Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1863-07-22
Oarr1;rsteers Doing 4 Smashing d asi-
ncSSi

Two years have uow pessal since Sernmcs
comneacedslis particular cruise in the Sam
ter. since which time about one hundred and
firY Of our v~,sSels-valnei With their ca--
goss. ut ten million doliars-haye been cap
turrd - ~?esse!s rader the Confederate flag.
aud still netting ~efr.ctunl has been done by
our iui,nerse navy. Co put n stop to heir whole
sale acts Of rarine. plumber aud piracy. From
the first appearances Of the little schooner
JEFF. Davis they have gone on increasing IN
numbers, strength and powec, uatil, by their
iMmerors swift. heavily armed steamers, the
Confederate navy has been the terror Of our
entire mercantile marine. Tteia vessels are
fonad in every part ni the Atlantic they
even capture and burn our Vessels within sight
of cur commercial martS, q d still escape (I
escape itmay he called from vessels which
rever scein to pursue, or ut least reyer 1;'li
them. Still nothing is dane.
The eIec: CT this apathy ar c%riini:.sl neg
lcct ou the partoi the Navy Department. mt.f
b. fully rcalz1i lya giance 1T the character
and Darola:iey CT Inc vessels that no~ lnoa'
o..ii1e the carrying trade al tris port While
our own &:e ro:ti,,g st cur waarves. Oar
merchants, faliy realizing that the ilas under
which their vessels haze SO ioug and proudly
SHlicG c.sf1 ID lDiscr GLS.O SiCIl HhSbSSiASH
in Gha pursuit Of legitimate trade, ;re coiH-
piled 10 let thoip he lille or resor; to the dis
gracpiul practice OF putting them under tie
tItg Ola iyreign power. Teis p%gactiee has
been carried on &c Ii almost incredible ex-
tent since it las become apparent that they
nave nothing 10 h9pe for or expect at ;he
hands of the Department at Washington.
Siuce the breaking ont. OF the rebellion
,hrac hundred and eighty Eve vessels, With ai
aggregate tonnage Of more than one hundred
end .s,x.ys six thousand tons, have been trans.
ic.r.i 10 foreigners at this port alone most Ct
~u.c, are COW sailing under the Tag Of Great
Pie. our moSt prominent commercial nv
n. and aliy-of the South. AT ether ports the
s.,ns rr.c;! ice IS prevailed, and it would be
fa;r tn esf;,rate tile ..ass of American tonnage
under it, during the past tTo Yeas, at three
handl ed thousand tons. This loss to Us, a. a
matter Of course, involves 4 consequent n
Crease Of tie tonnage and power OF our rivaiS.
Aya:n. to show tine effect on our crrrythg
trade, let IS glahce at the commerce OF NeH
York dnring the first si: months oil iEa year
1860, ss compared witt o Ike period n the
present wear During the forr,er period the
1u.15.r ot vessels rieared 1t E3is port ior Tor
-rC. 7Sas seventeen tuDdrGa and ninety
c. c. ,s ,s', aieven hundred and thirty three
Nv. r'cr;c.n an az hundred and siSty:twc
fore;.n--a difference of ne wy o"n I'll
per cent. in favor of American vess. "" "'
curing the same period Of the present yea.,
there have Ueen twenty one hundred and mine
ty-seven ciearahces,. OF which fourteen Lun-
drel and fly were foreign and only sew
en- h,nlirea and forty seven American show
ing an increase i'll the humber OF foreign
vessels and a difference in llieir favor, as
compared with tne first named period, OF
about two hundred per cent.
1t il difficult to inlasiue where this practice
Will lead TO il some protection be not afforded
our merchants and sh;p.owners II the pur
suit OF their trade.