PORTS OF VENEZUELA
With an increasing commerce and steady betterment of domestic economic conditions, the ports of Venezuela are rapidly assuming a position that for continued development and general good condition has never been equalled in the history of the country. All countries recognize the vital economic value of ports and with few exceptions can gauge their own prosperity by the nature and number of their harbors. Few countries are more dependent upon their ports than Venezuela. Because of poor inland communication with neighboring countries, and an inability to maintain itself, largely due to lack of manufactures, and due also to a marked dependence upon the outside world for the marketing of its products, this nation is to a high degree reliant upon its foreign commerce and hence, in turn, upon its ports.
Fortunately, Venezuela has a long coast line of 3,020 kilometers, indented with 32 harbors, 50 small bays and many coves. The most important ports in the approximate order of importance are: La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Ciudad Bolívar, Carúpano, Puerto Sucre, La Vela, Cristobal Colón, Caño Colorado, Guanta, Pampatar, Imataca and San Antonio del Táchira. At the present time many of the best natural ports and the most favorably situated are still undeveloped or occupy a secondary position. This is partially due to the lack of development of their naturally rich and fertile hinterlands, difficulties of transportation and unsympathetic government legislation. However, remedies are now being applied and it can safely be predicted that certain of the minor ports will soon outstrip the older and better developed ones. A brief survey will serve to show the general nature and economic status of some of the better known ports.
Chief in importance is La Guaira which, connected with Caracas by 24 miles of railroad, stands as the commercial center of Venezuela and will be treated in more detail later.
MARACAIBO
Situated on a fresh water lake of approximately the same size as Lake Erie, the Port of Maracaibo drains a large hinterland. Coffee and petroleum are its two important exports. Besides that of Venezuela, much coffee of Colombian origin is exported from the port. It may also be noted that there is an ever increasing exploitation of petroleum and a corresponding demand for harbor facilities. Physically the port enjoys a great advantage in being located on a large lake fed by numberless rivers.
The lake itself could accommodate vessels of thirty-foot draft, while three of the largest rivers, the Catatumbo, Lulia and Escalante can be travelled by river steamers of fair size. The two former streams are navigable as far as Villamizar in Colombia, and afford a fine transportation route for the coffee and other products of Santander. However, the port suffers a great disadvantage, as the main channel leading into the port is obstructed by a bar. The depth of water on this bar ranges from seven feet at low tide to twelve feet at high tide. The project of dredging the channel seems to be entirely feasible and if accomplished would add greatly to the general prosperity of Venezuela.
PUERTO CABELLO
Deriving its name from the fact that its waters were considered so placid that a vessel might anchor within its protection sustained by a single strand of hair, Puerto Cabello remains the most sheltered port of Venezuela. Equipped with a floating dock 282 feet long, 80 feet wide and 21 feet high, it is able to take care of vessels up to 2,000 tons and has proved especially serviceable for the small steamers that serve the coast cities of Venezuela and Colombia. Coastwise vessels of light tonnage are constructed here and repairs of an extensive nature may be made. Many improvements to the ship building plant and repair docks are under way and the new floating dry dock when completed will permit the docking of vessels up to 4,000 tons, which means that it will be capable of accommodating practically all vessels that touch Venezuelan ports. The average depth of the harbor is 28 feet. Cattle are an important export, large consignments being made from the surrounding country. A frozen meat establishment controlled by English interests is of considerable value to the port, the meat being shipped to England in special ships. Puerto Cabello is 20 miles distant from Valencia and has railroad connections with both it and Caracas. Other exports besides cattle are coffee, cacao, dyewoods, hides, skins, and copper ores.
