AMERICAN NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 198, 31 December 1868, Page 2

AMERICAN NOTES.

The New York Journal of Commerce he the following in regard to the movement 01 British capital to cut off San Francisco am. New York from the China trade, by striking a railroad from the western end of the great lakes to Puget Sound: — The public are just now treated to a new move in favour of th Atlantic and Great Western Railroad Company. This was started by British capitalists for their own profit and glory; and the bonds, which have been hypothecated for funds, and ■ upon which the outlay has thus far proceeded, are held on the other side chiefly bj large and responsible firms. We know of nr better way than to leave those gentlemen to extricate themselves by their own resources, and we hope that neither the Erie nor any other American corporation will be drawn in to fill the required gap, .vhile the projectors escape. Opening of a New Free Pobt. — Official notice has been received that the Government of Honduras has declared the portof Amapala, on the island of Tigre, in the Gulf of Fonseca, and but a short distance from the port of La Union (San Salvador), a free port, for the trade of all nations, for twenty years. The Panama Railroad Company's Central American line of steamers will touch at Amapala thrice a month regularly, and an effort is being made to have the United States Government establish a naval coaling depot there. It has a fine harbour, with sufficient ilepth of w ater for the largest vessels at all times. The trade of that part of the coast is increasing steadily, and a considerable commerce is likely to spring up at Amapala. No duties of any kind will be charged on vessels or cargoes entering at that port. -The terminus of the Honduras Transcontinental Railway — if it is ever built — will be on the Bay of Fonseca, and the new free port may yet become a very important point. * The Telegraph is China. — American en-, terprise is soon to construct a telegraph line' in China, improving the advantage of the grant recently obtained from the Chinese Government through Mr Burlinghame. The company is incorporated under the laws of the state of New York, with a capital of 5,000,000 dols. The New York Shipping List says : — This line will touch the great cities of Canton, Macao, Hongkong, Swatow, Amow, Wau-Chu, Ningpo, Hongtcheau, and Shanghai, whose aggregate annual foreign commerce is computed at 900,000,000 dols, with a domestic trade that cannot be ever approximately estimated. Each of these cities has a large resident foreign mercantile population, who 'would at once employ the telegraph, while the acute Chinese traders would most likely do the same to sustain themselves, thus rendering nexj; to certain the immediate success of the undertaking. The foreign commerce of China amounts to 1,600 000,000 dols a year, and is concentrated at the ports named. Vast as this commerce may appear, there is no reason to doubt that it will greatly expand, through the vivifying influence of steam and the telegraph, which, as in more civilised Countries, are destined to go Imnd in hand. The completion of the enterprise, at which we hare thus briefly glanced, is promised within a year, when it is understood the line will be extended to Pekiri.* * Emigration from Japan. — Until the necessary stimulus of a more active commerce, which can only be had by opening the whole country, is given to Japan, her two great resources — tea and silk — will not bo developed in much larger quantities than at present. Until that time arrives, the large surplus population of the country can not be sufficiently employed. It is fortunate, indeed, at this juncture, that an opening has been found for the labouring classes, and they are adventurous and smart enough to embrace the opportunity. The sugar interest of the Hawaiian Islands has long been suffering for want of suitable and sufficient labour. From the Islands, last year, the Government sent D. C. Waterman, Esq., Special Commissioner to Japan, for the purpose of gaining a market for sugars, as well as the labour for raising the same. His excellent judgment and great experience enabled him to accomplish both his purposes. Now the fine and commodious ship Scioto, fitted up with all the com* forts and convenience of a first-class emigrant packet, sailed one day last month, having on board several hundred passengers, an officer of the Japanese Government accompanying the party to see that the terms of the contract are fulfilled, for which, even to the payment of wages, the Hawaian Government holds itself responsible.^ The advantages proposed to the labourer were far superior to what the majority of these people could expect in their own, their native land. Their transit to the islands is secured ; for labourers, 4 dols. per month, ' food, clothing, and medical attendance is guaranteed; 10 dols. advance money paid ; overseers to receive 5 dols. per month. The ;' period of service is fixed at three years. It is to be hoped that the scheme will be a success, as it will be to the material advantage of both peoples. The Minister resident oi : 'M the United States has worried not a little 1 over this affair, and catching the proclamation fever, he comes out in a fulminatior J against the coolie traffic, and cites certair jj acts of Congress contrary to the same.ll Although the war is raging and things arc 2 mixed, there seems to be no adequate occasion j for so much spread-eagleism. 1 The Vine in California. — There art J thirty millions of bearing vines in California with a capacity of fifteen millions of gallom 3 of wine and one million gallons of brandy* which, at the lowest, would represent a yearly j value of 8,000,000 dols., with great increase, When there is a market, the profits of a vine yard greatly excel, because, once in bearing^ the cost of attention is small. *~Tb3\jrfrrejjfl safer for a crop than other agriculture ; —jjH when a brand is known, the price flu'-.;t.,ftS

; little. For, while most countries raise wheat, few have climates for the vine ; and wine in bulk bears the cost of transport better than other products. What organised effort can do is to disseminate information abroad on the vineyards and wines of our State ; the price of bearing vineyards 3 the want of skilled, wine-makers and of wine-factories; the advancing favour of the wines, and all other information. A registry might be kept of vineyards for sale. One of the first services would be to organise companies, under arrangements with v the vineyards, to establish central wine-factories to buy the grapes'ahd make wine. Another would be to promote accord with the dealers and conaumers abroad, to assure them of the purity of our wines. It this be successful, it would enlarge the market so quickly as to double and quadruple our production, and make room for a large emigration from the wine districts of Europe. Land. — The Federal Government is liberal to the poor. It offers a free gift of 1 60 acres of land to every head of a family. He has only to make his home upon it for four years, cultivate it, give the proper notice at the Land Office, and it is his. He may select rich prairie, heavy timber, or land valuable for a town site, no matter, by pursuing a proper course, it will become his. Much has been said lately about large areas in Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Santa Barbara, San Luis, Ohispo, Napa, and other countries, bought up by speculators at Idol 25c per acre. Mest of that land was open to homestead settlers, and the men who could have got it for nothing are now paying high prices for it. There are millions of acres more of the same .kind of land to be had. Every acre of fertile soil between San Diego ' and Siskiyou will be valuable within twenty years, and thfre is no difficulty in finding tracts suitable for farms in nearly every coast country — tractß that are now obtainable under the homestead law, and that will - be-^WH? th- 23 dols per acre within ten, perhaps within five years. Kven if there should be no increase in the value of the land, and if it were to be worth in 1875 no more than the cost of the improvements put on if, it would still offer a better and happier home tban that of the poor man who lives in the city, pays a high rent for a shabby house, and finds himself at the end of year after year without a cent that he can call his own. The city may be the place for the rich, but the poor thrive beat in the country. There a man is prized ; here we have too many of them, and neighbourly feeling is almost unknown."