The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-01

From q recent circular of Grascmann &
Co., wo mako few extracts, complimentary
of our commerce. t.tt
LONDON, Dec. 81, 1855.
GEyrLnEy,-we beg leave at this period
Of the year, to wait on our ship-owning cor
respondents in the United States, with few
remarks on the present and prospective en-
ploymcnt Of American shipping on English
account, and we do so, with the less reluc-
lance now that the advantages oc free
trade in foreign tonnage have been tested
by the experience of FIVE years"
ave arrive at the conclusion that the
carrying power of the United States mcr-
camille marine is at the present time 10000
British register tons in excess Of that Of the
British Empire, viz
United States shipping in Bri-
tish register tons, 5,94O, 900
British Tonnage, 100000
Excess in British register tons
Of United States shipping
over British shipping, 740,OOs
at is now "not difficult" "to forcsec
that in very few years, the United States
tonnage will exceed the shipping Of the
world, including that under the British flag,
always provided that peace be maintained
in the interval, between the United States
and the two great powers Of Europe"
I" The npid extension of shipping in the
United States has greatly exceeded that OF
its foreign trade, and as natural consc-
quencc, the owners of portion Of the reg
istered tonnage will, at all events, for some
time to come, look to this side of the Allan
tic for lucrative employment. In England,
since the repeal of tho navigation laws, a
large amount of American tonnage has con-
stantly been employed under charter, chiefly
in the East India and China trades, and to
the mutual advantage Of owners in America,
and of merchants in England"
eve take this opportunity Of offering
our testimony, and that most favorably to
the manner in which A. |. United States
vessels have delivered valuable East India
and China cargocs Of every description in
our docks-hundreis of such vessels, vary
ing in size f.om 500 to 1000 tons register,
under charter through us and to our con-
Segment, have since the repeal Of the Nav
igation laws, delivered, both mixed and
heavy sarsocs, in the most admirablc order"
"Wc may here mention that tho largest
cargo ever imported from Calcutta, has just
been landed in good order ex Euterpe"
Captain Arcy, a Maine built ship of 1000
tons register, chartered through US. The
Newburyport ship Merrimac," Captain
Bray, of 100 tons register, has just landed
cargo of ricca Antwerp, in good order,
consisting of 2l,243 bags, weighing net
1900 tons, thus proving theabsurdity Of the
notion which prevailed here, a few years
ago, that an eastern built vessel was not fit
to carry u heavy cargo.
Tho Bath built ship, Saratoga, Captain
Trask, OF 1000 tons register, was one Of the
first large United States vessels that arrived
here from Calcutta in 1851, and she deliver
cd about 100 large tons of Calcutta cargo
in admirable order.
1t appears that tho Kenncbunk ships have
answered best in the Calcutta trade, in point
of economy, and such vessels rs the Ophelia,
of 507 tons register, and Equity, Of 493
tons register, and the Henry Ware, Of $40
tons register, delivered from 20 to 90, 90 in
excess of their respective tonnage. We
have found good employment for A. !, YES
sells of all sizes, with cargoes of tea and silk
from China, but although the East Boston
built ship Z" Lishtfoot," Of 1906 tons regis
ter, land other large clipper) delivered un-
der one of our charters cargo Of about
1000 tons, in very good order, they have
nevertheless, been complained Of by char
tcrers."
"We recommend our correspondents in
the States to continue to employ portion
of their tonnage under charter for East
India voyages on English account"
nD kSrkfkN<. A. m