Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-01-30 00:00:00

•ii;if

GLASGOW SHIPPINCI

The second annual soiree in connection with the
Glasgow ShippingNrade was held on Friday night in
the Merchants'-hall, which was crowded. " Robert
Yonng, Esq., occupied the chair. •
The.thairman, in the course of his remarks, said—
Last year you had as your , chairman a gentleman well
known in Glasgow, one whp had filled some of its
highest civic offices; a man of experience and influence,
and, what is more, a kactised. speaker._ All I shall say
of myself is that I am here at your own request, and it
affords me much gratification to' be 'of any service to
you—to begin your proceedings, and,_if possible, to keep
up that spirit of sociality and enjoyment so fully dis-
played to-night. (Applause.) I cannot, any more than
Mr. Gourlay, be said directly to represent the shipping
interest. Like him, lam notA. shipowner. I hold no
shipping property, yet I am directly interested in ship-
ping. I depend upon • its prosperity., I find that low
freights yield me but small commissions, while, on the
other hand, high freights not 'only give good returns, but
a prosperous voyage and a well-filled purse dispose a
shipowner, like most other men, to pay with greater good-
will, and perhaps with greater dignity and grace. It is
undoubtedly a matter of regret to all of us that shipoWners
have at present so much cause to complain. The de-
Pression has been long in duration as well as great in
,extent. Statistics are often adduced to show this, and
to prove that it has arisen from free trade-And the corns
Petition of foreigners. You don't, lam sure,. wish to be
troubled to-night with- statistical details, for, besides
being tedious, they are often perplexing. .Indeed, it
seems quite possible to make a plausible case, favourable
or adverse,.• according to the pre-conceived opinions of
the person collecting these returns. 'lt is with results
alone that we have to do at present. (Cheers.) Now,
whether statistical returns in regard to the shipping of
this country be acknowledged to be true 'or not, there
can be no question that interest is in, a depressed
condition. It is not, however, as • some say, dead
—AU do I think it is even dying—it has
not lost. its, vigour ; I have perfect confidence in
its elasticity—in the sagacity, ability, and enterprise
of our shipowners. Besides, the carrying trade
of the world must •go on,, and go on- increasingly.
True, we have lost protection—we are not likely: to get
reciprocity—but we will seek, and we must be content
with, equality. Deprived of external support and ad-
ventitious aid, thrown upott our own energies, we must
still, with our increasing Commerce; lead the way in
Shipping. In our ship-building let us exert our ingenuity,
-let us discovpr and adopt every, even the slightest, im-
provement, to combine speed with storeage capacity, to
economise labour on board ship, and so on. With our mas-
ters we must, although I fear not comparison generally
with any foreign shipmaster, continue and extend our pre-
lent excellent measures for their elevation, and thus re-
move the slightest ground for complaint abroad. In the
construction of ships, it will be well for us to keep in view
those materials for which, by our position, we have
special advantages. Probably as we have iron so cheap
as, compared with other nations, it presents the material
most likely to enable us to excel. You know it affords
great strength, astonishing durability, and such ductility
that we may safely construct on any model. No doubt,
from the investigation and discoveries of scientific men,
we shall soon find a substance to resist the adhesion
and growth of marine plants and animals ; and, then,
I see no reason why iron should not be in use uni-
versally. NoW, no port in the world is more favourably
placed' than the Clyde for iron ship-building. (Ap-
plause.) Some splendid speclinens have been already
turned out; and many more will yet follow. I believe
there is a growing feeling in their favour. I was told
the other day by an owner of one of these iron vessels
that during the time he had had her, about ten years,
she' had cost him very little for repairs upon the hull.
He added that 'the vessel seemed likely for the next