CIUDAD BOLÍVAR
A river port situated on the right bank of the Orinoco 240 miles above its mouth, Ciudad Bolívar is the commercial center of the Orinoco basin. A bar which blocks the river channel prevents ships of more than twelve feet draft from navigating the harbor. Due to the large quantity of sand deposited by the river and its tributaries, dredging is practically an impossibility. Vessels of less than twelve feet draft can go up the Orinoco as far as San Fernando de Apure. The principal exports are cattle, horses, mules, tobacco, cacao, rubber, tonka beans, bitters, hides, timber and other forest products. The port has connections with government land lines, regular communication with the lower and upper Orinoco and steamship lines to New York and the Antilles. The government imposes a surtax of 30% on imports from the West Indies which greatly diminishes the commerce of the port.
MINOR PORTS
Carúpano is well located for commerce, being on the Caribbean coast at the opening of two valleys. It is the commercial center of the rich and populous hinterland of the valleys of Tunapui and Pilar and the valuable forests of Coiguar. The principal exports are coffee, cacao, cotton and forest products. Although possessing fair wharves, the harbor is very open and cargo must be moved in lighters and launches to the piers. Traffic is almost entirely of a coastwise nature with La Guaira.
Guanta is one of the eastern ports of the country and has an excellent natural land-locked harbor. Its wharf can accommodate trans-Atlantic steamers, although commerce from abroad is light. The wooden pier, formerly in very bad condition, is being replaced by one of concrete. Guanta is connected by twenty-four miles of railroad with the coal mines of Naricuse and furnishes fuel for coastwise vessels. Large numbers of cattle are raised in the surrounding country and upon the completion of improvements the harbor should have a very bright future. By a government decree of 1917 the port was closed to import commerce and depends almost entirely upon exports for its functioning.
Puerto Sucre is situated west of the city of Cumaná at a distance of less than a mile. It is equipped with a wooden pier constructed by the Cumaná and Carúpano Pier Company. The depth of water varies greatly and the loading and unloading of vessels is accomplished in lighters belonging to the company. The commerce of the port is small, most being undertaken with the neighboring ports of Venezuela.
La Vela borders on a low swampy region and is connected by railroad with Coro. Except for a small coastwise trade with Puerto Cabello, the port enjoys little commercial activity. Coal mines are near by and with their future exploitation an increase in commerce may be expected. The waters of the harbor are unusually rough and lighters must be used for discharging cargo.
Rancho Grande
The Road through the Mountains
Port of Ocumare de la Costa on the Caribbean
While there are many other ports besides those mentioned above, their commerce is so light and in such a poor state of development that more consideration need not be given them here. For the most part, their commerce is entirely coastwise and is carried on principally in small sailing vessels. The fundamental obstacle to their future progress and indeed to the progress of the entire nation seems to be lack of population—a difficulty which the government is striving hard to overcome by furnishing immigrants with free transportation, and paying passport expenses.
SPECIAL PORT ACTIVITIES
At present there are no free ports in Venezuela and despite many rumors and much discussion the establishment of a free port, at least for some time, seems improbable. However, the Minister of Finance has recommended the installation of bonded warehouses at some port centrally located on the coast mainly for the better accommodation of coastwise trade. Cargoes could be placed for a long period of time in the proposed warehouses and the charges collected with the movement of goods. The advantage of such a plan would be principally the ability of profiting from market conditions and the fluctuation of prices. The execution of this plan depends solely upon the legislation of the government and will be officially considered in the near future.
Of far greater importance is the proposed project of transforming Puerto Ocumare de la Costa from a small harbor with very little commerce into a leading port capable of becoming a formidable rival of La Guaira. For the accomplishment of this the former port would have to be connected by railroad with Maracay, a distance of 43 miles, and goods shipped to the territory which La Guaira now supplies. The railroad would be very difficult to construct as it would have to traverse a mountainous country and would take years to complete. Engineers are considering the feasibility of the undertaking. The reason for the new project is generally believed to be the raise in rates of the La Guaira Harbor Corporation brought about by changing from weight to volume measurement of cargo. The company justifies its charge advance on the grounds that it was necessitated by the increase in wages due to strikes. However, the government insists that the raise is entirely out of proportion to the increase in salary paid. The new rates impose an increase in charge of 37½% on coffee, 87⅓% on cacao and 300% on hides. Proportionate increases are made on many other articles.
