Year: 1871

| articles ON the commerce of New Orleans,
at least for the present, by presenting a few
facts and figures which thought should
secure, as they certainly demand, the seri-
| GUS attention of our business men. 1t will
have been observed that in the previous
| letters ! attempted to show that the great
| want of this city was an increase in the
number of steamships and the establish
ment OF regular lines of such vessels be-
tween New Orleans and Liverpool, and
other European ports. In the first letter l
complained that the Legislature had been
abused for granting a subsidy to COM
pany of gentlemen having the above named
object in view. / refer to the Louisiana
Steamship Company. 1t is, of course, well
known that have not one cents worth of
pecuniary interest IN that company, but,
while in the Legislature, voted for the
charter, because l believe that no measure
acted upon by the members could tend in
greater degree to advance the interests of
the whole people, by promoting the general
commercial prosperity of the city and State.
Let us now look at the facts in the case.





the cotton crop will amount to one million
five hundred thousand bales. If we esti-
mate the price at sixty dollars per bale, we
have an aggregate in cash of ninety mil
lions of dollars. If we transport this to
Liverpool in sailing ships, the voyage will
take ninety days. The interest on this sum
for ninety days at eight per cent would be
one million eight hundred thousand dollars.
To which must be added marine insurance
for the same period, at one and half per
cent, or one million three hundred and fifty
thousand dollars; or total of three mil
lions one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars.


The same by steam vessels, allowing
thirty days for the voyage (which is, how
ever, too long,, would make a saving of
two-thirds in the two items of interest and
marine insurance; or, in other words, a saw
ing to the planters of two million one hun
dred thousand dollars. Again, if we had
the direct and certain steam communica
ton talked of, would it be unreasonable to
conclude that at least opefourth more cot
ton would come to this port than is now re-
ceived, and which is now shipped by way of
the Eastl If this conclusion is reasonable,
as we verify believe then there would be
an additional advantage to New Orleans
amounting TO five hundred and twenty-five
thousand dollars more, or an aggregate of
two million six hundred and twenty-five
thousand dollars. To this should be added
charges accruing through the handling Of
the goods and other incidental expenses
connected with the removal of this one
fourth added to our cotton transportation.
or a sum of seven hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars: making total saving of three
million three hundred and seventy-fve
thousand dollars in a single year.


In former letter we spoke of what Chi
cago had done by tapping our main artery
of trade. Is it unreasonable to conclude
that one-half the energy displayed by the
business men of Chicago, added to the ten
fold superior natural advantages which we
certainly possess, would give us at least as
much trade in the articles of grain, pork,
ETC., as that enjoyed by that lusty young
cityl If this be conceded, then we have in
the articles of grain, beef, pork, oil cake,
ETC., as much more added to our commerce
as is given above in the single article of
cotton, or saving to the commerce of our
city of the immense sum of six million
seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars
in single year. To this we may still add
the commerce in rice, sugar, lumber and
other articles of expectation, which, by the
establishment of proper steam communica-
ton, would, on exports alone, certainly
save round ten million dollars per an
NUN to the State of Louisiana


In view of such facts we may well turn
upon those who complain of the extIava-
gance of radical government, who would
grant small subsidy to a responsible com
pany which proposes to establish a line of
steamships designed to accomplish the
above named saving results. Should the
State debt be increased to double its pres
ent constitutional limits and the additional
twenty-five millions be devoted to the build
ing of steamships, the whole would be re-
imbursed in the short space Of two and
half years. But this is not all: The vessels
II,
beef, etc, would, as matter of course, re-
turn laden with European merchandise, by
means of which our merchants would
at once compete with those of New
York and effectually drive them out of this
market, securing monopoly of the whole
trade of the South and West, also the trade
of South America, the islands of the gulf,
and even that of the Pacific coast and the
populous nations of China and Japan, and
thus secure additional advantages in the
return from the last named nations of teas,
silks and other valuable commodities.


1t may, however, be asked whether, with
the advantages to be derived from reliable
steam navigation, we yet could so far COM
pete with our Eastern cities as to secure
this whole trade 1t is well known to our
merchants that a net advantage of one
eighth of one per cent will secure the bal
ance of trade in favor of any port.


In our last we showed how great was the
balance in our favor in the matter of ship
ping grain How is it in the matter of cot
ton! This article is brought here from river
ports at cost of half a cent per pound
and is taken hence to Liverpool at one cent
or total of one and half cent.


When shipped by rail to New York the
freight charges are one and half cent,
and thence to Liverpool from one-quarter to
one half cent, making, in our favor, from