In the last quarter of the i9th century the west-about route to the Orient, New Zealand and Australia came into favour, the lines running across the Pacific from the Canadian and American ports in conjunction with the regular Atlantic services and trans-Con tinental railways. These routes are becoming more and more popular as an alternative to Suez and the trying passage of the Red sea, while their establishment has done much to encourage the regular trans-Pacific services which are now numerous.
When the business of sailing vessels on the Australian trade became more or less confined to the less expensive cargoes a new triangle was evolved in addition to the regular out-and-home run of the wool ships. This was from Europe to Australia by way of the Cape with general cargo, on to the West coast of South America with coal, and home with nitrates. Another triangle which existed for some years was out to the Cape with general cargo, railway materials or machinery, on to India in ballast and home with jute. Direct trades during the last years of sail were numerous, one of the most important being the grain trade from California which was finally covered almost entirely by subsidised Continental sailing ships able to do the outward voyage in ballast and still show a profit.
Meanwhile the tramp steamship route in the Mediterranean also tended to form a triangle—out to Italy with coal, then to the Black sea in ballast and back with grain. This route has been checked by the Russian revolution. Direct routes which absorbed and absorb much tramp tonnage are with coal out to the River Plate and home with grain and to the St. Lawrence, generally in ballast, for wheat. A certain number of sailing ships, nearly all owned on the Continent, still contrive to secure charters for Aus tralian grain from the steamers.
The West African trade is now almost entirely direct, but in the case of South Africa the direct mail services are supplemented by intermediate services which reach the various East African ports by way of the Mediterranean and Suez, then proceed to the Cape and return direct to Europe by way of the West Coast.
As regards the Continental trades, the opening of the Suez canal permitted a rapid development of the routes from the Mediter ranean to the East. The French, backed by the maritime interest of Napoleon III., and the Austrians took immediate advantage of it: the Spaniards and the Italians followed later. Of these the French and Austrians tended to keep their steam tonnage on the regular routes, leaving the tramp business to the sailing ships under their flags and to the steamers of their rivals.
The development of German shipping was slower. Despite the maritime heritage of the Hanseatic League it suffered from initial discouragement, largely on account of the fear held by the author ities that passenger communications would drain the country of conscripts. In spite of this discouragement steamship companies were formed both in Hamburg and Bremen in the mid-19th century, principally for the transatlantic trade. The policy was reversed by Bismarck in 1885, when he offered a heavy subsidy for German mail services, particularly to Africa, Australia and the East. German owners had always kept the greater part of their tonnage on regular routes, never favouring the tramping business.
Although the Italians were slow in starting on a large scale on the regular services, they have made great strides of recent years. Before the war they did a very extensive North Atlantic steerage business, but that was ruined by the restriction of U.S. immigra tion and many of the North and South American services have been combined to make the most of the seasonal trades. At the same time the Italians have adopted a very strongly protective policy to preserve for Italian ships their emigration, both across the Atlantic and to Australia.
In the West, until the latter part of the 19th century, it was quite usual for travellers from the United States to South America to travel by way of Europe, to the detriment of American trade, but there are a number of passenger companies now maintaining a direct service and a very big trade is done in addition to the passenger business.
The canal has also permitted the recent development of round the-world cargo services, from the North Pacific ports to the Ori ent, through the East Indies to India, to New York via Suez and then back to the North Pacific ports along the usual intercoastal route. (F. C. Bo.)