The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-13

granted to privileged associations. In any ca.
with fair play they cannot hold their own in
petiton with Englishmen or any others, they
eIye 10 fail, and TO see their rivals doing 4
carrying for them-hut 1t is for our government
zee that we have fair play /; and this is far 4
being the case in the trade between this place
New York, as shall ] hope, show to your ssti
ton.
We have to complain that English ships, sal
as well as steamers, have an advantage Of
francs pr ton over our ships, in this, for them
direct trade-they paying one franc and we
francs per ton duties. This four francs per
tells fearfuliy In time Of general competition
slack freghts, when every dollar saved Is 30 ID
gained Our sailing ships in this trade are sci
under 1000 tons, and when an English ship Of
tonnage is brought over from London, as very
happens to compete with one OF our flag, she
an advantage Of Just 0)0 francs, against VIII
Notwithstanding The superiority OF our vessels,
hard to compete On steamers, which gene
ton much higher, | need hardly say the diher
becomes more onerous, and the effect is seen by
Cunard Company now sending over their Il
screws, and taking freight for New York at ID
rates than have ever been known before
steamers.
These fine screws are put In competition
French steamers irdiscriminately, and oval
the knife" is declared by their low prices|
freight and passage, against even the AnerI
sailing ships-the Cunard Company now taking
SO merchandise heretofore taken a. $l2 by
sailI II packets, and other goods in proportion.
Cunard screw Etna is now loading against the ]
go, and has forced this latter down from the al
price Of $40 to SO, and even under. IA these
steamers are about 500 tons each, the Etna hal
unfair advantage of 200 frs over the Arago, Will
in such g struggle, is not to be overlooked.
The French are now trying hard to estat|
steamers between ,Iavre and New York. and II
peas 10 me that now is the moment to agitate
question with the French government; up to
time the advantage has been altogether on q
side; for for every Preach ship paying dues n
United States there have been hundreds OF AM
can ships doing the same in France, the carr,
trade having been almost entirely in the hand
these latter AS 10 Neycr, their amour propTe Is
committed to having steam line Of their own,
is the opportunity, | say, to press them 70 do a
with these oner ous dues, and we can with d
steamers, carrying their own goods, in ca
ton to com pete with the English; il, howe
the money they leceive from us for these due
| so important an item TO them that they will no
tel to the representations OF our govern nent,
hint Of the application of the lea talionis, in
! shape OF an advance OF duties on their wi
| silks, &C.. would soon bring them to terms. In
nection with this when will Americans un1ers
that if they must have resident minister in I
| that he should be instructed to occupy hin
| much more with our commercial relations than
| hitherto been the case? Our shipmasters and ow
! have petitioned the French government more 4
| once for relief from old standing abuses in
| port, but never could meet with any coopera
| from our Ministers.
/ have some hesitation in speaking OF the h
neyed question Of subsidies granted to steai
for carrying the mails, but as 1t has certain \
! ing On which we are now discussing will 81
few words on this point.
Time is beginning to show the bad policy
titcn with that of England in this dan
Gus interference with the private Carl
trade, instead OF having nipped the evil in the
for we could have said, as We have already seen
gested, "Your government steamers are no merc1
vessels ard ase therefore not entitled to Their p|
leRss in our ports" To this day, no xever,
almost impossible TO make our people believe ths
pursued the wrong policy in this matter. It is q
rally lost sight OF that private enterprise commel
this Atlantic steam navigation, and even carried
advantageously for more than year after the
nard company came in with its powerful protcd
from tine English government. The Great Wea,
was as succeasfu, as steamer, as any boat
ever crossed tie Atlantic, and 1t shows how
progress has been made by these fostered compaj
when their average time IS but little more thd
day better than. that OF this boat, running will
subyennoD, twenty years ago. As commeI
speculation, from the tact that she was gene1
crowded win passengers and freight, paying
rices, she must have been profitable; and bes|
private company Is in the habit Of Carl
losing business for years. The Great Bril-
elonging TO the same company, was built aftei
Cunard company got their subyention, and mott
but the unfortunate loss Of this boat, and the
sure exercised on the company by CunNd, III
hem 10 retire from the field.
We will now just see what private enterprise
which the English and American governments q
rgf do hal la m a 10 In
In comparison with the companies 30 patr0nize{
the above governments. We find three subsitl
companies, and 10 icss than six transatlantic
nvate associations. Those subsidized are the
Rsro, Collins and Ocean companies The pr7
mpenies have boats in successful operation
. cen tie following points, viz.:--Liverpool 70
Delphia, Glasgow to New York, Hamburg 70
York, Havre 10 New York 1.-THE French compel
Liverpool to Quebec, and London to Montreal;
the average time Of these lines Is nearly "a god
that Of the mail 6oat,. We do not include ND
| Dard screws among the private enterprises, for
| can only be regarded in the light Of subsidized
sells, as II is evident that the money received bJ
naid from the English government Il now use|
| lin TO enable these screws to crush American
mSce between this port and New York; for at
| present rates If freight and passage, sl5 900,
| voyage world not pay their losses.
To show you how unjust In la operation on 4
ricDn ships this system Of subsidies Is, will staI
| you fact which ID now passing Ia this porti
1 consequence Of The Arago and Etna taking frd
| at so and 8 por ton, the ships now loading
| New York are forced to reduce to even 81 an,
| per too. nd III these rates need not tell you
| lose heavily; whereas, we're the above steal
! without that subsidy which they are squsnderiI|
! this absurd warfare, they would have been ID
| 10 keep their rates up TO paying point, wit,
| Vi ntage to themselves and without inhictinR Y
| CT thousands Of dollars on cur passiye shipowj
"But what is to lie donef" say some; I'VE CAM
/ England DO all the steamibg Of the world, and
! atil persists IN continuing and even increasina 3
subsidies" In answer, we soy this: The Frency
vernDent Is now applied to by three companies,
demanding tic privilege Of carrying the mails al
| the Atlantic, IL subsidies varying from ten u
| teen millions Of ffanGs yearly. As natural, th|
1 yeTnment hcsitgtts Oh account OF the import
OF the sums thus 10 te paid out without any Gel
return for them, except glory with which arr
since the Russian war. they are nov pretty well
feiied IN Fiarce. We believe that the Frcnc4
vcrnment woGid willingly Join ours in entering|
+, some arrangement with thst of England for o d
ton OF this Objectionable aystem OF interference
I cor meroe b. governments. Should, however
English persist, we have the power In our hi
| end by means OF raising the duties on their nj
featured goocs, could soon bring them 10 reas/
tits matter. There Is nothing John Bull
raore than an advance in the United States In th|
/ tics On his manufactures.
! regret having written 80 difftsely and ID
4 fertly n uiich