The Portland daily press., 1865-12-18
Our Commerce and its Carriers.

W1ic1 naj poen SltClny IN the Guy uuflnS Tue
summer.
Our Commerce and its Carriers.
The number of foreign vessels entered at
the Portland Custom house in 1854, wa, 81,
with tonnage of 97,955 md 1882 seamen.-
OF American vessels engaged in foreign trade
tne.e ware 189co ltaining As ,259 tons and 1421
man. While enyayeiin the coast service were
81, caryin, 116,334 tons and 1851 men, max
ing total o2854 vessels 259,514 tons and 500
sealnen.
The average measurement of these vessels
was mar 80 tons, requiring rather more than
10 men each to sail ;-or one man to every 20
tons. The actual trade OF Portland, there
fore, requires $3.50 sailors-transient inhabi-
tants of this port, but greater in number,
probably, than all that attend the churches of
the city on the most inviting Sabbath.
One hundred thousand tons of shipping be-
long to this port, manned by some $3.50 sail
ors. These are doubtless most closely iden-
tilted with our population and prosperity
But this il not ali; vast number frequent
our waters, who are not specially concerned
in our trade. The year ending the 10th of
September last reports $500 arrivals; the ag-
grezate of whose crews could not number less
than $4,000 men,-equal to the population of
Portland ju returned 3o,124. In addition to
these, han lreds of fijhing vessels along our
whole line of coa,t from the Grand Banks to
the Chesapeake, seek shelter and supplies
here, or spend the still hours of Sunday
when we have seen them three and five abreast
at the waarves, and dotted all over the bay
Very few of these are noticed as ARRIVALS"
F..om 400 to 100 vessels at a time have
been seen the past year making this harbor,
few Of which report themselves save as some
OF their crews may take turn on shore
With this iacS indicating the presence of thou
sands in port at once, it needs no effort of
faith to credit the assertion of one of the best
informed gentlemen of the city, that Portland
is annually visited by 10000 seamen.
The relation of these thousands to our com
merce, whose errands across the painless and
stormy ocean they transact, theiI relation to
the prosperity of our city, and to ourselves
a. interested in all human welfare, entities
them to no second place in our regard. In a
vital sense these men belong to Portland;
1000 are engaged as carriers OF our commerce,
$1,000 entered at this port, 10000 going and
coming upon the waters of our harbor! Let
the e dumb figures speak. They represent
living souls to be cared for and aided. Strang-
ers from home and loved ones, as a christian
people we should extend to them the warm
right hand Of a christian hospitality. 1t is
due to ourselves as well as to them. Their
influence in giving US character abroad de-
ponds upon the character we help them to at
tain. The peace and purity of our city is de-
pendent upon the influence we throw around
them. As business men, even, when we re-
feet upon the values confded to their care
millions of exports and imports-when we re-
member that the annual loss to American
com nerce by accident, at sea is upwards of
thirty million of dollars, we see the import
ance of that which will elevate the character
of sailors. Ship-owners, merchants, and I'M
derwriters need not be told how the improve
ment OF this noble and necessary class would
diminish their risks. But there are higher
motives. s. G..
A MEETING will be held this evening at the
Rooms of the Y. NJ. G. Association, Goldman
Block, Temple Street, at half past seven
o'clock, for the purpose of organizing Society
for the benefit of Seamen. All interested in
the object are invited to attend.
An Appreciated Compliment.
We received letter few days since from
the Editor and Proprietor of the Indianapo
Hs Daily EceninJ Gazette, the leading paper
not only of Indianapolis, but of the State of
Indiana, stating that he was about procuring
new type for his paper, and saying: "Among
all the papers which receive in exchange, I
see none that like better than yours-if so
WELL"
He requested us to inform him where we
procured the type on which the Press is print
ed, so that he might procure the same kind.
saying that he could not find such beautiful
ly cut letter at the Cincinnati Foundries.-
The Press is printed with type procured of
Messrs. PHELPS & DALTON, 50 Washington
street, Session, copper-faced in New York
They are superior type founders, and the pur-
chaser is sure to buy of them for cash as cheap
ly as good article can be procured anywhere.
They employ only the best of workmen and
use only the best of stock, and they have SPAR
ed no pains to cut entire new fonts, upper and
lower case, with italics to match, of several OF
the mo It approved styles. m i,sE5l...i ....
We took pleasure in referring the Editor
Of the Gazette to the establishment of Messrs.
?. d D., and feel sure if he procurss type of
them his paper will be among the neatest in
the West. We regard his compliment highly,
and feel gratiied that we have been able to
show offa beautifully cut type to such good
advantage. ,.-.f
While we are in for it we may as well saw
another word. The paper on which the Press
is now printed, we think must have commend
ed itself to every subscriber who has nood
taste, and who esteems it privilege to have
beautiful type impressed upon clean ,vhite
surface. We have for several months past pro-
cured our paper from Messrs. r. E. LYON &
Co., Skowhegan, and in no case have we
heard any complaint of its quality. We have
had paper from Canada) offered US at less
price, but considering the quality, we feel sat-
isfied to continue our present arrangement for
supply.
CoMPLndENTARY.-Th The Bangor Whio,-
~he'a Its senior editor Is absent,-is entitled to
the palm for being the most INSCRIPTIONS pa
per In the State. Its statements ahout tho