BULK GRAIN CARGOES.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1946, 20 May 1880, Page 2

BULK GRAIN CARGOES.

In round numbers, 100,000,000 bushels ot grain were exported from the port of New York during the past year, 1879, which in magnitude is exceptional in our history, 40,000,000 bushels of this having been exported by steamers. The average annual shipments bv steam from New New York, previous to 1877, were 20 000,000 bushels. The excess over this has brought into the North Atlantic trade a large fleet of freight steamers from the Mediterranean and other sources, some of them, not inaptly called "ocean tramps," very l'ghtly constructed and ill-pre-pared to stand the severe storms of the Atlantic when loaded with their dead weight of grain. Of these a large number have succumbed to the force of the elements. Another bad feature in connection with this class _cf vessels has been the attempt to economise in fitting them for loading their cargoes Previous to 1877 they were obliged to oomply with the well settled rules of our local underwriters. But their owne-s and agents raised such a hue and cry against our high port charges that the underwriters waived these rules in regard to iron vessels, and put the onus of protecting tha cargo en the ship, with what result the record of 1879 will show. The plaint comes forth from the owners of these very ships that the losses have been so great that they must take some action themselves, or have their Government enact laws to compel them to take proper care of their property. The steamers of the regular lines have carried their cargoes without fault or complaint, and we heir of none of them being lost carrying grain. This is because they have always besn properly fitted; no fals e e 'onoray having been adopted in preparing them for carrying grain in bulk.ja very small percentage of their cargoes having been Bhipped in bags. The outside steamers have repeatedly violated the British Merchant Shipping Act in loading bulk grain at this port, bulk grain has been taken in the lower hold of some of these steamers without a shifting plank being near it, although the grain has in most cases been covered, or had a general cargo stowed upon it to fasten it down. The whole trouble with those steamers, and especially those owned on the east coast of England, has been the false economy of their owners in having the underwr.ters" rules waived in favor of iron ships. They are now seeking a remedy for the evil they complain of that will involve an expense of five times the amount it would have cost them to comply with the underwriters' rules, which had furnished all the safeguards for ship and cargo during the many years they have b?en in force. The remedy they seek to apply to their own vessels they also want applied to all British tonnage, with the expense that will follow it, should they engage in the grain-carrying trade. I here is now in prictical applicatien and operation an improved system of carrying cargoes of grain in bulk, and it comes as near the point of absolute safety as it is possible to be done. It hab been amply tested and proved itself. Therefore, the owners of theae transient steamers should comply with the established rules of this port, instead of appealing for relief to Parliament, which has no mwer°to grant it.—" New York Shipping List," Jan. 21th.