Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-02-03

thew were unaiGed. In 1916, the whole amount
of tonnage employed in the foreign trade OF the
United States, was 100000 tons, oil which
25s, 900 were in foreign navigation. Part OF
this had 10 come in under the disadvantage OF
the discriminating duties. What did not come
in on equal terms with American shipping,
had this quar,ly offoreign navigation increas-
ed in 1924, when the tonnage duty has been
taken off from the vessels OF nearly all the ma
vigating powers Of Europe! Let the same re-
cord answer The amount OF tonnage employ
ed in the foreign trade Of the UnIIed States, III
1924, the latest to which we have returns, had
fallen off, owing to the causes before mentioned;
Blu, it amounted to e35.Ooo tons. w hat pro-
portion had foreign ship owners to this, wheh
relieved from the tonnage duties! NO, nearly
one half as in 1889; not more than one NTH, or
$4,000 tons, as in 1916 No, Sir, they had
not 1.-THE, tenth paving only $4,000 tons out
I of e35,OOo-and this is decisive: II shows that,
on fair field, and clear stage, your merchants
and nayigators, on equal terms, are able sue
cessfully to compete with any nation on the
face of the earth, with or without discriminate
| ing duties. This, however, is only the state
ment Of the tonnage employed: II does not
show the amount or value. Pursuing the IN
uuiry on this head, we have authentic informa-
| ton at command.
| II is to be derived from the annual report oil
the Secretary Of the Treasury; and notwith-
standing the predictions which have been made
of the general distress which were to pervade
the United States, in consequence OF the ba-
lance Of trade being against us; the high price
of exchange; the expectation OF specie, and
the sale of American stocks in Europe-So lar
is this from being the case, the counr! gener-
ally is in a state Of great prosperity. Specie,
where the laws have their forCe-and credit is
good-hardy bears any premium. american
stock stand higher than any other Foreign stock
in European markets; and the portentous ba-
lance of trade, so far from being against us, is
in fact million of dollars in our favor; the
exports, according TO the Secretary's account,
being ninety-two millions OF dollars, and the
imports only nnety-one millions. This spec
tire, he hoped, had vanished for ever and this
account was the most cheering, as it appeared
that, of these ninety lone millions, eighty-sX
millions were transp r,ed in our own naviga-
ton shelving the sympathy which exists be-
tween the tonnage and the value. This result,
he said if it did not give every thing that
could be desired, as there was little residuum
still possessed by foreign navigators, gave, as
he believed, if foreign nations were to have a.
nv concern in it at all, as much as any rational
man could either anticipate or expect
Pursuing the investigation, from the same re-
cord he would shew the proportions which the
respective nations of Europe possessed of this
portion Of the carrying trade from it appear
ed. that, in the trade with Great Britain, of the
tonnage we had 5.6ths. .
With France, 9-loths
The Hance Towns, the
amour, not large, 2-3ds
! The Netherlands, ga parts in 100
| Denmark, 90
| Sweden, IS
Spain, 81
Portugal, 81
Italy, %
! Colombia, 70
Mexico, %
While with Prussia, Prussia, Turkey, the Le-
want, theIAustrian ports in the Mediterranean,
Africa, the East Indies, China, Hayti, South
America generally, the Western Pacific, and
,he!Northwest coast, Of America, the trade was
all our own.
1t remained to shew what would be the ef-
feet if the bill became law, and was recipro-
Gated by other nations The effect would be,
to throw wide open the gates Of commerce; all
nations agreeing 10 drtClpfOCdllOIl, would nave
right to send their vessels into the ports Of the
United States from every region of the globe
laden with every commodity of every descrip-
ton they choose to put on board Of them; for,
in our policy, We wisely prohibit nothing; and
here other nations would have the advantages
of US; for they prohibit many things, as connect
ed with their manufactures, their treaty stipu
lations, or the privileges Of their chartered
companies While we, on our part, should
have the right to go to their ports from every
other country, and to carry to them, on equal
terms, whatever their own vessels could carry
More than this, for he meant to shew the effect
plainly:-If the principle were met by the Eu-
hropean powers having colonies, and was carri.
ed into effect in extenso, we should have the
right to go to the colonies to furnish them with
their supplies, purchase their productions, and
transport then in our vessels, even to the ports
of the mother country This, he would be told,
would never be realised Be il so; we lose no.
thing by making the offer If rejected, we stand
where we were; and, al any rate, it is honora.
bic 10 US, from the manly independence, as well
as the perfect reliance it manifests, we place on
the ability, the energy, and the industry Of our
navigators and citizens. But it is far from i'm
possible that this trade, at some future day not
very distant, may be opened More liberal
ideas than characterized former times, are en-
| tertained by poltical economists of the present