Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-06-06
Ship Building in the U. s.

The Detroit Tribune has an article devo;-
ed to an exposition ofthe advantages to the
Lake region, arising from the opening OF the
St. Lawrence, in the single item of ship
buildng,in the course Of which il gives some
interesting statistics bearing upon the subject
Of navigation and commerce at home and
abroad. That paper says:
The tonnage of the United States and
Great Britain, including steam. compared in
lS46, is as follows
United States tonnage 3.5S1,93l
Great Britain 3,397,92I
During the past year, according to the
Custom House reports, our mercantile ma
rine has yielded up TO the California trade
700 vessels, with tonnage of 240,000 tons
They are in the Pacific and probably will re-
main there. Hence it is thought by many
that our marine are not in the right position
to take advantage of this new reciprocity
system.
This advantage, will, no doubt, soon be
met, with an additional supply of shipping
| Without the California trade the sure increase
of business, which will arise from The repeal
Of the navigation laws, and usual augmenta.
ton of trade. constant increase o! our shi p-
ping will be required. None will deny this.
Anticipating greatly increased demand
for vessels, the Tribune goes on to say
I'VE can build all kinds of vessels, equal il
not superior 10 those built at Yarmouth
! Sunderland; and other points in England
and offer them at a cheaper rate.
In the cost OF material we have a great ad-
vantage. Every foot of timber used in a
British built vessel, is imported, under a
slight tariff. To these charges add trans
portatlon-and the money cost of timber,
hemp, &c. II necessarily exceeds the cost
Of the same in the United States"
The best ships in England and Scotland
cost about S97 ton. In New York and
New England. our ship builders deliver YES
sells equipped for sea at $65 per ton-show =
| ing difference of one-lhird in the cost, i'll
favor of the American ship builder. These
are advantages to the American ship builder
so great are they, that the Tribune infer S
that ship building must ultimately, and at no
distant day succumb TO The growing energies
and capabilities of the Americans.
The Tribune says IN the foregoing esti-
mates 'The British prices are compared
with those on the sea-board in the Eastern
States. But there is another view we may
present with much more satisfaction. The
West-the Lake country-with its unlimIt-
ed resources, has not yet been entered into
competition.
| We give the Eastern prices from the n
Y. Price Current and Shipping List, for ma
terials
EASTERN PRICES OF sH1p-BUILD1NG NATE
| RAILS.
White oak timber per cubic foot 20 to 30c
Locust 4" " de-
pending on size so to 81 0C
White oak scantlng per 1O00f.
S25 to $50 oC
White oak plank, 2 inch per 1000 #.
S35 10 $50 OC
Mast and spars 60 to 70 # long.
Is to 90 inch. 27 to $50 90
Hemp per ton of 2,240 lbs. $50 to 200 0O
PRICES ON THE LAKES.
White oak timber per cubic fl. 3 to &c
Locust timber per cubic 1t. de-
pending on size 10 to 20
White oak scanlling depending
ing on sleeper 1000 #. SO to $I2 0C
Wkite oak plank, 2 inch per
1000 ft. 81 TO so O(
Masts and spars can be furnished on the
ST. Clair river, Saginaw, mouth Of the Kala-
mazoo, St. Joseph or Grand River at one
quarter Of the Eastern prices.
We have abundance Of cherry, black wal
nut, and, OIL Lake Superior, any quantity o
bird's-eye maple, for the best finish for cab.
ins, &c. All the other timber materials
abound on all our Lakes.
By examining the above table Of prices, il
will be observed that in cost of materials
there enumerated, our advantage over East.
ern ship builders varies from 100 to 300 pei
cent. The St. Lawrence will soon afford
the finest facility for conveying large ships to
the ocean, and which can be freighted with
our own produce, and at our own DOORS
Vessels thus loaded can proceed immediate.
ly to Eastern or foreign ports. Considering
the amount of Western produce which finds
an outlet 10 the ocean, il is worthy tue at.
tention of shippers and capitalists to investi.
gate, and ascertain the cheapest modes by
| which il can be accomplished.