OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9186, 16 October 1888, Page 6

OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

[from our special correspondent.] San Francisco, September 24. The R.M.s.s. Mariposa has been delayed until to-day, owing to an accident to the s.s. Aurania, which broke her shaft at Queenstown, and, being a slow vessel, could not make up the detention before arriving at New York. Although she reached the latter port on Monday, September 17, her mails were not forwarded thence till the evening of the following day, thus causing a further delay of 24 hours, and making two days' detention. Each succeeding month shows the necessity for changing your Atlantic service to the steamers Etruna and Umbria. Arrangements are being made for the payment of the increased subsidy promised by the United States. The actual amount to be paid.will be 46,000 dollars per annum, as the postal law will only permit of sea postage being given to steamers flying foreign fiag6, as the Zealandia. The reduction made might have been larger, but 1000 dollars per quarter was finally agreed upon by all parties interested. A contract has been signed between tho United States Postal Department and the Oceanic Steamship Company for the year's service, the payments from the former to be made to the latter, who will account therefor to the 2> ! ew Zealand Government, as provided by the terms of the existing contract. This should effectually obviate any attempted effort to avoid and repudiate the agreement. Another change has been made in the overland railroad service. There is now but one through train daily, leaving here at three p.m., so that the mail steamers must arrive in time to forward the mails overland at that hour on Saturday. They will then reach New York at six p.m. on the following Friday in time for the next day's steamer to Queenstown. The time occupied from San Francisco to New York is six days. But from New York to San Francisco the schedule time is five days, the mails leaving the former city at ten a.m., and arriving here at eleven a.m. on the fifth day. That is the schedule time, but ever since this new time-table went into effect the mails have never once arrived in San Francisco on time. Once they were only half an hour late, but more frequently ten and twelve hours behind. SOME MARIPOSA MATTERS. Denis Donohue, Her Majesty's Consul nt San Francisco, has forwarded to John D. Spreckels and Bros., owners of tho s.s. Maripos.i, a copy of a dispatch received from Lord Salisbury, through Sir Lionel West, Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, to the effect that the British Government has been pleased to make the following awards, viz. : —To Captain H. M. Hayward a piece of plate, to Chief Officer Hart a gold shipwreck medal, to each of four sailors a silver shipwreck medal and the sum of £2 in cash. This recognition on the part of Her Majesty's Government is for services rendered to British subjects, who were castaways on Palmyra Island, from the wrecked barque Henry James, and who were saved by the Mariposa. The men rewarded are the four sailors who put off in the boat with the chief officer to convey the castawavs from the island to the steamer. Considerable satisfaction was expressed in San Francisco at this recognition accorded to an American vessel. Mr. Hart, chief officer of the Mariposa, who brought the steamer to San Francisco on her last trip, received a valuable eold watch and pendant (a compass) from hb passengers. Captain Hayward, though absent, is not forgotten, and his friends are delighted at his success over the Sydney men. The Mariposa met with a mishap a week ago when lying alongside the wharf. She had commenced to take in cargo, when thirty inches of water were discovered in her hold. The water had been running in all night owing to one of the valves not having been turned off properly. Had it been left open entirely the steamer would have sunk at her dock. It has been impossible to ascertain who was actually responsible for such gross carelessness, each man trying to put the blame on to another. The cargo was discharged, and the damage found to be slight, chiefly to some bran and a few cases of salmon which the company had to make good. SOME BUSINESS POINTS. Shippers of wool from the colonies to eastern points in the United States have always been handicapped in sending their wool via San Francisco by the very high rates charged by the railroads. Mr. Spreckels has Frequently endeavoured to obtain a reduction so as to secure some freights for his steamers when homeward bound, pointing out that as the bulk of the railroad traffic consisted in shipping goods from the East to San Francisco, it would pay the railroads better to take return freight at a low rate than to send their cars back empty. But their policy has always been to squeeze all tho juice out of the lemon ; and, if they gave a low rate, they would not guarantee it for any definite time, and the chances were that freights would have doubled by the time a. shipment reached this port. But a concession has just been obtained which may enable shipments of wool, if immediately contracted for, to be made to Eastern points. A through rate from the colonies to Boston is now quoted at 35 dollars per ton, a reduction of 10 dollars per ton. The railroads guarantee this rate, their proportion being 25 dollars per ton on all contracts that the Oceanic Company may make immediately. By the Canadian railroads an offer is made of So dollars 50 cents per ton. The shipment of apples is in full swing, the s.s. Mariposa taking down 7500 cases, besides a very full cargo of general merchandise. It is always a surprise why New Zealand people do not ship apples and penis to San Francisco at the proper season. If it pays to send them from here to the colonies when your fruit is out of season, it would