THE EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2303, 21 April 1898, Page 19

THE EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND TRADE.

(FfiOM Oob Own Correspondent.) Auckland, April 18. In view of the probability cf war between the United States and Spain, a press representa- i tive waited upon the American Consul and ex- I Consul for the purpo«e of ascertaining their j views regarding the effect of such a conflict on j our community. j Mr Frank Dillingham, the United States j Consul, said in answer to questions : "If war ] does break out it will naturally bave the result j of strengthening prices for everything in America. For instance, some years ago wheat was as low as 420. It afterwards advanced to 89c and 90c, and since I left eight months ago it has gone up to Idol 15c a bushel in New York, and if this war breaks out it must rise still higher. During the Franco-Prussian war wheat in the United States advanced to 2dol 87c, and during the American civil war, 35 years ago, it went j even higher than that. War will necessarily j paralyse to an extent all trade of the nations j interested. The Abiel Abbott, which left here | for New York, was delayed some days, really awaiting orders. The captain interviewed me frequently to obtain the latest advices from America as to the probability of war breaking out. He said to me that he would have to paes within 60 miles of Cuba, and of coarse there was danger of the vessel being captured by a Spatsi3b, cruiser if war broke out after he left. I think the greatest danger in the event of war breaking out, so far as merchant vessels are concerned, will be from privateers." Mr J D. Connolly, who for several years was American Consul in this city, being asked what would be the effect on this colony in particular if war broke out, said :—": — " The first outcome of war would be an advance in iuaurauce and shipping freights. The difficulty in gfcttiog vessels to come here direct under those circumstances would result in an advance in the price | of kerosene and ether American goods, while ! on the other hand if the vessels did' not come so frequently, then, ot course, they could not take so much kauri gum as a return cargo. It would increase the cost of kerosene considerably if it had to be sent by rail 3000 miles across the continent and then sent on at steamer rates of freight with war risks added. O£ course the gum could be sent across by British vessels and kerosene brought back, because even if a port was blockaded a foreign vessel would t>3 allowed to pass provided its cargo did not include anything that was contraband of war. With regard, to the San Francisco mail service, the Mariposa, Alameda, and other vessels flying the American flag would be fair prey to Spain in the event of war." The Moana flies the British flag. Could not the others do the same ? " Xfc would be no use if a vessel wag stopped by a Spanish cruiser, even if flying the British flag. The papers would be demanded, and they would show it was an American vessel, and it would at ence be taken. If the vessel were transferred and registered as British they could not be re-entered again on the American register without a special act of Congress. No vessel bougHfc by an American from another country can be registered in the States without the purchasers spending a considerable sum of money upon repairs. In the case of the Australia, for instance, Messrs Spreckels Bros, had to spend about 50,000d0l upon her before she went on the American register, as she was British built. * It may be interesting to set out in come sort of tabular comparison the respective fleets of the United States and Spain. Following to some extent the classification adopted in the "Statesman's Year Book for 1897" the relative strength of the two navies would appear to be as under : —

The above are the totals for ships launched as at December 31, 1898. Of course the Maine has been deducted from the list. Besides the above, America had building on December 31, 1896, five battleships, but no first or second class cruisers, while Spain hod one battleship and four cruisers. The actual fighting streugth, however, is probably best represented by the first class battleships and cruisers of the first and second class. Upon this basis of comparison it will be seen tint while the United States are far superior in battleships the two are not unequa'ly matched in cruisers. Six of the Spanish first class cruisers are new and powerful vessels, with a speed of 20 knots, each armed with two llin and five f^in guns, and protected with a belt of 12in steel armour.

Mr Menzies has resigned the'masterahip of the Obakia School owing to ill-heftlfch, and will settle down in Canterbury. TO EVERYBODY. It concerns &H wl?o appr^ciale goo«J liquor. Woif«'s scb«7&pps i? Irijita.t<i<3, VJjicb is sai<J to be " sii?C«r«st fla-ttery." But in^itatiorjs are rjot Wolfe'? Scbrjapps. AsK for &rj<l se« tfta-t you get Wolfe's— tlje oijty real

First class battleships Port defence shipß... 1 X U.S. 5 19 Spain. 1 1 Total baltleshipß '}' 24 2 First class cruisers Second c!as3 cruisers .i. 5 13 8 6 Total cruisers ... 18 14 Sloops, gunboats, &c. lorpedo craft 26 3 99 38