Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-04-10

cost, per ton. when equipped, at $50, one half
of which being allowed for labor, timber, and
undutiable articles, it will be seen that the
amount of about 450, 900 dollars worth Of
dutiable articles and materials must have been
consumed in merely building and equip;ng
these ships, saying nothing of repairs that fol.
lowed In the course Of their service.
Now, for much of this time the duty on iron
has ranged from so to 95 per cent ad valorem
on heavy chains, over one hundred, and on
nothing of moment less than 30 per cent on
its cost, so that it may be regarded, we think,
as fair average to place the duty at 40 per
cent. which would give the sum of over $685.
500 for 30 years, or, about $4,000 annual tax
paid by him and his associates either as duties
to the government, or, protecting bounty to
our own manufacturers; no small burthen for
a man to ''accommodate his shoulders to-"
while conducting business in which he had
to compete with the British provinces and
North Of Europe, where the labor and materials
employed, cost not half as much as here But
even this burthen, while it has, as we believe,
contributed to the development of the resources
of our country, has also been means of vast
improvement in the construction, the equiping,
and the sailing of our ships, without which
Improvements we never could have held our
way against the competition Of British and
continental ships. t ...r
But as we have before said, the condition of
things has materially changed, new era has
opened on the commerce of the world, and in
creased vigilance will unquestionably be re-
quisite for the maintenance of successful
competition with the ships Of other nations;
even while writing, we are informed that, in
asmuch as the British government is realizing
a considerable surplus from its last years rev.
enue, the ministry is entertaining project for
reducing the burthens to which their ship
building is now subject. 1t would seem there
fore, that very abundant reasons would present
themselves to the ship-builders of this country,
if they would but take the time to look into the
subject, for their cooperating, as other manu-
facturers have long done, for the maintenance
of their peculiar interests. The time has also
come, we apprehend, when most Of the branch
es of our manufacturers. important to the conn-
try, can be sustained without the large meas
ure of protection they have heretofore had. and
we see no good reason now, why the ship
building interest merely, of Maine, should pay
annually for the benefit of the rich States of
Pennsylvania and Kentucky the heavy tax of
S2I9, ,23O, to protect their ironmongers and
hemp growers, which results from estimating
our tonnage annually built, at 81 900 tons, as
in 1850, costing, equipped for sea, 1850 900,
and allowing taoenty per cent. OF the same to
consist of iron and hemp, on which the duty is
thirty per cent ad valorem.
Hitherto, there has been, we apprehend, too
little concert for consultation and action among
ject While the producers in other branches
of industry, and especially the manufacturers
Of neighboring States, have been constantly in
attendance upon our national legislation to
press their peculiar interests, their cotempora-
res of the shipping interest have been patient
ly occupied with overcoming the difficulties in
their way by dint Of their own sagacity and in
dustry.
In all the past periods of our hercest party
strife, we have had many men of both political
parties, who have, like good men and true,
worked shoulder to shoulder for promoting the
common veal and now, when many Of the
shades of party difference have faded away be-
fore the progress of our condition, may we not
expect to see these men come together as com.
patriots for the furtherance of great public
endsl @ n' a'" "a@ tH.
In our own State, heretofore opposing par
ties have greatly aPproximated by modifca-
tion Of views, particularly on the subject of
granting corporate powers for important local
purposes; and, in our national legislation, the
old grounds Of party difference have in a still
greater degree passed away. But if the old
causes of strife have diminished, there is no
less occasion for vigilant action. The whole
world is more than ever awake to practical
purposes and means of progress. While our
Constitution and our national integrity are to
be preserved at all hazards, not by the sword,
we trust, but by mutual concession, we have
much to do to prevent our other great interests
from conflicting and expressing each other.--
The importance Of onr commerce to our agri-
culture, and even to our manufacturers, no one
will at this day, deny and The dependence of
our commerce on our navigation is obvious to
all. Our fisheries too, so essential to our
maritime character and superiority, are also
more or less dependent on both, and as ma
tion, deprived of either, we cannot truly live,
or freely breathe.
We believe that our foreign commerce might
sustain itself, and that our ship-builders, our
merchants and our mariners would. have no fear
to meet the competition of the whole world, if
protected from injurious foreign enactments,
and relieved from oppressive burthens at home
burthens VIII ch were imposed in stage Of the
country's progress, and of the commerce Of the
world which no longer exists.
And why should not the friends Of this
right-arm of our national prosperity and glory,
Of all polis ical parties, unite to procure grad
ual and progressive, If not immediate, release
from every burthen that opposes its prosperity.
In bringing these already too protracted re-
marks to a close, we would take leave to say
| that our main object has heen In draw the at