SOUTH SEA TRADE

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 3628, 7 November 1918, Page 4

SOUTH SEA TRADE

A MULTITUDE OF PORTS

During the past year (says the San Francisco Chronicle) the introduction of the numerous fleet of sailing ships on the waters of the Pacific has brought to light a multitude of ports in the South Seas of which nothing was known a few years ago. it was for a long time the custom to dispatch a cargo to the main port of the central group, and the goods would then be shipped to the various ultimate destinations on the smaller windjammers which plied between the various islands of each group in the capacity of traders.

Much of the trade in the Samoas, Cook, Tonga, Solomon, and other islands was controlled by the German traders, and when these were eliminated as a factor the trade was taken over by the British and Americans. The latter, and especially from San Francisco, have seized the opportunity, and a big tonnage in copra and cocoanut oil has now been diverted to this port. The importers are stijl in doubt concerning the intention of Uncle Sam in limiting the tonnage of copra which may be shipped into the United States by any individual concern. It is believed, however, that the intention is to save the ship tonnage for other purposes. This action would not greatly affect the situation in freighting to other offshore ports where general cargo is handled, because the majority of sailing ships used in the Soutli Sea trade are of the small class, and their combined tonnage will not suffice to relieve the general situation.