The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-05-18
AMPLE TONNAGE FOR
SUGAR SHIPMENTS.
Authority Sees No Chance For
Any Curtailment Of Main
land Imports From War

sugar trade circles have been largely
Interested in the past three weeks both
from atkeoretitai and practical stand
point in the oversee shipping 1tuatioh,
says Facts About Sugar. The entrance
~ the United States on the side of the
Entente Allies has intensified the situa-
tion TO q degree that has called for
'careful analysis Of both present and fl-
ture psospeets relative TO The movement
sf a toanat,A equal 70, thTee.quarters Of
thg total annual sugar supply received
NORMALLY in this country
Disputes Alarmist Reports
Commenting ON this first phase Of
the situation, namely the Immediate
prospects, a prominent steamship man
engaged In the movement Of sugar
shipments 20 the United States has
made the following statement TO Facts
About Sugar;
LII is natural in view of the wide
publicity given to oversee shipping
conditions as now existing that sugar
produced In Cuba, Hawaii, Porto Rico,
the Philippines and as well rs oil pro-
ducing countries n the Western Hem
sphere are more or less disturbed over
the alarmist reports that have been
circulated relative TO the immediate
movement Of their sugar crops t
= They and the sugar trade Of the
United States are Internationally en-
titled 20 q complete knowledge of the
fscts. There n no possibility Of any
c6ftaiIment Of shipments .of sugar
from any, Of these geographical points
that 4 have mentioned occurring in the
immediate future. In the case Of Cuba
pIRctieaIly oneHinH Of the crop has
already been moved and there Is avail.
able tonnage in sight to move all the
balance of the crop. While prevailing
freight rates which are now quoted AT
sixty.fve cents for the north side aud
seyenty-fve cents for the south side
are unquestiohably high. 10 view of the
fact that In addition high war insur.
anee rates are assessed thereto, il must
also. be taken into consideration that
they are At far lower levels than arc
prevailing for the Hatenent ~ n,ha-
products to this aud other countries and
in themselves cannot be rated as detri
mental to the, Interests Of American
consumers and the American sugar
trade. a.
sunicient Tonnage Available Ia
GAS I have previously stated there
Is nnquestiohably snfficient tonnage
available and infsight TO care for the
movement of the balance. Of the Cuban
crop at comparatively low rates fol
several months TO come. What the
future may bring forth in so far as the
fall Of 1917 and early 1918 may b,
concerned can only say that hav,
every belief that this government
working through the agencies Of tn,
shipping Board and the Council o.
National Defense, will provide ade
quately for the free movement of I'll,
I next Cuban crop to this country anC
from, other West Indian points.
/ 1.-THE Porto Rican situation presents
some present diffieuIties, inasmuch a
one local steamship company operating
to this island has Cancelled its contract
With the planters and sugar stocks mr.
piGng up there TO q larger degree thai
Is consistent with the sugar needs O
/ the American market. This condition
however, viii be remedied In sh0r
/ time by the newly created eOmmitte
on shipping appointed BY the Council
Of National. Defense on April 81, o
which Chairman Denmiin of the Fed
eral shipping Board is the head. z,
On this committees are also Fran
/ O. Munson Of the Muhson Steamshi
Line, and NJ, Bun, Of A, II. Bull an
Company. Both of these steamshi
men are concerned largely in thei
steamship interests with the movement
of sugar from Porto Rico, Cuba an
the West Indies to the United States
and I believe that they win prompt
solve the Porto Rican sugar producers
jproblems. In this connection I ais
believe that this committee will us
eyery effort TO safeguard the proml
hoyement Of all sugar shipments |
this country from Western Hemispher
/ points and I see no reason for til
american sugar trade feeling an
alarm over future happenings even
they may represent grave military an
navhI Developments.
Concerning sugar shipments owe
sra from the Hawaiian and Philippin
Islands, 4 feel free to say that there
very little likelihood Of any serioV
trouble being experienced in that qua
y ter. There will be ample tonnage avail
able IN the Pacific Ocean for severl
years 70 come adequately to handle SUI
J plies from these two sources hay
mentioned. - ~ f,Mt ff4NtN W 81.