Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1845-06-05

Forty-three millions, four hundred
thousand dollars, sum much larger
than the profits Of our navigation for the
same period Of time. as every ship
owner will readily admit. From an
official report, we ascertain that the ex-
Pendl.ure Gncluding the first cost and
repairs and armament,) for the ship of
the line, delaware" is $lO5l 900;
for the Columbus" 1914 900; for the
"Pennsylvania." 1884 900; for the
"Ohio," ss43 900: for the "North Car.
olina." $4,000. The average cos.
of line of battle shipi is Ss3O,OOO
One year in service, wages,
provisions, &C., 100000
Ships proportion of Navy
Yard, &C., $4,000
$l.lOO.OOO
The expenditure has been. for the
frigate Potomac. 1927, 900; for the
"Macedonian," 1863 600; for the
"Brandywine." 500, 200; for the "Co!-
umbia," $39s.OOO.
Average expenditure for
frigate, s475. 900
One year in use, 10000
Navy Yards, &c. $4,000
S6l0, 600
For the Sloop of War WARREN"
1867 900; "Vlncennss." $500. 900,
"FalmOuth,' $335.OOO; adams"
$275,OOO.
Average expenditure for a
sloop of war, S3l5.OOO
One year in service. $4,000
Navy Yards. &C., 10000
1915 600
The average expense Of each gun
thus carried. as we say. uselessly, over
the ocean. for one year. amounts TO
about $4,000 Now. admitting the
profit of an American ship to be four
thousand dollars per annum. --ani this
rate of profit would cover the ocean
with ships,--it will take the years
earnings of one hundred ships to pay
the expenditure necessary to have a
slOop of war and to use her for one
year; one hundred and fifty ships for
frigale; and nearly three hundred
ships for line of battle ship; i. e.
little fleet of a seventy four and frigate
and sloop requires five hundred and
fifty ships TO do a profitable business,
to earn sufficient in year to build re
pair and sail this feet.
SeUenteen hundred merchants ships
must be thus profi,ably employed euery
gear to earn the annual expenses Of
our navy. if every ship clears $4,000
per annum!
We have about 100000 tons of
shipping engaged in the foreign trade,
which is. two thousand ships, averag.
ing five hundred tons each. The cost
Of this shipping is $50 per ton. The
actual value Of our mercantile marine
is abou. $40 per ton, taking them to.
gether, new and Old This would
make the value of our shipping to be
forty millions of dollars about five
times the annual cost Of our navy
Our navigation, therefore, must earn
every year. or benefit the country, 20
per cent. of its value, to pay for its
protection by our navy.
The ship owner does not, upon an
average. one year with another, earn
five per cent. beside the interest on the
capital employed. This estima,e-5
per cent.-would give two millions as
the prof, to the owners. The cap
tains, officers and american seamen
engaged in foreign trade. do not receive
over three millions iii wages. The
increased value of American ship build.
ing materials. principally timber, for
the iron, copper. hemp and canvas are
mostly lmporsed,) on account of the
construction of ships, does no, exceed
one and half millions. The labor
paid in ship building, is about che
million dallars. Altogether seven and
half millions are the national prof. of
our navigation, or about the cos. Of The
navy.
But. if you please, double this esti.
mate Of the profit of our navigation;
prove, if you can. that undervalue the
benefit concerned of our commercial
marine and that overvalue the cost of
the fighting ships, still. it settles MOTH
ing in favor of the navy, for the navy,
is not of the least practical advantage
to the navigation.
There are nations now enjoying
profitable navigation, who have not a
single vessel of war; and who are sail
ing their ships so cheaply, as to inter-
fere. most seriously. with the employ
ment of our ships by our own CON-
merce.
In time Of peace, all the protection
for merchant ships, which will be
claimed as necessary is protection a.
gainst pirates; now seventy-four's and
frigates never catch pirates, certainly