equally as well pay your growers to ship to California, where there is a large market and good demand when we have no fruit in season. You should pack the fruit in the same way as American shippers do to ensure safe delivery, and in point of flavour and appearance of the fruit you would lose nothing by comparison with the California product, although this is considered the fruit country of the world. There arc many varieties of apples grown in New Zealand that are unknown here, and would be a veritable luxury. POLITICAL PROCEEDINGS. The Tariff Bill remains it xlatit quo. It ■was referred to the Senate Committee, and there it remains, though the Republicans are said to bo preparing another tariff measure in committee. It seems doubtful now whether any definite action will bo taken this session, the Democratic Bill, as passed by tho House, being permitted to go before the country as a campaign document. Several private Bills have been introduced with a view of obtaining some tariff legislation, one being to place on the free list all timber, plank deals, and other articles of sawn lumber, hubs blocks, staves, pickets, laths, ahinglos, and logs. Published tables show that the total appropriations for the current fiscal year, not including permanent appropriations, amount to 306,000,000 dollars, while the permanent appro-

nriations amount to 115,000,000 dollars more, making a total of 421,000,000 dollars. The estimated revenue is 440,000,000 dollars, thus leaving comparatively little surplus. Tho expenditures during Cleveland's administratration exceed by 95,000,000 dollars tho expenditures of Garfield's and Arthur's administration. A sum of 5,322,000 dollars has been appropriated for fortifications, a furthor provision authorising the expenditure of 6,000,000 dolla'-s for the purchase of guns, submitted by private firms or persons, and found to be of value. The naval appropriation provides for the building of seven new vessels at a cost of 10,000,000 dollars, exclusive of armament and premiums for increased speed. There is to be one armoured cruiser of 7000 tons, to cost 3,500,000, exclusive of armament, which is to be 12-inoh. She is to steam 19 knots, and will be the most powerful of the new cruisers. There is to bo one armoured steel cruiser of 5,300 tons, costing 1,800,000 dollars, and two armoured steel cruisers of 3000 tons, each costing 1,100,000 dollars. The first of these is to have a speed of 20 knots, and the other two 19 knots, with 50,000 dollars premium for each quarter of a knot above, and 50,000 dollars forfeit for each quarter of a knot below the guaranteed number of knots. There are also to be three steel gunboats or cruisers, each to cost 700,000 dollars. All the estimated costs given are exclusive of armament, and the construction of these vessels should keep the American shipbuilding yards busy for some years to come. The outbreak of yellow fever in Florida has necessitated a vote'of 200,000 by Congress to prevent it from spreading, and a further sum of 100,000 dollars for the relief of the sufferers. Nearly 2000 cases have occurred, a few being outside of Florida among people who had left there, including Professor Proctor, the astronomer, who died in New York from the dreadful disease. THE CHINESE QUESTION. News has just been received that the Emperor of China has declined to sign tho new Treaty passed by Congress for the purpose of preventing an influx of Chinese Labour. A fortnight ago it was reported from London that such was the case, and President Cleveland, ill his desire for popularity at election time, had an Exclusion Act hurriedly prepared and introduced in the House by a Democratic representative. This Bill was immediately passed by both House and Senate, nobody being more surprised than the President, who discovered that he had received no official information as to the refusal of the Emperor of China to sign the Treaty, and there was another far more stringent measure already passed. By a motion to re-consider in the Senate further delay was obtained, but this point was disposed of, and still the Emperor made no sign. Then the Democratic representative, who wa3 instructed to deliver the Bill to the President for his signature, calmly put it in his pocket, and said he would deliver it when it suited him. This caussd a further delay, and notice of the refusal of the Emperor of China to agree to the Treaty was received today, after which the Exclusion Bill wa» handed to the President. The text of this Bill is that no Chinese labourer shall be permitted to enter the United States, whether he has been a prior resident or not, and if those now here should leave, they cannot return. No certificates shall be issued, and all that have been issued, permitting Chinese to return, are declared void. This means total exclusion of Chinese labourers. The law will be tested in Court, as it is claimed that it is unconstitutional, and it is held that at least those Chinese to whom return certificates have been issued must be permitted to return. On the Hawaiian Islands the Chinese question is creating trouble. The Legislature has passed a law compelling Chinese merchants to keep their books of account in Hawaiian or some European language, also refusing to renew their business licenses. Other laws have been framed aimed at labourers, but their passage is doubtful, as the Chinese held a mass meeting, protested against the proposed legislative action, pointed out that they numbered over 20,000 strong, and that China spent millions of dollars annually on men-of-war to protect her citizens, and also raised a lobbying fund. It is thought that one of these reasons, possibly the last, will be sufficient to " influence , ' Hawaiian legislators to reconsider the matter. Tiie Oceanic Company's steamers still carry Chinese firemen, but it is generally thought that Mr. Spreckels will