Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-28
TRADE is GROWING DAILY,
SAYS C0lECTOR HAMILTON
Enormous Quantities OF Coal and
Grain 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.

| Trade conditions in Virginia, as seen
through tho eyes OF Collector Norman
r, Hamilton. of the consolidated Gus
toms district OF Virginia, arc particu.
larly bright. Mr.. Hamilton arrived
here yesterday from Norfolk, where
his duties have been heavy on account
OF the peculiar conditions arising
from the European war situation He
Is charged with the important and re-
, Sensible duty OF enforcing neutrality
! In Virginia, and has found II necessary
to remain continuously at Norfolk and
Newport News, where questions Incl
dent to the arrival and departure OF
foreign merchant vessels bring up
/ lsnotty questions daily. Speaking Of
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
mopd Office. and highly commended
/ DEPUTY Collector w. Cay Smith and
the entire force. Mr.. Hamilton said
that. even with the general falling off
! of import business, incident TO the war
I: conditions I'm Europe, tho continued
| collections at laichmond wcro most sat
| isfactory, and that 1t would probably
remain In the million dollar class of
| ports during this fiscal year. The COL
lectons for the first four months In
| the present fiscal year at this port, viz:
| July, August, September and October
amounted to. $33S.a9s.2f. and Mr.. Hamil-
ton said there Is every, reason to be-
! lievc that this ratio will be continued.
IMMENSE SHIPMENTS w.
OF GRAIN BEING MADE
Collector Hamilton said there are
just now fewer foreign ships in lamp
ton Roads than there were lmmcdi-
ltelv ufter tho outbreaks nf no
pcan trouble, but the outlook Is 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 Il big ship finished loading at
Norfolk and Newport News this week
for England with million dollar
general cargo; this was in the usual
and ordinary course of trade. The
Norfolk and Western and Virelnian
| Railways at Norfolk and the Ches2-
peakc 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 as ships are available.
y 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 In September
VERY OPTIMISTIC
REGARDING OUTLOOK
III 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,
the collector said, is already being
felt ut Norfolk and Newport News,
whore vessels are now arriving from
the Pacific Coast. not only for bunker
! coal 10 complete their voyages to Eu-
rope. but with local cargoes. One or
two Norfolk firms. said tho collector,
now have en- route to Hampton Roads
from the Pacific Coast large consign-
ments of canned goods for distribu-
| 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, m n result OF such trade.--is lie
stined to become n great depot for the
importation and distribution of tropi-
cal fruits.
The Hampton Roads cities, he said
are looking to Il 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
well as acting as great deep-water
outlets for vast country. that can
reach the sea via Hampton Roads
ports aeasier and moro directly than In
any other way. He urged that ALWAYS
when 1t is possible. all Virginia ex-
porters see to 1t that their goods are
sent out via Hampton Roads: II will
mean much to the development OF the
Old Doininion's commerce.
TRADE OF SEAPORTS
HAS GROWN RAPIDLY
Figures furnished by Collector Ham
ilton give the following interesting in
Formations: Il
During the fiscal year ended June 30.
1914. there were a total of 4s6 ships
to enter Hampton Roads ports-.Nor-
folk and Newport News-from foreign
ports. bringing Imports valued at ap-
proSimately s6,2l9.S30., or these, ESQ
came into Norfolk. bringing imports
valued ut approximately s2,S3S,559, and
$50 into Newport News. bringing i'm
ports valued at approximately $s,-
Sl,27l.
During the Same period total OF
1.Ib6 vessels cleared from Norfolk and
Newport News with cargoes for foreign
ports, OF which number I,I9S left tho
port Of Norfolk with exports valued at
$io533,S55; and SIS left the port OF
Newport News, with exports valued at
$5.62S,304.
During tho calendar year 1918 the
approximate amount of water-borne
freight tonnage In the port of Norfolk,
exclusive Of that carried by vessels
calling there for bunker coal only: was
l73i9.9is short tons. this valued at
sS66.530.999. The watcr-borne freight
tonnage in transit in vessels calling at
Norfolk for bunker coal only, but
which freight passed twice through
these waters tool IN 4 or n
tons, valued Ut Sl74,329,1l6. Total
water-bornc freight tonnage of the
port of Norfolk for the year 1918
amounted. as itemized above. to 90
fs',So2 this valued at s1,040.S6O,If5.