ten years to be equally economical. (Applause.) I
sometimes think that iu funning an opinion regarding
the increase in our tonnage of late years, we have over-
looked a fact or two. 'With regard to sailing ships, we
must not only estimate merely the gross tonnage, but I
think: we must consider that the sailing ship is not "now
what it was formerly. The recent improvements have
been great, and contrasted with older ships, the present '
make more rapid passages—the same amount of tonnage
thus performs a much greater -amount of work. Then
there is the -vast increase in.steam tonnage; which, by
its speed, goes through probably thrice the work of
•sailing ships—adding thus, in reality, to the gross ton-
nage, three times its nominal amount. No reflecting per-
son can fail to see we are changing our mode of con-
veyance. The tendency of the times is not only to ra-
pidity, but to regularity of communication. Steam will
ere long be forced upon us. When orders for goods or
cargoes rush with lightning speed across seas, merchants
will demand corresponding activity in conveyance. They
will seek to select the swiftest and surest ships. Already
in many trades the steam is slowly superseding
the sailing craft ; and I trust, as the change pro-
gresses, our marine architects and engineers on the
Clyde will continue to secure, as they have hitherto
done, their full share in the construction. (Loud cheers.)
There is another feature which has .materially assisted
to depress British shipping—we have had too much of. .
it. What with emigration ; what with Californian and
Australian discoveries, and the tumultuous rush of men
and merchandise there ; what with war; what, especially,
with the reputed prodigious' profits of shipowning, we
have had ships building everywhere. We have farther
seen people going into shipowning who knew little of
shiperand less of their management. - Successful in their
own trades, they have invested their profits in this new
bigness, just to see them vanish ; not only so, but in
envying and emulating the profits of others they have
destroyed both. Experience ever teaches the same
lesson, that it is dangerous to try too many trades. I
like to see a man satisfied with his own. If, therefore,
we wish to—secure—steady stibaeas firßritish- shipping,
not only must UT- have good ships and careful masters,
but we must have earnest and intelligent owners—men
who thorOughly understand their business, who are not
attracted to it by any temporary cause or extra profit,
but who are resolved to remain and live by it. Com-
petition we will always have—we can't get quit of that—
but though an evil at times, just let us more resolutely rely
on .ourselves. . There are few nobler principles than, self-
reliance—it reveals latent strength, it stimulates to
action, and while it elevatesit confirms our character.
Get a man to respect
himself
andl"wilful individual
instances, science,snionnsecure
the Instances, suc c
around us in literature,
politics, as well as in cemmerce. Our 'own- city is
full of self-made men—men who have not been dis-
heartened by difficulties—men who did not, as mis-
fortunes . came or protections were withdrawn, repine
and grow morbid, but at each successive, trial, nerved
themselves for renewed and' persevering action. To
that, spirit it is Glasgow 'owes much of her pros-
perity. • Within 100 years she has risen from a quiet
, country town, with 25,000 inhabitants, to a city in-
feriorta few in the kingdom, with a commerce embracing
almost every port from Shanghai to San Francisco.
Within that time, too, our river, which was then fit
only for smacks and wherries, ,nOw floats the largest
ships. We are, indeed, citizens of no mean city., (Loud
cheers.) Our onward progress is not yet arrested. And
now that, chiefly by the exertions of those connected with
the Glasgow shipping, a direct representation has been
obtained for the Clyde Trust, many of you may live to
take part in still, further improving our navigation.
Much has yet to be done to the Clyde. You will have
yet deepening, and widening, and straightening to attend
to ; but, if fmight give an advice, I should direct your
early and earnest attention to fts purification as well.
(Applause.)

