OBSTACLES TO TRADE WITH VANCOUVER’S ISLAND.

New Zealander, Volume XXII, Issue 2393, 1 April 1865, Page 4

OBSTACLES TO TRADE WITH VANCOUVER’S ISLAND.

We have received through the courtesy of Capt. Hellon of the Ellen Lewis, several pap rs published in Vancouver’s Island, from which we make the following extracts. Last April the Ellen Lewis was chartered by Vessrs Younghusband and Co. to bring a cargo of timber from Paget Sound, but on her arrival there tie captain found that the American Government had laid an embargo on foreign vessels, wh ch placed him in considerable difficulty. Orrr extracts will show how this difficulty was overcome, and will also be of use to merchants chartering vessels to Vancouver’s Island : The Ellen Lewis cleared from New Zealand in July last, arriving at Port Angelos a week or two ago. On arriving there Capt. Hellon was surprised to leant for the first time that the navigation of the Sound was closed to his ship, and that he would not be permitted to proceed to Port Ludlow for a cargo of lumber. His mon. y and his papers they were ready enough to tike; but even the most ordinary protection was withheld. Two passeng.rs who shipped with him were, by agreement, to be carried to Puget Sound; and yet, although the authorities would not permit the ship to proceed to Port Ludlow, where these passengers desired to go, they insisted upon Capt. Hellon carrying them there or else paying them 25d1. each. This he of course demurred to ; but one of the men, by the application ot ‘ mob law,’ succeeded in flinching 25d1. from him although he appealed to the Collector for protecti n. The other passenger, having appealed to the other law came on board with the Marshall for the purpurpose of enfoicing a similar demand. The officer was, however, compelled to admit, upon examination of the articles of agreement, that the man had not claim whatever upon the captain, and so he was defeatelinhis object. Had he chosen the course taken by his comrade, however, there is no doubt that the result would have been the same. Capt. Hello* is our authority for the above particulars and he is naturally desirous that the s'ate of affairs, on Puget Bound as respects foreign shipping should be made as generally known as possible, so that others may be put on their guard against clearing for that place uncer the erroneous idea that they wi,l either be permitte I to navigate its waters or receive the ordinary protection which the subjects of one civilised nation have a right to expect from another.” British Columbian, September 21. “ Ihe British barque ■ lien Lewis, A. Hellon, master, has complete 1 the loading of British Columbian timber and spars, and will depart in a day or two for Adelaide, Australia. The quality of lumber she takes will convince onr Australian friends that we can furnish them with a superior article and upon more favourable terms than our neighbours of Puget Bound cun. To the energy and enterprise of Captain Hellon we shall ever be indebted for opening up the trade with oar sister colonies which, we have every reason to believe will be of lasting benefit to them and ourselves. It will be remembered that the Ellen Le vis was the first of the foreign ships stopped by the Collector at Port Angelos, under orders from Washington prohibiting foreign vessels from proceeding above the port of entry for cargoes. By the laws of the United States foreign vessels are prohibited from c asting,and it is held by those now in ai thority at Washington that it is coasting for any vessel to proceed beyond the port of entry on American waters. After the Ellen Lewis and others were stopped influences were brought to be ;r upon Mr. Secretary Fessenden (who had just at that time gore into office) to have the prohibition raised. That official telegraphed some 20 days after the Ellen Lewis was stopped to the collector at Port Angelos, W.T., to permit foreign vessels to load as heretofore until further orders, without giving any opinion upon the law, or of intimating how longbefore further or 1 era might be received, thus leaving foreign ships liable at any time to be delayed by a counter order from the Executive. The Ellen Lewis had three weeks previously crossed to this side, and was engaged in loading at the Burrard’s Inlet Mills. British laws place no such obstacles in the way of foreign ships visi ing any of our ports, and now that it is practically demonstrated that we can furn;sb cargoes of superior quality of lumber, it will be to the advantage of shipmasters to resort here; and should they do so, the well-known enterprise of our citizens warrants ns in saying that they will be put to no unnecessary delay in procuring cargoes. As to supplies, this being a free port, every article required can be had here at less rates than our neighbors can furnish it, owing to the w.r tariff. The agents of the Ellen Lewis in San Francisco, witT a narrow mindedness which does them no credit withhold the funds prepared by the Ellen Lewis's charterers for the payment of her cargo (which fnnds they acknowledged to the captain that they have in hand), thus placing an obstacle in his way, and putting the charterers to unnecessary expense. The agents allege that the captain of the Ellen Lewis was hasty in seekin: a cargo at a foreign port instead of at Port Lndlow, for which she was originally bound, i n the contrary, however, the captain having failed to get the slightest assurance from the Collector that the embargo would be raised, proceeded to Port Ludlow to consult the consignees; bat finding them absent, he was left to his wits to devise means for getting a cargo. If the prohibition had not been raised, and the cap'ain had been less prompt, he migh have been compelled to leave without a cargo, as other ships situated in the same way would not ha . e secured the cargo which he has now on board his vessel, which, by the way, was procured at one of onr smallest mills, which has not the facilities for fur .ishing a cargo with the same de-patch that our larger mills will afford. Notwithstanding the action < f the San Francisco agents, Captain Hellon, through his agents here (Messrs. Pickett & o.) has been enabled to remove all obstacles, and the Ellen Lewis is now ready to proceed on her voyage. We wish her and her energetic captain a successful vuyage, and a speedy return to our shores. — Vancouver’s Is 7 and l)aily Chronicle , Nov. 17.