It is needless to say that if the plan is carried out it will directly or indirectly affect a large portion of the country. And whether the economic advantages, such as new harbor development, the opening up of new lands, and the increased mileage of railroads will justify the disadvantage of large expenditures and risks involved is a question that time alone can answer.
PORT OF LA GUAIRA
Formerly considered one of the most dangerous harbors on the Caribbean coast, La Guaira is to-day Venezuela's leading port and the recipient of a large volume of commerce both from Venezuela and abroad. Its prosperity may be assigned to several causes. By reason of its proximity to Caracas, the capital and chief city of the republic, the port enjoys a great commercial advantage, as Caracas is a center of transportation activities. Again, the harbor besides being favorably located can accommodate vessels of large draft and possesses harbor and warehouse facilities of an extensive nature. Government legislation has also accomplished much to assure its preeminence as certain laws now in force operate to divert much commerce to La Guaira that would normally go to other Venezuelan ports.
The port works and equipment are owned by the La Guaira Harbor Corporation, an English company that has undertaken improvements totalling $5,000,000 and that have changed the harbor from a natural to an artificial port. Before the improvements, the port was an open roadstead—unsheltered and very dangerous. At the present time it is protected by a stone and concrete sea wall, constructed from an average depth of 29½ feet and rising 19½ feet above water. This protection is ample and ships may move about and anchor in complete safety. The sheltered area of the harbor is 75 acres and has an average depth of from 28 to 30 feet. Entrance is made between the buoy at end of pier No. 5 and buoy No. 4 placed at a distance of 300 feet. The maximum range of tide is approximately 3 feet. Vessels of 23-foot draft can safely navigate the harbor.
Landing is made at jetties inside the breakwater and the cargo is loaded on cars and taken to warehouses. The jetties are three in number and can accommodate three large or four small steamers. These jetties are all equipped with railway facilities. Bunkerage is not available and vessels must coal from lighters or cars on wharf. The port can supply only a limited amount of coal, mostly Cardiff briquettes. Fuel oil can not be obtained, but is available in large quantities at Curaçao, 60 miles distant.
The population of the port is estimated at 26,000. The climate is very hot with an average temperature of 84°. The prevailing winds are northeast by southwest.
Though but 8 miles from Caracas, 24 miles of winding railroad through the mountains are necessary to connect the port with the capital. The line is owned by an English company, has a gradient of 4% and is of 3-foot gauge. From Caracas the Great Railroad of Venezuela operates a road to the city of Valencia which in turn is connected by a third line to Puerto Cabello.
The principal exports of the port are coffee, cacao and hides which are sent principally to the United States, with which commerce is greatly increasing. Much cacao of the better grade is exported to France.
The imports are textiles, chemicals, machinery, hardware, paper products, drugs and medicines, of which 75% come from the United States. Large return cargoes are difficult to get and at times absolutely unobtainable.
The following statistics may serve to show the volume of commerce of the port:
| 1918 Metric Tons | 1919 Metric Tons | Increase (M. T.) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign imports | 25,384 | 38,843 | 13,459 |
| Foreign exports | 26,186 | 30,632 | 4,445 |
| Coastwise trade | 55,446 | 64,195 | 8,748 |
| Total movement | 107,017 | 133,671 | 26,654 |
| Year | |
|---|---|
| 1915 | 8,216 |
| 1916 | 8,707 |
| 1917 | 9,976 |
| 1918 | 9,897 |
| 1919 | 15,974 |
| Year | |
|---|---|
| 1905 | 92,489 |
| 1906 | 89,299 |
| 1907 | 93,548 |
| 1908 | 63,012 |
| 1909 | 74,414 |
| 1910 | 81,525 |
| 1911 | 91,996 |
| 1912 | 105,844 |
| 1913 | 116,116 |
| 1914 | 110,498 |
| 1915 | 104,583 |
| 1916 | 113,351 |
| 1917 | 123,963 |
| 1918 | 107,017 |
| 1919 | 133,671 |
PILOTAGE AND TOWAGE
Pilotage is not compulsory and is little used as entrance to the harbor is easily made. When signalled for, the pilot boards the vessel about 2 miles off shore and proceeds to the port. Towage is very seldom used, the only tug available being owned by the harbor corporation. The charge for towage is $50 for a distance of from 4 to 6 miles off shore.
