The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-16
Mr.. Hurley Sees the South Ameri-
can Opportunity.

Chairman HUXLEY of the Shipping
Board, whose faith in the future OF
the American merchant marine Is
abiding, evidently sees the opportu-
nifty, pointed to by THE Sun the other
day, to make friends with South
America and its trade by using some
of the seized German ships between
our ports and the eastern ports OF
the southern continent.
As THE SUN remarked, huge YES
sells like the Imperator, built strictly
for the North Atlantic ferry, are not
adaptable to the South American har-
bors; but there are. several former
German ships-the Washington des-
patches this morning mention particu-
lnrly the Mount Vernon, the Agamem-
non and the Won Steuben-which are
perfectly suited for the quick estab-
lishment of a line that will carry
passengers, freight and mails'to South
American ports with a speed hitherto
unknown in that lane of travel.
A fast line to South America will do
more than increase the available tom
mage between the Yankee and Span
ish American worlds. 1t will re-
move that dread which has existed
among the business men on both sides
of the equator of embarking on a
long, slow voyage.
The three ships mentioned as being
In Mr.. HURLEY's minds eye for the
New York feet of the new line are
all fast. The Mount Vernon, formerly
the Kronprinzessen Cecilie, and the
Agamemnon, erstwhile the Kaiser
Wilhelm H., do twenty-three and one
half knots; while the Won Steuben,
which was the Kronprinz Wilhelm
and q raider early in the war, does
twenty-three knots. Their bunker ca
pacities, which range from 7,1O5 tons
in the Mount Vernon to 4,430 in the
Won Steuben, are ample for steaming
from New York to Bahia, or even to
Rio. Indeed, with fair luck the
Mount Vernon could make Buenos
Ayres in n direct trip, for her usual
speed would take her over that course
of 5,S6S miles in ten and half days
and her bunkers hold eleven days
supply. If that margin be too close
the Mount Vernon might be fitted with
additional fuel space, as the Agamem
non has been fitted, there being plenty
of room for coal in the space now
taken up by cabins for 40 third elias:
passengers or else coaling could be
done at Bahia, Rio or Santos.
The vessels suited for the new lines
including the three which We have
named and which would sail from thi'
port, are still in the transport service
but hope is expressed that the frs
ship of the proposed lines will sal
from New Orleans in about month
The sooner the better, and particu
larly with regard to the steamers
which will run from New York. 81
far as the general relations between
the United States and the Soutl
American republics are concerned THU
Is the most important American port
The business men of both continent
who will take advantage of a new
era in north and south passenge
traffic will sail to and from New York
which is five hundred miles nearer t.
the east coast of South America thai
New Orleans Is.
THE Sun wishes Mr.. HURLEY tn
best of luck with this experiment
which ought to show whether it i
worth while trying to balance gu
trade sheets with South America
whether we, liberal buyers from, can
not become the principal sellers to
peoples who have not yet been weane,
commercially from Europe.
In any event, the enterprise ough
to make friends.