New-York tribune., 1922-03-12
U. S. Company Gets
Contract for New
Port at Palermo
New Work Comes Within
Program to Make Italy a
Bridge TO the Orient
for American Products

Special Foreign Financial Correspondence
ROME. Feb. IA contract for the
construction of the new port at Paler
mo, Sicily, by the Macarthur Com
pany, an American firm, was signed
February is in the presence of the
United States Ambassador and the
Italian Minister of Public Works. The
value Of the work is 2l4,000, 600 lire
Before the war Palermo was the fourth
important Italian port in goods traffi c
Gin 1913 about 900 tons), and the
third in number of travellers about
100000 a year,, large number of
these being represented by emigants
and persons returning from the United
States.
This help of American capital is ap-
preciated highly, as the island has sew
eral times been severely handicapped.
Following the Messina earthquake,
with it's 10000 deaths, Sicily CON
tTibuted larger percentage of the men
to the war than any other Italian
province. Because of the lack of large
industries practically all the male pop
ulation was called out
In 1880 the arrival of the first Amer
lean wheat shipments in Europe pro-
duced serious crisis in the agricul-
tural production of the island IN
1900 Luisiana and Texas sulphur
started competition fatal to the
Sicilan industry, and lastly, during
recent years, Scilian oranges and
lemons. have had to give place in many
markets to the products Of California
and Florida.
The future promises we'll, however,
for Siciians have given proof in
africa (Tunis) and in North and South
America of an extraordinary ability
for hard work. The farmers are known
as ideal tenants"
The initiative of American capital
comes within the political and eco
nonic program of some of our states
men, that is, to render Italy bridge
! for the Oriental markets, which still
] possess enormous capacity of absorb
! ing American products. The port OF
Palermo will be complete with eleva-
tors, cranes, general stores, free tran
sit customs, all of which are at pres
ent lacking.
The sulphur industry is passing
through severe crisis. Up to the first
years of the present century, before
the sulphur beds were discovered ir
the United States. it was practically
an Italian monopoly and more exactly
/ Siciian. In 1847 diplomatic relations
tween England and the Kingdom OF
Naples on account OF the Bourbon gov
ernment stopping the sulphur export.
Sulphur production reached in 1906
the maximum Of 527 900 tons. Not
withstanding an agreement with the
/ Union Sulphur Company of Texas. it
( fell to 296000 tons in 1920 and export
was l4S,000 tons. following the de-
crease Of prices in freights which en-
abled the American sulphur to pene-
trate even to the French market. Quite
different from the policy OF the Bour-
bon government, the italian govern
ment now maintains the prohibition on
imports from abroad, fearing the COM
petition Of American sulphur on the
Siciiian market itself.
About $4,000 workmen arc enployed
in the Sicilian mines, and If the cost
of production were reduced By means
Of mechanical drilling methods and the
organization Of the sales and trans
ports were improved the sulphur in
dustry could still be profitable and
beat at least the japanese sulphur on
the markets of Eastern Europe and
Australia Last months expectation
decreased further, and it is especially
necessary to renew the agreement with
the American producers.