THE PORT OP tiAXOD'Ator; APAN.
-ITS- CAPABILITTES - FOR -TRADE: --

The following documents have been received "by the
secretary •to the Manchester Chamber of Cominereel
and'the description of Hakodadi and its resources will
no doubt be read with interest :
"Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade,
"Whitehall, 21st January, 1860.
" Stn,—l am directed by the Lords of. the Committee
of Privy Council for Trade to transmit to you, for the
information of the:Chambef of Commerce of Manches-
ter, the enclosed'extract from a despatch which has been
received through the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, from her Majesty's ConSul-General at Yeddo
(Japan), giving a description of the port of Hakodadi,
and of the prospects it holds out for the development of
a foreign trade.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
J. EMERSON TENNENT.
" The Secretary to the Chamber of Commerce,
Manchester."
"In continuation of my despatch, No. 36, of this
date, reporting the steps taken for the establishment of
her Majesty's Consulate at Hakodadi, I have now the
honour, to submit the following brief remarks, on what
appears to be the present state of, that port, and the
prospects it holds out for the development of a foreign
trade. Little more, as I have already stated, than a
fishing village, with no appearance of any, large or
active trade, coasting or inland, it would seem at first,
sight as though no materials existed here for any com-
merce with foreign nations. The most abundant pro-
duce of the place is not very 'susceptible of export,
furnished by the waters of the bay, which abounds in
fine salmon and other fish, and cheap in proportion.
Nearly every shop presents long rows of salted salmon
for sale is evidently one- of the principal articles in de-
mand. Another article "which bids fair to load-a few
ships,' perhaps for China and the Coast every season, is
of recent production,- and owes its introduction to
foreigners. I allude to Irish potatoes,' as the Japanese
have learned to call them. They are not large in size,
but good; and so plentiful as to be sold, even with all
additions and profits of a Comprador establishment, at
the rate of 75 cents. or 3s. 6d. a picul (130 lbs.), while
at the villages a few miles off they may be purchased
for less than half that sum—for an ityebon (or ls. 6d.).
"When to those items of native produce—the one. of
the waters, the other of the soil—is added a , certain
limited range of furs and skins, this is all 'that appears
in the mile of shops that forms the main street of Hako-
dadi, beyond. common, articles of food in daily use for
the population, if sea slugs (bicliodemar), sea• weed,
and dried mushrooms, fit for the Chinese market,. be
excepted.
" But all these are either too little fitted for European's
consumption, or too limited in quantity
.to enter largely
into any estimate of materials for a foreign trade. The
skins of the bear, sea otter, and deer, the best of
these articles for foreign markets are badly dressed,
so as to involve the expense and trouble of redres-
sing, as well as the chance of deterioration from the
first process. They are, however, cheap-enough-to
bear extra charges and some risks. From, 15 to 20
ityebon's will-buy a large bearskin, bringing the whole
price to 20s. or 255. ; the sea otter skins being finer
and scarcer I suppose fetch higher prices, from 50 to 80
ityebons (X 3 to £5) each. Dressed deerskins, soft and well
prepared as leather, with rather graceful printed patterns
stamped on the surface, cost about a dollar each. For
leather covering to chairs and furniture, and various
other uses, these might come into play, and in whole-
sale might probably be obtained cheaper. Pheasants,,
wild ducks, deer, and wild boars, as well as bears, seem
to be abundant in the island. These small contribu-
tions to any foreign trade that may arise lie on the sur-
face, as it were, and first attract attention. But behind
these are two principal elements,—lead, a large mine
existing within twenty miles, and sulphur, chiefly
brought from Sulphur Island, one of the Looch,oos,
but abundant everywhere-in Japon, "in this island
as the ,others, for nature has liberally gifted' all with
volcanoes in, constant activity. I visited the lead mines
and saw many evidences of 'the richness of the veins.
They 'extend through a range-of bills about five miles
inland from the sea, and are worked by " edits" and
'shafts, but in a primitive and rude way, with no appli-
aaces of machinery or aid of !modern science. His Ex-
cellency the 'Governor, on my return,"Was anxious to
learn from me whether, on comparing it with the mines
in Earope, there was great room for improvement, and
I told him undoubtedly there was ; and that all the
means we possessed were now at the command of the
Japanese Government if they chose to take measures for
securing them.

