New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-06

TO ,he case, and which will in part, alleviate the
bnrd u. and ut least show that occurrences like
these are no natural development Of our mercantile
marine, but rather exceptional circumstances
mr. sirp from the mushroom growth of our chipping
interest during the sst1ew Year,.
The London Times in commenting upon this
transaction, imputes 1t to some "bidden cause
that has suddenly changed the ctsrsctero OF Ameri-
can payieators We will chow what that " hidden
d" csute" is in few Words 1t is the remarkable
expansion of our shipping within the last twelve or
thirteen year,, beginning with the Irish famine IN
1917, sud stimulated at successive intervals by the
discovery of the gold mines of California, OF Aus-
trsIis, and afterward by the Crinean war.
Dur1 this period, our tunnage has increased roma
little over 800 900 tuns to overs coo, 000tuns, and,
of course, it has greatly outun Che growth OF our
maritime population. Seyen-eightbs Of our sea-
faling men are furnished by the belt of coast ex'
ten6irp between Hampton Roads and Passama-
quojdy Bay. This is a straight line OF less than
LOCO miles in length, Great Britain with tunnage
no greater than ours measures direct line of sea
coast of considerably over 1000 miles in extent.
The demand for native and hon e-brcd sailors is
thus far more easily supplied there than here. We
have TO resort to foreign sources to answer the
wants of OR shipping to much greater extent
than ~ done in England. This gives more mis-
celaneous character TO nomnally American crews,
than is to be found in the ships of any other nation.
From the same cause arises deterioration in the
character of American ships officers. 1t has
become, under the constantly increasing pressure OF
ships upon the maritime population, impossible to
obtain irstclass officers in sufficient abundance TO
meet The demand. The result has been a necessity
of taking such as could be found. Within the last
half dozen years, men have been gladly taken as
masters that formerly would have found 1t dhcult
10 obtain situations as first aud second mates. vi
course the deterioration has necessarily l0uno lts
way all through the ship. We have had 10 tase
men tor subordinate officers who were only ht 70
90 be fore the mast and we nave had to pick up Tor
ordionry seamep men who were wholly unit TO so
TO sea in any capacity.
Under these circumstances Of an undue expansion
botbed growth of our shipping which has occa-
stoned gut of tunDage never before paralleled is
should not be taken as such evidence OF growing
b. u,aiiy in a people as The London Times would
setm to consider it, if the character of cur mari
ne,s Should be found to be worse than formerly.
The reasons which We have given for such deterio-
ration ave sufficient to account for many ifnot all Of
the complaints made against American ships officers
snd crews within The last few years. AT tie came
time it affords very proper ground OF expect
afioD, that with the Disappearance of the
existing dispropoytion of ships to mariners, which
is last being accomplished under the operation OF
the laws oftade, shall soon restore the character
Of our mercantile marine to its former high stand
ard. The growth of our shipping has been at a
siaLd-s,Il for Two or three years past while our
seafdliugpopuaiionh has beenregularg increasing 1t
anrot be long, therefore, we trust before we may
look for natural remedy for many of those acts OF
violence on board our ships which, in too many
instances, have brought discredit upon the Ameri-
can name