Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-28
TRADE is GROWING DAILY,
SAYS COLlECTORHAM|LTO
Enormous Quantities OF Coal Ynd
Grnin Leaving Hampton Roads
for Europe.
BRIGHT BUSINESS OUTLOOK
Customs Collector Believes Richmond
Will Remain in Million Dollar
Glass, Despite War Conditions.
South American Trade Increasing.

South American Trade Increasing.
Trade conditions in Virginia, as seen
through the eyes OF Collector Norman
r. Hamilton. of the consolidated Gus
toms district of Virginia, are. particu.
larly bright. MIR. Hamilton arrived
!. here yesterday from Norfolk, where
his duties have been heavy IN account
OF tho peculiar conditions arising
from the European war situation. Hc
, is charged with the important and re-
! sonsiblc duty Of enforcing neutrality
! In Virginia, and has found 1t necessary
| to remain continuously at Norfolk and
Newport News. where questions incl
dent TO the arrival and departure OF
, foreign merchant vessels bring up
conditions In the district under his
supervision, Mr.. Hamilton said ,yester-
day that he was pleased with the fine
| condition in which he found the Rich
mond Office. and highly commended
! Deputy Collector w. Gay Smith and
that even with the general falling off
of import business. incident to the war
/; conditions In Europe, tho continued
collections at IiichmonI were most sat
isfactory, and that 1t would probably
remain In the million dollar class of
d
lcctions for the first four months In
the present fiscal year at this port, Wiz:
July, August, September and October,
amounted to S3SS.?9S.24 and Mr. l1amil-
ton said there is every reason to be-
lieve that this ratio will be continued.
IMMENSE SHIPMENTS
OF GRAIN BEING MADE
Collector Hamilton said there are
just now fewer foreign ships In Hamp-
ron Roads than thOrN ppr II 4
ately after tho outbreak of the Euro
pean trouble, but tho outlook lis good
for a great export business from Nor
folk and Newport News In the very
near future. The Chesapeake and
Ohio Railway is preparing to send for
ward great quantities of grain from
Newport News. and there Is now much
cotton and lumber on storage at Nor
folk awaiting shipment Mr.. Hamil-
! ton said a big ship finished loading at
Norfolk and Newport News this week
for England with Il half million dollar
general cargo; this was in the usual
and ordinary course of trade. The
Norfolk and Western and NirE inian
Railways at Norfolk and the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railway at Newport
News have OIL hand unusually large
quantities of bituminous coal ready
for dumpage into foreign bottoms for
export as soon ~ ships are available.
a large amount OF coal, Mr.. hamilton
said, is, ofs course, being sent out all
the while from these piers, but the
coal business during November was
not as large as I'm Septcmber.
VERY OPTIMISTIC
REGARDING oUTLooK
] In discussing business generally
| Collector Hamilton was most optimis-
tic He said every Indication pointed
to an early period of great prosperity.
| The opening up of the Panama Canal
81 10 n1r 1,.,fr,
felt ut Norfolk and Newport News.
where vessels are now arriving from
the Pacific Coast, not only for bunker
coal 10 complete their voyages to Gu-
rope. but with local cargoes. One or
1.-TWO Norfolk firms. said the collector,
! now have en- route to Hampton Roads
from the Pacific Coast large consign-
ments of canned goods for distribu-
ton from Norfolk, South American
fruit is also being brought into Hamp-
ton Roads to some little extent fol-
| lowing the Panama Canal opening,
and Mr.. Hamilton believes that Nor
| folk, as result of such trade-is de-
stined to become great depot for the
| importation and distribution of tropi-
cal fruits.
are looking to a large trade generally
| with South American countries Nor
folk and Newport News are girding
themselves for more manufacturing
industries, looking to the sending out
of their own manufactured products as
we'll as acting as great deep-Water
outlets for vast country that can
reach the sea via Hampton Roads
ports easier and moro directly than in
any other way. He urged that always
when 1t Is possible. all Virginia, ex-
| porters see to it that their goods are
sent out via Hampton Roads: 1t will
mean much to the development of the
Old Dominions commerce.
TRADE OF SEAPORTS
HAS GROWN RAPIDLY
Figures furnished by Collector Ham
ilto1 give the following interesting in
formation:
During the fiscal year ended June 40,
1914. there were n total of 466 ships
to enter Hampton Roads ports--Nor-
| folk and Newport News---from foreign
ports. bringing imports valued at APP
proXimatcly s6,2l9.S30. or these, 2s6
| came into Norfolk. bringing imports
valued at approximately $2.S3S.559, and
$50 into Newport News, bringing i'm
ports valued at approximately s3,-
| 3Sl.271.
During the same period total OF
1856 vessels cleared from Norfolk and
! Newport News with cargoes for foreign
ports, Of which number 1898 left the
port of Norfolk with exports valued at
Sl9,533.S55. and 55S left the port of
Newport News with exports valued at
$5.628,30i.
During the calendar year 1918 the
approximate amount OF water borne
freight tonnage In the port Of Norfolk,
exclusive of that carried by yesseIs