Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-20
G0If @.a,@S SI 0NAn,.
Report IF the Committee Of Commerce.
(CcNrfNUED1

(ccNrfNUED)
There apparent increase in thu coasting tonnage
since The but unfortunately il il Only ia appe
II grows out OF additions to our territory a
steam boat navig alton It 40 1877 tons, principally en-
p!oyea the Lakes, the Mississippi Missouri, aud o.
hio, the ceasng trade with Florida and Louisiana and
u portion Ct the tonnage which is merely nominal
(See No. When commerce is active, as it was
from lIS9 10 lSOT, sonc elauce be ID aced on our
tables OF coastng tonnage; but wh-n trade is dull, we
know not what POI ton Of our vessels enrolled aud ii.
cenced, is actually employed. From 1899 TO 1907 our
coas;ing tonnage increased ~ 573 tons la conpar
Ing that increase with the increase OF enrolled and Ii
ceased vessels OF the same States, neal he
estiinaieI the actual augmentation since the war; ~
only 26,6l7 ton'. In 1907, the commerce OF George
and nj aine tGitiing and had little or no cot OF
10 employ our coa'ting YES els: just aud accurate
Statement, II II could be made, 10 1928 of the
In the same commercial circle which existed in 1907
would show an actua, decline since the war The To-
reign and coasng trade Of every country furnish mu.
tual employmen TO each Ter; and unless, under pe-
euliar circumstances, such grow Of enbarg
&c on loreign trade, they will uniformly rise de
cline together Taking into view INCREASE Of pop
ua'ion, and the large addition TO territory, and TO
our agricultural produce, ought now TO have AT
least Two millions of loas employ coa,tDg trade;
aud considering the patton of Spanish Anne ice
and the enlarged commerce Of The world, we ough
by this time TO have had equal amount of naviga
ton in the foreign trade. We shall see, when we no
tce the tonnage Of Great Britain, how her coastipp
and foreign commerce have gone regularly advanc-
ing since The war Our cossling tonnage is less an
shcu'd have been, by more than million Of :oI s.:
anu our ioregn avigaion entering from abroad, in
1873 is actually less than the fer the year 1901!
IN. unparalleled growth OF our navs aion, ante Tor to
1877, the best evidence of the influence of free ;r,d
ana moderate duties, national prospcriiy its
stationary, or declining condition, The sddde.t comm n
'dfy on the policy OF reductions
But let us compare British with American navY lion
in the foreign trado from 1889 II 1907 during which
term her policy was Irotibi;ory and ours free. Her
tonnage through The whole eighteen years, was sta
narA; nay, worse IL actually dsclin I'd f;om 5D7 $50
TO l,42l lO3 tons, while ours mounted, with aston. H.
ing CELEBRITY from l27 800 to ESQ SIG tom! See No
D. IT'S true, Great Biit"n wa, war; but that wa.
% A I'm ffaI
world. sides, ii till a.r 1896 and 1907 bat
her commerce was interrupted with that Part of Europe
at all material to her navigating nierest. But what
was the ehect upon her navigation alter 1907 when the
whoe commercial world, in Europe aud America
united against her in nter course war? That ma
vigation, which, in 1907 reduced 10 1872 $40
mounted regularly, ill had reached in 1915
O29 tons See No. 5. This war Of restrictions. Ike
every other experiment of the kind whether tried In
peace or war; pdray Zed the resources o all the uaons
who commenced IL, and operated general bounty
on the industry OF Great Britain. Her imno t. which
had Tor iour yeas previous, ranged FROM Is 80 rose
In Tour years alter 1907, TO 81 nilons; her ,xp0r
from 81 TO 10 and 80 millions ST Ring. The absolute
rest tons OF other nations upon themselves neutraz
ell all the had fleets of her own system and gave
new impulse to her wealth aud Iower
But there is an Inquiry sill Interesting to US
one winch ihe committee persuade Themselves Iaust
have its Influence on the minds OF all who cherish
proper regard for national henor and safety How
has our commercial sarn-, tie basis OF our naval pow
er, kept pace with the navigation Of other countrie.
since the war? This is an important INJURY and IN.
committee accordingly endeavored to obtain accurate,
Information OF the commerce ard navigation of III.
principal European Power., for the purpose of com
pairing their progress with own. They have mi,
lound II practicable to obtain aay tables of Russian
or French navigation Tde former, however ia M,
iRpor ant, that Government still adheres in seme
measure, TO PrOhibitory duties, and nies TO Russia
that intercourse With other nations without which,
Their resources must be comp travey stationary and
their navigation depr s.ed. Her naval power can ne
Yer be formidable under such system whatever 10
be The number or description of her ships OF war
France appears laerly TO have adopted more enIio
ensd policy. We have tables of her navigation: In.
we bave the best evidence Of her prosperity in the
dordnaTy progress OF her foreign commerce since the
wa Since 1915 her imports have risen from 1913 to
4oS millions OF francs, and her exports from 397 TO Sill
millions OF francs. There u.s. however little probsbii.
~ OF our having, With either France or Russia any
COLLISION oil character serious as 10 involve ne in
war. ibe committee have jeen more sucressfnI in
Obainng complete aud accurate st1temcnts of the
yigaiiOn OF Great Britain aud her dotninions- doru
mems lar more interesting 10 Us, considering the mac
nitude OF our commercial aud political retstious with
that gfeat maritime Power However i,i,,rio,. 90
had supposed policy to be, were NOT IN
expect that these statements wouI exhibit AZ fbev do
a more rapid increase in British than in American ton
mage We had not suppo'ed that young, rising and
naturally commercial country, whose populsu, ~ ami
agriculture are growing with unequalled randi
could undtr any policy be outspped in The race by
haon whose nayiga ion presumed 10 have reach.
co ls maNImun, aHd wlOse naval power was suppo,-
ed to be At least stationary n it's meridian II IL moi
alsshy 10 its decline. But Great Britain has granted
commercidl liberty to Ter vast empire, At home and
abroad, and has taken start in the race Of ma.
uorsj While we, on TIE other lend, protesting 10 be