Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-06-02
Ocean Steamship Lines.

The London Times of May 18th, has the
following remarks in answer to the question
why the United States fail to compete with
treat Britain and the Hanseatic Towns in the
maintenance Of ocean steamers
AT present there are three new lines OF
steam navigation which have been opened, in
addition to those already at work, between
Europe and North America. There is II Gal
way line and Il Bremen line, and a line an.
nounced which is to connect Quebec with
Glasgow. Vessels nave been added to the
line between Quebec and Liverpool, and the
Cunard line is obliged to employ a subsi.
diary fleet to assist its mail steamers. There
are 10 steam vessels running between Eu-
rope and North America, 80 of which be-
long to Great Britain, Z to the Hanse Towns,
and ) to the United States, ofwhich FIVE, only
two ply during the winter. If we look ut
the tonnage, the case, according to our con-
temporary, is equally strong. Of the Trans
atlantic Steam Fleet, England owns 81 900
tons, the Hanse Towns 10000 tons, and the
United States 10000. Nor is this all. The
business still enjoyed by American steam
ships is that between New York and 1lavre,
but II plan Is in agitation by which the Eng
llsh line will call at Queenstown, and thus
be able to despatch a branch steamer to
|llayre, Il competition against which our con-
temporary apprehends the American steam
ships will be unable to struggle. If we add
to this picture that England has 1000 steam
ships in her foreign mercantile and postal
service, and America only seven, we have
put the last touch to q picture which not I'M
naturally raised the Indignation and the re-
greet Of an American journalist jealous of the
honor of his country and anxious that she
should take the lead whenever she enters in
to the contest.
Startling rs these results are, it will pro
baby be easy to account for them without
making too large demands upon the ~self-love
and national pride of our gallant rivals
across the water. They can hardly expect
Us to grant, indeed. that they anne out vic
torious from Il competition in which they
have been 50 manifestly overcome; but we,
on the other hand, must not forget that the
contest between the Cunard and Collins
lines was IL some extent Il question OF sub
sides. The value of n subsidy to n Steam
Navigation Company depends not only on
its amount, but its permanency, and in
this respect we believe that England has
felt the advantage of the greater stabili-
ty and higher character Of the popular
branch Of our Legislature. The Thames
has not been disgraced, like the Potomac,
bv the presence of the steamers Of rival
companies 'opened-to use an election
phrase-to members of the House of Com
mons, in order to secure their support; and
whatever motives may have induced the re-
newal of the Cunard grant, champagne
I..l,.,, -, L,,,l thn D,s.,, ~ tha ro
bia had not, at any rate, anything to do with
it. The subsidies may be given or refused
in England, but here, at least, there are no
'lobbyers' to levy black-mail upon the appli-
cant. 1t must be admitted that those who
have to seek subsidies under such a system
compete ut a very great disadvantage
There was, besides, a great difference in the
management of the two rival lines. The
Cunard Company has always avoided allur-
ing novelties, and relying solely on the safe
teachings Of experience, has uniformly sacrl-
feed show to substance, and speed to safety.
They have gradually increased the size and
power of their ships, but in each case only
SO much as experience showed to be advan-
tagcOus. Their officers have been many
years in the service, are thoroughly acquain-
ted with their duties, and their crews have
uniformly shown in great emergencies that
confidence in each other, that discipline and
courage, which such g system cannot fail to
produce. The commanders and their officers
are selected entirely with reference to their
merit. On the other hand. the Americans in
building their ships thought quite as much
of what was snowy and ornamental rs of
what was solid and useful. Before the time
of the Persia, they were, we believe, if any
thing, superior in speed 10 the Cunard line,
and their commanders were excellent sea
men; but the crews were only engaged for
the voyage, and have shown, on more than
one trying occasion, the want of discipline
and devotion to the service which such q
practice unavoidable, in an American port,
could not fail to produce.
The result was what might have been ex-
pected. The American ships were aban-
doned by Americans themselves, who show
ed m undisguised preference for the Cunard
line. Nor was this difficult to account for.
While it is the honorable boast of the Cunar-
ders that in more than twenty years inces-
SAINT navigation, always at q high rate of
speed on the most tempestuous course, they
have never lost a passenger, and only one
sup N'iuiipiu, 'uNhS ~ ohio a'o'
countable current into the Bay of Fundy-
the Collins line had to lament many severe
losses, which shook the confidence of the
public and lowered the character Of the UNI
dertaking.
Much Of this mischief undoubtedly arose
from causes within the reach of prevention;
but it's only fair to admit that there are many
others at which America should not repine,
because they necessarily spring from her
prosperity and progress. With an average
rate of profit so much higher than our own,
it is not wonderful that American capital
lists, with means OF wealth at their own
doors in such protusion, should be unwilling
TO engage in remote and hazardous enter
prises like those of ocean steam navigation,
and that if they do so they should compete
mt IL disadvantage with countries in which
capital was accumulating for centuries
The Christy Minstrels.
The y. Y. correspondent Of the Charleston
Courier SAWS.