Mooring and shifts within the harbor are made from swinging buoys and with the vessel's own equipment of capstan and winches. A mooring charge of $0.0286 per net ton register is collected by the harbor corporation both on steamers and sailing vessels.
LIGHTERAGE AND CARTAGE
The port is equipped with six lighters of 30 ton capacity, all of which are owned by the corporation. They are principally used when the mole is overcrowded and for the handling of large packages. Vessels carrying explosives or other dangerous cargo must anchor just inside the breakwater and discharge their goods into lighters.
Cartage for local delivery is accomplished by means of small two-wheeled carts; most of the cargo, however, is handled by the railroad with which the jetties are all connected.
STEVEDORING
Harbor conditions, on the whole, are satisfactory. When experienced, the help is skillful and efficient but unfortunately is hard to obtain. The employees have no union and are for the most part mulattoes. The regular hours of work are from 7 A. M. to 4:30 P. M., while overtime (daylight) is from 4:30 P. M. to 6:30 P. M.
The cost of discharging cargo is 60c. per hour during the regular hours. For overtime in daylight the rate is increased 40c. and in night time 60c. Tally clerks receive $3.00 per day with 40% increase for overtime in daylight and double time after 9:00 P. M.
The time rate for handling cargo is about 20 metric tons per hour by gang of 20 men. The discharging rate varies according to the nature of the cargo as it can not be placed on the wharf faster than the employees of the Customs House can check it.
PORT CHARGES
Of first importance are the charges collected by the government, which include the following: An export tax on coffee, cacao, etc., which is paid by the exporter, the vessel not being charged; a tax by the captain of the port to the value of $2.41; interpreter's service, which, however, is not compulsory, $6.18; port doctor fee $9.65 for steamers and $4.83 for sailing vessels; pilotage, if taken, for steamers $16.21, sailing vessels $11.58; government stamps, $1.93.
Vessels are boarded by the port doctor and a bill of health is required from the Venezuelan Consul at the last port, also lists of passengers and crew.
The port possesses an under-equipped hospital and a fee of $3.86 is collected by the hospital association from each large vessel entering or leaving the harbor. If proceeding to another domestic port a bill of health is required and a charge of $2.35 is made by the government.
The municipality collects a water charge of $46.32 whether water is taken on or not. If additional water is desired, a further charge of 77c. a ton is made. Other charges are made by the Harbor Corporation including $0.0386 per net ton register for mooring and a similar sum for each metric ton loaded or discharged during regular hours.
WHARVES AND WAREHOUSES
The breakwater pier is equipped with 3 jetties of concrete construction, with a vessel clearance of 2,000 feet. The length of jetty No. 1 is 70 meters, while that of No. 2 and No. 3 combined is 215 meters. Their width is 15 meters and the depth of water at low tide is 30 feet. The jetties have a capacity of 6,000 tons of general cargo.
The pier is equipped with ten revolving steam cranes, the largest of which is of 12 ton capacity with boom radius of 60 feet at an angle of 45°. The remaining cranes are of 5 and 3 ton capacity respectively.
The port has four warehouses with a total floor space of 5,134 square meters. All are in charge of the government and are in good condition. Strict regulations are in force and the Custom House processes are of a character to discourage commerce.
The national tariff is highly protective, the government receiving a large percentage of its revenues from this source. Few goods are admitted free and those likely to compete with home industry are severely taxed.
DOCUMENTS
- Necessary for port doctor:
- Bill of health.
- List of crew (register).
- List of passengers.
