Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-07-09
The Navigation Laws.

The select Committee ON the tariff, OF
which Mr.. Boyce of South Carolina, an ar-
dent Buchanan Democrat is chairman, ut
the late session of Congress reported in favor
of repeating the navigation Avs of the coun-
try, and throwing open our coisting trade to
foreign nations upon equal terms with our
own. No surer method could be taken to
destroy the business of the Northern Allan
tic States; nor one moro clearly dem 1nstrat-
ing the sectional amin ,sity of the party in
power at Washington.
Whom the Gods will to destroy, they
first make mad is being again verified in
he Buchanan party. To openly attack
such important Observation-Disclosures which
have always been 50 carefully guarded and
protected as the navigation interests Of the
country, evinccs madness which borders
on destruction. This Buchanan party never
yet had a parallel, and the majority Of the
people earnestly pray that it may never have;
and reasonable prospect is entertained that
the earnest wish of the people will be real
lied
In 1889, the shipping Of the country was
not sufficient for the transportation of the
domestic produce of the country, and a large
portion Of that employed was owned by for
eigners; and in 1890 the first act was passed
imposing duties on foreign tonnage. These
duties wee called discriminating duties, and
were six cents per ton on vessels built in the
United States; but belonging wholly, or in
part to subjects of foreign powers, to thirty
cents per ton. Vessels not Of the United
States of two hundred tons burthen enter
ing our ports, paid SO sterling tonnage
duty, and for a cargo valued ut 10000 stcgl-
ing, thoy paid Els sterling extra duty more
than did the vessels of the United States of
the same tonnage, and laden as above nameds
These acts Oft American government slim
ulated the shipping interest at home, and
our commercial marine began to rise rapidly
and regularly, and the foreis, tonnage di-
mirished. These duties have been modified
to some extent, but the principle of protec
ton to this important branch of nat onal
strength and prosperity has been always
carefully guarded. Surprising the cheap
vessels of our neighbors of the Provinces
should have the some privileges of engaging
in our coasting trade as our own vess lis, how
long would our ship carpenters find employ
ment at home, and how soon again should
we see the long line of Maine sea coast dot
ted with ships on the stocks, as it has been !?
Maine has built more tonnage in year than
any state in the Union. This could never
be said Of her again, if her carrying trade
is to be shared on equal terms with foreign
vessels; and if the freighting business OF the
whole country is to be thrown open to for
eign competition, We must contrive some way
to annex the neighboring Provinces, so that
the material can be had cheap Tor construct
ing our vessels. More or less of the timber
used for building the large crop of vessels
turned off the stocks in this state, in lS33-
o., came from the Provinces.
We copy from an exchange, not having
the documents at hand to obtain the inform-
alton ourself, the following statistics, show
ing the rapid rise of our commercial marine
under the acts of Congress alluded to above.
In 1890, 557 British vessels were employed
in the commerce of the United States; in
1900, they were reduced to l39 In the
year 1870, the American vessels 81 employed
amounted to only 464; in 1870, they were
augmented to 1867. In the years 1871,
1892, 1893, 1900, ll5s British vessels cle;. red
inwards and outwards between Great Brit
ain and the United States; in the same time,
296l American vessels We're employed in the
commerce between the two countries. In
1889, the British vessels which entered in
wards Tin Great Brittany engaged in the
trade of the United States, amounted to = %;
those outwards to 35s. In 1879, those
which entered inwards amounted only to A.,
and those outwards to 81. In 1906, 55l
vessels engaged in the trade of the United
States entered inwards i'll Great Britain, OF
which Sc only were British; of the SIS en-
tered outwards, only 30 were British.