The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-10-14
Pacific Mail Ceases Operations


was going out Of business because uf
the LaFollette seamen's law passed by
the last democratic congress, 10 take
effect November 4,h, next, certain ad'
ministration officials declared this was
huge bluff on the part Of that com
pany, intendec solely for political effect.
A report Of Consul General George
E. Anderson, Hong Kong, China, re-
Gently made public, indicates that the
Pacific Mail company was in deadly
earnest. The five American vessels
known as the trans-Pacifc feet have
been disposed Of. Their tonnage ag-
gregates a triAe over 100000, which
Secretary Redfeld should deduct from
his next report on the growth oil the
American merchant marine, il he does
not wish to distort the truth.
Mr.. Anderson goes on to say: The
sale Of the vessels Of the Pacific Mail
Steamship Co., engaged in the trans
Pacific service, has precipitated crisis
in the carrying trade Of the far east as re-
lated IN trans-Paciic service which is
Of the greatest possible practical i'm
portance to American exporters and
importers interested in far eastern trade.
The personnel Of the stats in various
Offices have been given notice Of non
employment and the Americans en-
ployed in various Offices have been
given similar notice, with an indication
Of what steamers they are to take for
their return TO United states and notice
ol no employment when they reach
the United States. In HoDgkong the
Offices OF the company are TO be closed
and the lease Of an ptionally lavor
able Office location has been taken
ever by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, a
competing Japanese company. The
business OF the company, in short, is
being wound up Immediately" Does
that look like bluff
Mr.. Anderson evidently realizes how
distasettul the subject is to Secretary
Redfeld, when he states: While it
is not competent to discuss in consular
report the causes or circumstances in
the United States which have brought
about the winding up Of the business
Of this company on the Pacific, there
are certain practical and immediate
results Of the change which must be
taken into consideration by American
business men interested in the trade
Of the Orient in any way or to any de-
gree. and, indeed, by all interests con-
cerned in American trade abroad in
general"
The consul general names three
Japanese lines, all heavily subsidized
by their government, which are making
every effort to seize the trade Of this
American company as it relinquishes
it, business. He calls attention to
the fact that the Robert Dollar line
has given up the run from the United
States to China, and the routing oi
the one vessel operated by the Great
Northern Co. has been changed to
Canada. He then recalls the fact that
during the acute tonnage shortage oil
last spring the Japanese government
ordered the Japanese lines Gall sub
sidized) to take freight during Ger
tain months from japanese ports only,
thus serving Japanese industries and
Japanese shippers in preference 10
other shippers in the Far East, and oI
course, without any reference 10 Ameri'
can interests in the premises, and re.
marks that If, when the strain on
freight facilities actually is realized
this autumn, the japanese Govern.
men, adopts the same policy with re.
spect to Japanese cargo and products
it adopted the past spring and sum-
mer, namely, to eonfne the cargo
space offerings in all ships Of Japanes,
lines 10 Japanese ports until such ports
are fully served, there will De no cargo
whatever taken TO the west coast OF the
United States from Hongkong ant
South China generally, from the Philip
pines, North China, or from India ant
the Eas, Indies BY usual trans-ship
ment at Hongkong". And our Chi
nese export trade will be parslyzed.