- Necessary for customs authorities:
- Ship's register (sometimes demanded).
- Consular dispatch from Venezuelan Consul, consisting of one sealed package with general manifest of cargo, consular invoices, bills of lading, etc.
- Two copies of crew list.
- Two copies of the passenger list.
- Two copies of the list of provisions and stores.
- Two copies of the "Sobordo" in hand.
- Two copies of the B/L sealed by Venezuelan Consul in the last port.
- Necessary for agency:
- Vessels bringing cargo from United States ports:
- 1 copy of manifest.
- 1 set of ship's export declarations.
- 1 set ship's papers (from American vessels).
Paul Babbitt.
[OCEAN, CABLE AND RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH VENEZUELA]
Venezuela, northernmost of the South American republics, comprises an area of 393,976 square miles, including vast mineral resources and land well suited for agricultural pursuits and cattle raising. Among the principal agricultural products which Venezuela raises in sufficient quantity for export to other parts of the world are coffee, cocoa, sugar, tobacco and rubber. Other exports are gold, hides and skins. Among the principal imports we find cotton goods, wheat flour, and, in short, all manufactured articles used in the tropics except shoes, laundry soap, candles, matches, salt, ready-made clothing and similar articles upon which tariff rates are prohibitive.[4]
[4] United States Commerce Reports (No. 48-A), 1920.
It is within my province here to discuss communication facilities between Venezuela and other countries, both in regard to steamship facilities, and cable and wireless communication, for the purpose of determining whether or not the existing lines of communication are best suited to promote commerce between Venezuela and the countries to which and from which she exports and imports products.
The first point to be considered is that of shipping communications, since it is in ships that foreign commerce must be carried. In the following pages we shall briefly discuss Venezuelan ports, volume of shipping entering and leaving these ports and the countries and lines owning and operating these ships.
The principal Venezuelan ports in order of their importance are La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello and Ciudad Bolívar.[5]
[5] Reports of Trade Commissioner Bell, Commerce Dept.
La Guaira, due to its geographical position as the port nearest the United States and Europe (2,000 miles from New York and New Orleans), together with the fact that it is near Caracas, the capital and commercial centre of Venezuela, is the most important port in that country. It is therefore a port of egress and entry for Caracas and central Venezuela. Besides being the capital and largest city, Caracas is, to a peculiar degree, the centre of the commercial and industrial, as well as the political life of Venezuela. Practically every company engaged in any sort of business maintains an office in Caracas, which accounts in part for the importance of the nearby port of La Guaira.
Due to the importance of coffee and sugar growing in the district around Maracaibo, this port is the second in importance in Venezuela.[6] It is situated at the entrance of a great lake which opens the way to a territory rich in coffee and sugar plantations as well as in coal mines and petroleum fields. Its only disadvantage is the fact that a shallow channel which must be dredged continually prohibits the entrance of vessels of large tonnage at many periods of the year.
[6] Consular reports from La Guaira and Maracaibo.
The next port in importance, that of Puerto Cabello, is the inlet and outlet for a district containing three of Venezuela's largest cities, Valencia, Barquisimeto and Coro. This region is preeminently agricultural in its activities and its prosperity is largely dependent on its export trade in coffee, cacao, hides, skins, copper ore and frozen meat.
Ciudad Bolívar,[7] fourth in importance of the ports of Venezuela, is situated on the Orinoco River, about two hundred miles above its mouth. In every respect its commerce is very different from that of the rest of Venezuela, depending not upon the products of manufacturing or agriculture, but upon wild products of the forests; upon gold mined and washed in Venezuelan Guiana, and upon hides which are rafted down the Orinoco and its tributaries from southern Venezuela and eastern Colombia.
[7] Consular reports from Puerto Cabello and Ciudad Bolívar.
