The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-06-02
The Ocsan Mall SteamshiP Contest - Can
America Compete with England In the

FROM the LONDON Times, May il.
America weeping for her steamers and viii not be
oomorted Like other young people, the United States
have had their visions and castles in the air but the u
sions have vanished and they steadily settling
down 10 the realities Of actual existence as find
and feel It, not SUCH as they dream and imagine IT, The
young lawyer who twenty be Lord Chancellor
limits bis wishes at thirty pusne udgeshp and is at
forty only too happy he repose FOR bis la
bors in the safe but ngorious harbor of
a metropolitan police office. The young beauty who in
her first season would look at nothing under vscouut
passes rapidly, as years roll by, through the sub
ordinate grades OF society, and is at last well
content to preside the establishment of a thrv.
ing attorney Australian millionaire Even so has il
been with the United States. Their boundess territory
their rapidly increasing population the OF wealth
and Of power which are open 10 them every side
seem only to court their acceptance, have made many
things possible to them that they have come to believe
nothing impossible, and are, honestly believe even
more astonished than disappointed when they find
all in turn last ind that there some things which
It is not in their power TO achieve To u.s. who look at
these matters with the GOODNESS OF people who, they
have sue MANY things have also failed in many
Others there appears nothing surprising dhartenng
in the undcubted fact that the United States have
proved quite unable to maintain a competition with
England or even with the Hanseatic towns, in tue
navigation Of the by large steamers. America it
appears, spendidy trumphei gallant rivalry
in ocean steam navigation and then abandoned the con-
test to her beaten competitors She "whpped the Brit
shers,' and then to console them abandoned the field Of
rhS haVe bseS es II m
those already at work between Europe and
North America. There is Galway line and a Bremen
line and line ia announced which is to connect Quebec
with Glasgow. Vessels have been added the line be.
tween Quebec and Liverpool, and the Cunard limo is
obliged to employ subsidiary fleet to assist its mail
steamers. There steam vessels running be-
tween Europe and North America thirty two Of which be-
long Great Britain eight to the Hanse Towns and ave
TO the United States Of which five only ply during the
WINTER we look at the tonnage, the case according to
our contemporary s equally strong OF the transatlantic
Towns 10000 tons, and the United States $4,000.
Nor is this ali. The business still enjoyed by Anne
ricen steamships is that between New York and Havre
but plan is in agitation by which the English line
will call at Queenstown, and thus be able to despatch
branch steamer to Havrea composition against which
our contemporary apprehends the American steamships
will be unable to struggle We add this picture that
England has 1000 steamships in her foreign mercantile
and postal SERVICE and America ony seven we have nut
the last touch picture which not unnaturaly raises
the indignation and the regret of American journalist
jealous othe honor Of his country and anxious that she
should take the lead whenever she enters into the contest
Startling these esus are, it will probably be easy
to account for them without making too large demands
upon the seove and national pride of gallant rivals
the water. They hardly expect us to grant in
deed that they came ont victorious from mpeton In
which they have been manifestly overcome but We
the other hand must forget that the contest be
tween the Cnnard and Collins lines extent a
question of subsidies The value Of subsidy to steam
navigation company depends not only its amount, but
lis permanency and in this respect believe that Eng.
land has felt the advantage Of the greater stability and
higher character Of the popular branch of our Legis
lature The Thames has not been disgraced like the
Potomac, by the presence of the steamers OF rival
companies "opened Ito use election phrase
TO members OF the House Of Commons, in order to
secure their support; and, whatever motives may
have induced the renewal Of Cunard grant, champagne
Ot.
any rate, anything to 90 with It, The subsidies NAV be
given refused in England but here at least there are
no ''lobbyers to levy black mail upon the applicant 1t
must be admitted that those who have seek subsidies
under such system compete at a very great disad.
vantage There was, besides, great difference in the
management OF the two rival Ines The Cunard company
has always avoided alurng novelties, and relying solely
on the safe teachings OF experience has uniformly
sacrificed show substance and speed 70 safety they
have gradually Increased the size and power of their sbns
but ia each case only much experience sho wed TO
be advantageous Their officers have been many years in
nn1tfty
duties, and their crews have uniformly shown in
great emergencies that confidence other that dis
cpDne and courage which such system cannot fail to
produce The commanders and their officers are selected
entirely with reference to their On the other hand
the Americans in building their ships thought quite as
much Of what was sho Wy and ornamental as what was
Bold apd useful Before the time of the Persia they were
we believe, anything superior in speed 10 the Cunard
line, and their commanders were excellent seamen but
the crews were only engaged for the voyage and have
shown on more than trying occasion want OF dig
cplne and devoti) the service which such practice
unavoidable, probably an American port could not fail
to produce The result was what might have been expect
ed The American ships abandoned by Americans
for the CuDard line Nor was this difficult to
account for While it the honorable boast OF the Gu
naTders that in tbin twenty years. ncessant nayi
CATION always at high rate of speed the most tenn
peeuous course, they hive lost q passenger and
only one ship-;he Columbia, sucked by some unaccount
able current into the Fay Of Funoyhe Collins line had
to lament many severeosses which shook tho Confidence
Of the public and oweed the character Of the underak
Much Of this mischf undoubtedly arose from causes
within the rea'h Of prevention but only fair to admit
that there are many others at which America should
not repine because ney necessarily spring from her
prosperity and progress With average rate of profit
70 much higher than or own, 1t is wonderful that
American capitalists, with means Of wealth at their
own doors in such profusion, should be unwilling
70 engage in remot and hazardous enterprises like
those Of ocean steam navigation, and that IL they do 10
they should compete disadvantage with countries In
which capital has ben accommodating for centuries Ia
ouch an enterprise everything depends the excellence
OF the captains and he crews. 1t Is part OF the happ
NO lint In
Dor should be more highly paid and moro dificu 10
retain than in Englnd II be true, as we believe
II Is, that the grea public works which have an
ticipated by centnrr the settlement Of the Amer.
can continent have been made by Irish labor aud |