" The Governor assures' me they only produce lead for
their own demands, and these are limited very nearly to
what is required for ball practice. This is his statement
—a very warlike one, as r remarked to him with a smile.
What they de produce,- or how many.men are employed,
• I had no means of discovering. -The ore is said to con-
tain a large. er tentage of silver—as much as 1Q per
cent. Lead, if the Japanese would sell it, sulphur, and
furs, then, appear to be the chief elements of a foreign
trade at Hakodadi, at the present moment.. .
" The Governor presented me with a fine piece of
stone, resembling the Turkey stone in ase for hones,
and a piece of striped silk, as some of the produce of the
place. The former might possibly supply an article of
export. Seaweed and other edibles in request as articles
of luxury to the Chinese, salted and dried salmon,
potatoes, &c., may all help to fill
,up ships on the line
to and from China and the Japanese ports.

" What the foreign merchant is to bring in return as im-
ports to enable him to barter for these is not very clear.
An American brought last year a cargo 'of $60,000
worth of cottons, woollens, &c., a quantity so wholly
disproportioned, to the probable or
„possible
,wants
of a place like this, that it had the'effect of checking
what little demand might otherwise have existed;
since the Japanese jumped to the conclusion that they
must be seld-at any sacrifice, and viould'not bid for them
according to. their value. The. greater part 'are now
being re-exported to China. In •the first instance it is
probable the exports from hence inuit'chietty he bought
with bullion. To obviate further difficulty about the
circulation of foreign coins at their legitimate value, or
their exchange for Japanese, the authorities here pro.-
pose to stamp all the dollars, &c. that 'may be brought
to them for that purpose with Japanese ,characters
eating their exact worth in' the coinage of the country."
If no trickery 'or abase he engrafted on the original
Troposition, I think it promises well ; and is unobjec-
tionable as a means of temporarily relieving commerce
of an existing difficulty. ,

"In other respects Hakodadi has many things in, its
favour. It possesses a noble and ,secure bay, easily ac-
cessible, with good anchorage and deep water over
great extent. The people are without hostility, and of a
quiet habit. No Dutch relations have ever existed here,
nor long-established monopolies and exactions, to de-
teriorate the position of foreigners by centuries of evil
precedent. All these are so many conditions of good
augury for the future. One thing alone seems wanting
to give it all the preliminaries of success,. and that is
regular and frequent, postal communication with all
the other open ports and China. The Peninsular and
Oriental Company having supplied the link wanting
between shanghai and Nagasaki, by a bi-monthly
steamer. The Prussian Consul at Hakodadi has con-
certed means with me, by the aid of Rissian grin-boats,.
under his Orders, for establishing very shortly a monthly
communication between Hakodadi and Yeddo, on 'the
understanding that I on my part may 'be able, in
communication with the Admiral' coniminding in Chief
.on the China station, to 'establish a like monthly com-
munication between 'Nagasaki arid Yeddo. I shall
idse no time. in addressing the Admiral on the subject,
and forward him a copy of this despatch for his infor-
mation. It will be of course for him to determine how
far he has means at command to effect this object;
and what Js required to that end. Bat I conceive one
of ,the 80-horse power gunboats, or a 'despatch boat,
would be essential in addition- to -a larger class vessel,
required to silo* from time to time, and,.' ie for short
intervals at the different 'ports. I found one British
'resident as a merchant, and two Americans, one of whom
has been the commercial agent of the United States ;
but is about to leave for San Francisco. No merchant of
any other nation is at Hakodadi, and everything is at its
first commencement. There were thirty whalers anchored
in the bay last year, twenty-nine of which Were Ameri-
can, and the remaining one French. A Russian corvette
and a gunboat were at Hakodadi when we arrved."

THE BUILDERS' STRlKE.—According to the state-
nient made at the weekly meeting of delegates held on
Tuesday evening last, 2,300 skilled workmen , are, still
out of work, and last week, the twenty-sixth of this
unhappy struggle, they received a dividend of 4s. each.
The " conterence " have issued a new appeal to the
working classes, signed by their secretary, calling for
further support, to enable the men on strike to continue
their resistance to the " document."