In order to give a clear idea of the ships and tonnage entering and leaving the various Venezuelan ports, as well as their nationalities, I have compiled statistics from the official figures given by the Minister of Hacienda for the year 1918, the last year for which figures could be obtained. A study of these figures shows the relative importance of the ports of the country as well as the volume of commerce with foreign nations.[8]
[8] United States of Venezuela: Ministerio de Hacienda; "Estadistica Mercantil y Marítima."
As can readily be seen from these figures the chief commerce of Venezuela is with American and European countries. The shipping service is of two kinds—line service and tramp or charter service. The former consists of actual steamship lines under an organized company, operating on regular itineraries and on stated dates with regular rates for freight, passenger and mail service. The latter refers chiefly to sailing vessels of small tonnage, either engaged independently in trade or under charter contract with firms or individual shippers for a certain stipulated length of time, at certain rates mutually agreed upon, and for stated cargoes and voyages.
Since, in this connection, line service is of the most importance we shall first take up the various steamship lines operating between Venezuelan ports and other ports of the world.
TRANSATLANTIC COMPANY OF BARCELONA
This is a Spanish line of steamships, having its home office at Barcelona, Spain. It was established January 21, 1882, and supplies a passenger, freight and mail service, making one voyage each month at intervals somewhat irregular. Its itinerary comprises the following ports:
Barcelona, Genoa, Puerto Rico, Habana, Puerto Limon, Colón, Puerto Colombia, Curaçao, Puerto Cabello, La Guaira, Puerto Rico, Barcelona.
The vessels in service are the Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Lyaysi, Montserrat, Antonio Lopez, Manuel Calvo, Satrustyui.
Because of the length of time taken in transit this line does a greater freight than passenger business. Its rates are governed by those of other European steamship companies, since they are united under a gigantic ocean-carriers' agreement, which will be discussed later.
COMPAGNIE GENERAL TRANS-ATLANTIQUE
This is a French line, established June 27, 1872, with its home office in Paris. It supplies a monthly service for passengers, freight and mail. Its itinerary formerly was:
Nazaire, Point a Pitre, La Guaira, Puerto Colombia, Cartagena, Colón, Puerto Colombia, Puerto Cabello, Port de France, St. Nazaire and Bordeaux.
(N. B.—According to information recently received, this line now also calls at Havre.)
The vessels in service are the Perón, Puerto Río, and Haiti. The service is not as regular as could be desired and rates are governed by the same conditions which apply to the Spanish company previously mentioned.
ROYAL DUTCH WEST INDIA MAIL
This is a Dutch line, having its home office in Amsterdam, Holland. Its service was crippled during the war, but it was reestablished in October, 1919. It supplies a freight and passenger service every fifteen days between the following points:
Amsterdam, Holland, La Havre, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Curaçao, Puerto Colombia, Cartagena, Puerto Limon and Cristobal.
The vessels now in service are the Stella, Crynssen, Styvessant and Orange Nassam.
HARRISON LINE
This is a British line, established in June 28, 1875, with its home office in Liverpool, England. It supplies a monthly freight and mail service between the following ports:
Liverpool, Barbadoes, Trinidad, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Curaçao, Puerto Colombia, Cartagena, Colón, Beloge, Puerto Barrios, New Orleans, Galveston, Liverpool.
The vessels in service are the Dictator, Author, Orator, Senator and Benefactor.
LEYLAND LINE
This is a British line, operating between the same ports as the Harrison Line, and also has its home office in Liverpool. It supplies a semimonthly freight and mail service between these ports. The vessels now in service are the Antillian, Alexandrian, Median, Nortonian, Nobian Asian and Nossian. These two British lines are most important as freight and mail carriers, the passengers carried being relatively small in number.
LA VELOCE LINE
This is an Italian line having its home office in Genoa, Italy. It was established in 1890 and supplies an irregular freight, passenger and mail service between the following ports:
Genoa, Marseilles, Barcelona, Teneriffe, Trinidad, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Caracao, Puerto Colombia, Cartagena, Port Limon, Colón and Genoa.
Its vessels in service are the Europa and Bologna.