snip white men in their place if the present opposition in the colonies is withdrawn. He was in the habit : of employing nothing but white men until i they attempted to run his steamers, and he is willing to do so again, but no threats will make him do so. If matters run smoothly, without open hostilities on the part of the Unions, then it will not be long before the objectionable Celestial makes way for white men shipped in San Francisco. THE SAMOAN SITUATION. Considerable interest has been aroused by the news that open hostilities had broken out between the Germans and Samoans, and it is believed that the ultimate result will be the acquisition of the group of islands by Germany. The first defeat of the Germans will not, it is thought, remain unavenged, and those of the Samoans who refuse to lay down their arms will be slaughtered remorse lessly. The United States Consul to Samoa, Mr. Sewell, arrived here by the Mariposa on leave of absence, and is now in the East, and it is thought that the Germ-ins took advantage of his departnre to try and attain their ends, as he always refused to recognise or support them in their former action. Anticipating that the United States Government would desire to communicate with Samoa as quickly as possible, Mr. H. J. Creighton, your Government agent here, telegraphed to Washington, and offered to ! detain the Mariposa, tor twenty-four hours, so as to enable Mr. Sewell to catch the steamer or the Government to forward despatches. Tho detention, however, was not needed, as Rear-Admiral Kimberley was in San Francisco, and he received instructions to immediately despatch a United States man-of-war to Samoa. He has accordingly sent word to the U.S.s. Nipsic, lying at Callao, to proceed with all haste to Samoa for the purpose of protecting American interests on those Islands. The next news thence is awaited with considerable interest. ODDS AND ENDS. Colonel Spreckels' beet suear factory in California will commence operations on October Ist. Less than a year will have elapsed from the time that Mr. Spreckels first met the farmers at Watsonville, and the beet factory has been erected, all the machinery imported, and 2500 acres of land are cultivated in beets. Samples have been analysed showing a higher saccharine percentage than beets grown in Germany. Everything points to an unqualified success. John L. Sullivan, the world-renowned sloggor, is dangerously ill, suffering from gastric fever and throat trouble. The estate of tho late Charles Crocker, the railroad magnate, is valued at 25,000,000 dollars. An attempt was made to steal the body of Maxwell, who was recently hanged for the murder of Preller. The robbers escaped, but their grave-robbing tools were captured. Over 500,000 cons of coal have been received at San Francisco within the past week, but there is comparatively little on the way. The retail price has advanced to 20 dollars per ton, cargo lots selling at from 12 to 14 dollars. The White Star Line is building two steamers at Belfast which are to cross eh-3 Atlantic in five days. The now City ot New York was eight and a-half days on her iast trip, so has not yet distinguished herself. Jackson, the Australian coloured boxer, is giving sparring exhibitions throughout the country with Godfrey, whom he lately defeated. Jackson is to fight Jem Smith, tho English champion, in San Francisco for a purse of 5000 dollars, put up by the California Athletic Club. O'Connor is now champion sculler of America, as Teenier was unable to find a backer for 1000 dollars, to enable him to meet O'Connor. Johnson, the English champion, swam five miles against, and defeated, Leary, of Pittsburg, at Coney Island. Tho time was lh. with wind .aid tide against the .swimmers. Lester Wallack, the veteran New York actor, has died of apoplexy. Ex-Judge Terry recently drew a knife in Court against tho Marshal ot San Francisco, who was removing Mrs. Terry, bv order of the Court, for passing insulting remarks upon Judge Field when delivering tho opinion of the Supremo Court against hor in her claim for alimony and half the property of the late William Sharon, wnose wifo she claimed to l)e on the face of a written contract of marriage. Terry was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and his wifo to thirty days, for contempt of Court. Tho Grand Jury has since found four indictments against tho exJudge and two against his wife. The American Continent has been visited by disastrous storms and fires. Tho village or Pinogana, Darien, was almost totally burned, only fifteen houses being left standing. Baltimore suffered from a two million dollar blaze in the business part of the city. San Diego, in California, was similarly atllicted to the extent of half-a-million dollars. Baksr City, in Oregon, has been wiped out by tire. It remained, however, for San Francisco to beat the record, almost the whole of five blocks being consumed on Sunday afternoon, September 8. The burued portion of the city includes from Beal-street to the water front, and was occupied by factories, coal and lumber yards. The loss is estimated at two million dollars, and would have been much more, but for the cheap character of the old wooden buildings. The cotton crop has been damaged 25 per ! cent, by storms and tho cotton rotting 1

iii tho pod, Fruit, crops have been lost in tho 15ast. Now York suffered from a severe hail stonn, and tho Eastern States gonorally worn swept by a hurricane, the greatest damage boiHR done to the shipping. The Mexican railroad track has boon flooded and all triitlio suspended, besides soveral small villages being washed away. Cuba has, however, boon the severest sufferer. Vessels of all classes were- destroyed, wharves washed away, stone buildings demolished, and soveral hundred lives lost, the total value of property destroyed being estimated at fully ten million dollars.