports. She follows no
fixed route. but goes wherever the
call Of trade is heard In this re-
spect she is like the Yankee clipper
and those other earlier ships Of sail
which she has displaced The tramp
may start from a British port with
load of machinery for Brazil, proceed
next to New York with a cargo Of
coffee, run in ballast to New orleans
and there take on consignment of
cotton that Will carry her back to her
starting point. or she may traverse
All the seven seas in her trade per-
egrinations before turning her prov
toward her home port. Captain and
crew seldom know when they start
on q voyage what remote parts of the
world They may not visit before they
see their homes and families again.
The influence that is forcing the
tramp steadily into a less aud less
conspicuous and important part as a |
carrier of the worlds trade is the trc- !
mendous development within recent |
years of the modern ocean liner with |
her great speed. her huge carrying I
capacity and her regular routes and /
sailing dates.
Some kinds of traffic can wait on .
time and tide, but other Kinds must
go straight through regardless Of all
other conditions except the necessity
of reaching the appointed goal in the
shortest possible time. The tendency
OF modern business is to include a
larger and larger proportion Of the
multiplying objects of international
exchange within this classification.
AS trade and wealth have Increased
the number of persons from any one
country who desire to travel to other
countries for pleasure or profit has
grown tremendously. To meet these
the present fleet OF great
ocean liners has been developed,
growing ever larger. swifter and
more numerous hundred swift
liners comprise the fleet that regu
arly plies between New York and the
ports of northern Europe. and the
Mediterranean. Half as many more
run from this city to other parts of
-he world. OF the vast commerce pass ,
n8 through this port. scarcely one
cnth is carried By tramp steamships.
Great liners carrying hundreds of pas
iengers and thousands OF tons of :
reight travel in all the important +,
rade routes. The shipper prefers !
hem, for he knows when his goods
re to leave port and when they win l
rrive at their foreign destination.
heir rates are as low as The tramp /,
an give. their course IN transit is !,
ar swifter ANA more certain and
lme means money 70 the shipper ,
ndcr such circumstances. Thus the
ramp is crowded off the main high !,
'ays and must seek Il living IN ports
'ss well supplied with transportation !,
icilities or in lines Of trade wGerc
me is "a negligible factor.
There are some who affect to see !.
the passing OF the tramp threat =
} the freedom of the sea. They say :
lat 1t is all very fine for the big /"
eamship companies to give more :
cquent and regular sailings and to :,
1t ocean commerce on a more stable '
Id satisfactory footing but that al
ady there are agreements Of rates ="
I'd that ultimately there win be p
onopoly that win exact exorbtant "
tes and make ocean freights as y
silly as is land carriage now in sec v
ms whore competition is lacking.
Experienced shipping men believe III
ut there is no likelihood of any such ia
as this II a railway n
arees eXorbitant rates it is not pos
be to set up "A rival line on short
tiee, but the ocean is "a free high
49, Probably there are agreements
long the great lines To maintain
BILE rates, but these rates must be
pt low or the hawk-lkc tramp. ever
the alert for - profitable opening.
II swoop down and gather In tn,
siness. Thus the tramp while fallen
IN Its former estate. still fulfiUs a
aful purpose in covering the un-
'ten paths Of ocean trade in hand ..
z certain classes Of cargo ANA as a ,r
Eek upon the liner herself. For is
5 reason she is likely to survive m,
many years 10 come pr
--'s'------- ru