The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-04-03
From the Ne,e- York Gazette.

FROM the Neto- York Udzests.
Messrs. Editors--I notice in your las
paper an extract from the London Nor
ming Herald, of an article intended Il
show why American ships are built 81
much cheaper than English, In which
sundry errors are manifest, which viii
undertake to point out, that your readers
may not be misIed on this vitality impor
tant branch Of business.
Ship carpenters wages in England are
four shillings and sixpence sterling-say
81 day here they are 81, and mas.
much as the proportion of labor to the
whole cost of a hull Of ship is one half
it results that in the hull and spars of a
ship of500 tons costing 100000, the la
Dor would be $4,000 here, while il would
be but $4,000 in England.
There is about the same difference in
the cost of iron. In England, the price
is from S5 to SlO sterling a ton, say
$22 % cents to $44 A cents for the diff
ferent qualities-while here our protec-
ting duty being S22 40 cents S37 ton,
the prices are $65 to sos ton more than
in England and as about 20 tons are
used in a 500 ton ship, it results that we
pay 5000 more than they, add TO which
the differences in prices Of chain cables
and anchors, the price of the former be-
ing less than 81 cents per lb. IFS sterling
per liz lbs.) and Of the latter less than
q cents. per lb. (27s per ll2lbs.) there
while here our duties being cents per
Ib. on chains, and 2 cents per ID. on an
chors, we have to pay S1 cents per lib. on
the former, and 9 to 81 cents on the lat
ter. A ship Of 500 tons will require 25,-
900 lbs. Of chain cable. costing 5 cents
a lb. more here than in England, makes
$3.50, and on 5000 lbs Of anchors, at 3
cents, $50, will make the cost of cables
and anchors SI400 more here than there.
With regard to American Hemp, as
used for making rigging for ships, it is
utterly worthless, and no ship owner will
use it, unless the rope makers mix it SO
as to deceive him, and the fourishing
condition Of this bantling of the Ameri-
can Protective System may be learned
by this fact, that the growth has rapidly
diminished as the protection has increas-
ed, and there are not 200 tons q year
sent to this city now, when, fifteen years
ago, five if not ten times this quantity
come here, in Hemp and in "Kentucky
Yarns" the duty then being S30--now
$50 ton.
In England the prico of best cordage
is AS sterling per 1I2 lbs. say less than
81 cents per lb; here it is liz cents per
Id difference 8 cents.
A ship Of 500 tons will require IL tons
of rigging say $4,000 lbs; difference 8
cents against us, 1907.
Sails cost here rather moro than 40
per cent more than the price Of same
quality in England, as can be shown by
actual bills paid Within 4 months past.
A full suit for ship of 500 tons will
cost here between $2500 and S2SO0-
say $4,000 40 per cent on which will be
siO5O.
White lead and other paint used on
ships cost about two thirds in England
what they do here. But without going
too much into detail, let US see how we
stand now.
A ship of 500 tons will cost moro
here than she would in England
in labor $4,000
Iron fastening 5000
Chains and anchors .l4OO
- 2300
Rigging sO7
Sails l049
- lS47
&9.l47