TRANSATLANTIC ITALIAN COMPANY
This is another Italian company operating steamships between that country and the Americas. It is a new company, the service having been established August 10, 1920, with home office in Genoa, Italy. Its itinerary comprises the following ports:
Genoa, Marseilles, Barcelona, Cadiz, Teneriffe, Trinidad, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Curaçao, Puerto Colombia, Cristobal, Balboa, Guayaquil, Callao, Mollendo, Arica, Casigua, Aristo, Fagasta, Valparaiso and Genoa.
This line is equipped with three 12,000 ton motor vessels of recent design; the San Georgio I, San Georgio II, and San Georgio III, and supplies a passenger and freight service.
These ships carry merchandise and raw material from La Guaira and Puerto Cabello to less accessible ports like Ciudad Bolívar, and from the latter port to the northern coast this company is rapidly increasing the number and tonnage of its vessels and undoubtedly will be an important factor in the commercial progress of Venezuela in the years to come.
In referring to the great European steamship lines which touch Venezuelan ports I mentioned the fact that a combination to control freight rates existed. This is simply an agreement by which these companies agree on maximum and minimum rates to be charged on certain classes of goods. Undoubtedly such pooling has its disadvantages, since it tends to keep competition out of the field.
We come now to a consideration of the one American line operating between New York and La Guaira, i.e., the "Red D Line" of steamships. I have purposely saved this for the last since, in considering this subject from an American viewpoint, it is naturally the most important. This line carries the mail, passenger and freight from American ports to those of Venezuela, and is responsible to a great extent for the proper delivery of merchandise sold to Venezuelan companies by American firms.
The Red D Line has its home office in New York City, with branch offices in Caracas, San Juan, P. R.; Curaçao, W. I.; Puerto Cabello and Maracaibo. It is under contract with the United States Government for the transportation of mail, and supplies a weekly service between New York, Porto Rico, Curaçao and Venezuela.
In regard to rates and charges, among the most important of this company's regulations are the following:
(1) Rates are assessed per cubic foot, or 100 pounds ship's option, except as otherwise provided.
(2) Packages containing different articles will be charged the tariff rate for the highest class article contained therein.
(3) Packages of more than $100.00 in value must be noted on ships receipts when such goods are offered at the pier. Charges on packages of this kind will be in addition to tariff ¾ of 1% on all values over $100.00 per package. This company will not be liable in the event of loss or damage from any cause whatever as detailed in bills of lading, for more than $100.00 per package unless such value is shown on shipping receipts and extra freight paid thereon.
(4) Minimum charge to San Juan, P. R., $3.00; to Curaçao, Maracaibo, Coro and Puerto Cabello, $5.00; to La Guaira, Ven., $5.00 plus wharf dues.
(5) Heavy or bulky packages by special arrangement only.
(6) This company requires two copies of bills of lading to San Juan, P. R., and Curaçao, D. W. I., and five copies to La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Maracaibo and Coro, Venezuela.[9]
[9] Red D Line Freight Tariff No. A-1.
There are many additional regulations covering special cases, which it is impossible to enumerate here. For those interested I would recommend a copy of the Red D Line Freight Tariff No. 1-A, which may be secured at any of this company's offices.
The ships now in service for this line are the Caracas, 3,000 tons; Philadelphia, 2,500 tons; Merida, 630 tons, and the twin screw steamers Maracaibo and Zulia, 1,800 tons each. Two additional vessels for use on this line are now under construction in the States.
At the present time, however, it is to be regretted that comparatively poor and irregular service exists between the two Americas. American salesmen and business men operating in Venezuela constantly complain of delays in forwarding mail and merchandise resulting in financial loss for themselves and creating dissatisfied customers. Considering the existing monopoly in communication, it is surprising that trade between Venezuela and America has progressed to the extent that it has. Venezuela is a rich country and can supply many varieties of agricultural products to the United States; on the other hand, she must look to the United States for manufactured goods, machinery, etc., to enable her to prosper. There is a wonderful opening for American capital in the country of Simón Bolívar, but it never can be fully realized until ocean communication between the two sister republics is greatly improved.
