The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-13 00:00:00

American Foreign Carrying Trade.

The following letter appeared in a contem-
porary :
SlR,—i read with interest in your last issue Mr.
Silver's letter to the United States Commissioner of
Revenue relative to such modification in the laws
as would permit American merchants to build their
ships where it is most to their interests to do so.
Your own able argument for confining the modifi-
cation to the liberty of building our American ships
where it may be most desirable, when such vessels
are to be employed in foreign commerce, corre-
sponds with my views also. .

The exemption of " materials, machinery, &c.,"
from tariff for such building purposes, would pos-
sibly lead to all the difficulties and confusion that
you apprehend.

I was told but a few days since by a large owner
in ships running under the United States flag that
he must retire or sail under a foreign nationality,
as he could not replace his superannuated ships in
his own country.

It has, then, become a simple question—whether
the merchants of the United States may continue
running ships to foreign ports, abandon their busi-
ness, or the flag of their country.
In pursuing the latter course, it may, I think, be
presumed that a large amount of cash would cease
to augment the United States internal revenue.
American shipbuilders, particularly when iron
vessels are required, are not, under the present cir-
cumstances, likely to receive much patronage for
the construction of ships for foreign service. In
fact, I am under the impression that the repairs re-
quired from the shipbuilders and engineers of New
York on the foreign-built vessels would prove much
more advantageous pecuniarily to them than all the
contracts they are, under the present contingencies,
likely to obtain.
I am a Protectionist in general, but here is a
commercial subject that cannot be protected.
Foreign-built vessels may be deprived by our laws
of any advantage in our long coasting trade, and
allow our costly domestic-built vessels to run at a
profit, but there is no protection against the com-
petition of foreign-built vessels in the foreign trade,
unless port dues of some kind are made so enor-
mous as to counterbalance the cost of building ships
at home.

Such a policy toward foreign countries is not
likely to be adopted ; neither would it, in my opi-
nion, be very commendable.

As years pass, improvements in ships, more espe-
cially for transatlantic passenger accommodation,
will be required ; and I would suggest that after
foreign-built vessels had been in service under the
United States flag, and trading directly with the
United States for ten years, they should be consi-
dered naturalised, and eligible to the coasting or
any other service that a citizen of the United States
should wish to employ them, with liberty to run
them under the flag of the country.
Hoping that our Government may not overlook
the importance of this subject—l am, yours very
respectfully, HowLAND

The Standard informs us that Mt. James Haugh-
ton, the host of Mr. Bright and the advocate of
total abstinence and vegetarianism, has, through
the columns of the Freeman, addressed a strange
lecture to "the disturbers of the meeting in the
Mechanics' Institute." Some idea of the tone of this
gentleman's mind and of his power of forming im-
partial judgments may be gathered from the follow-
ing paragraph :.—" I do not know, nor cau I form
an opinion, whether the spirit of Orangeism or of
Fenianism predominated among you, the disturbers
of our otherwise peaceful assembly ; but if repre-
sentatives of either or of both these follies were pre-
sent, I would solemnly ask their upholders if the
time has not arrived when Irishmen should forget
the differences handed down to us by, I should hope,
our less civilised forefathers, and unite with the
men of Great Britain for the noble purpose of secur-
ing for all the in h abitan ts of these islands all the rights
and privileges of freemen ? I once had dreams and
fond aspirations myself for the national independence
of my beloved country, but they have passed away."
The amusing innocence of Mr. 1-laughton, as to
whether the disturbers were Feniaus or Orangemen
is commented upon in sarcastic Language by the
Evening Mail:—" Mr. Naughton kimself (says the
Mail) has admitted that the meeting was influenced
by a spirit of fun and recklessness.' "fhey must
have been thinking of me (says Sc in the play)
for they laughed consumedly.' But: there was, and
the party' feel it, much more than: fun in the ex-
pressions which gave emphasis to the occasion. The
working men of Dublin had no sort of sympathy
with Mr. Bright, and they certainly did not conceal
their contempt for his patrons. In making both of
these things clear they broke no law, whether of
hospitalibtye,orbloftchoeuirrtesy.
name,Thaey not invited the
stranger agitator; they did not -wish that there
should
‘. demonstration' in
favour of agitation, they uttered a protest against
his coming, and the use made .of him—which
was good-humoured, yet not wanang in serious
purpose—rough, but intelligent and roightilY effec-
tive."

The Secretary of State for War has decided upon
granting a substantial reward to the family of the
unfortunate deceased Mr. Snider, the inventor of
the new breech-loader.