CABLE COMMUNICATION
Cable communications with the exterior are at present monopolized by the "French Company of Telegraph and Cables," through a concession which lasts until 1929. This privilege is based on the first article of contract which governs the Company's relations with the Government of Venezuela; the privilege is exclusive and the controlling lines run from La Guaira and La Vela, ports of Venezuela, to the Dutch Island of Curaçao, thence to the Republic of Haiti, and thence to New York and France. The price per word from Venezuela to New York is five bolivares (approximately one dollar under normal exchange) but because of various tariffs assessed by the company, and extra charges in delivery, the rates usually exceed that figure. Moreover the service is poor and uncertain, interruptions are frequent and a cable can not be depended upon in matters of urgent importance. The company has not improved its service and methods to meet the growing needs of an expanding business. Something must be done to solve this difficulty of cable communication before the potentialities of Pan-American trade can ever be realized. But it can not be solved without the abolition or modification of the present monopoly.
WIRELESS COMMUNICATION
Closely linked with the question of cable communication is the problem of establishing wireless communication with foreign countries. In this connection the recent severance of relations with Germany resulting in a scarcity of materials and high prices greatly retarded the installation of an improved wireless system with the outside world. But on October 15, 1919, the government of the Republic of Venezuela decided to call for bids for the construction of a wireless telegraph station in the neighborhood of Caracas, the capital of the Republic.
The geographical situation of Caracas is as follows: Latitude North 10°-30'-24". Longitude 4°-25'-4" West of the Meridian of Greenwich. Its altitude above the sea level is 922 meters and its distance from the Caribbean Sea 10 kilometers. Caracas is separated from the coast by a branch of the Andes Mountains which, in that part nearest to the city, are 1,800 meters above sea level.
The technical conditions of the plant are:
(1) The station must be of sufficient capacity to communicate with similar stations in Europe and the United States of America.
(2) The station shall contain a plant for the emission of loud voices and another plant for the emission of subdued voices intended for communicating with wireless stations not yet equipped with the system of loud waves.
(3) The necessary electric power will be furnished by a private concern in the shape of 190 volt, 50 cycle, 3 phase, alternating current as used in Caracas.
(4) Furthermore, the installation shall include a set of reserve motors.
The bids must contain:
(1) The general plan of the plant and the necessary detailed plans and cuts drawn on a convenient scale.
(2) A general description of the apparatus.
(3) The time necessary for its construction.
(4) Total cost of the station. The amount will be paid in Caracas in quarterly installments, cash, at the end of each quarter, in accordance with the progress of the work. The government will retain 10% of the amounts of each payment, which sum will be paid to the contractor after compliance with the provisions of the next article.
(5) The assumption of an obligation by the bidder to manage the station during six months after its completion as a proof of delivery in good working order. After this has been proved, the aforesaid 10% of the cost of the work will be paid to the contractor.
Bolívar's Home in the Mountains with Statue of the hero, Captain Ricaurte
On the Road from Maracay to Caracas
The bids must be sent to the Minister of Fomento of Venezuela before the last day of June, 1920. On the last day of August, 1920, in a Cabinet Meeting, the bid which in the opinion of the Federal Executive offers the greatest advantage will be accepted, while the Government reserves the right to reject all bids if it is deemed convenient.
Any responsible construction concern—national or foreign—specializing in this work may send in a bid.
The importance of this proposed wireless station is very evident to those interested in Venezuela, and its prosperity. By establishing direct and efficient communication between this country and America and Europe, it will open the way to vast trade possibilities.
Having thus discussed the three methods of communication which are of paramount importance in foreign trade, we can not but realize that Venezuela has been working under a serious handicap. However, she has made great progress in the last decade and it is to be hoped that under a wise government she will continue her sound trade policies and before many years will take her proper place among the leading commercial nations of the world.
Philip D. Sullivan.