New-York daily tribune., 1865-08-01
AMERICAN STEAM NAVIGATION.

Now that the war is over, and the protection
of a Neutral flag is no longer Of any value, II j.
a very fl and proper time 10 look about and see
if The country which has just tgiumphed on the
land is not in danger of ignobly yielding will
ont decent effort 20 contest I, the supremacy
OF the sea. 10 the thoughtful reader the men
ton Of the subject suggests the remembrance Of
the only two American transatlantic lines We
have ever had the boast o. the Nation being in
the Collins Line. which was a success in every
thing brt its pecuniary( management. Some
persons used to suggest that the figure over the
entrance of the Canal-st. pier was the pro-
prietor blowing his own trumpet. The figure
remains there yet, although the ships 90 10 ::
but while they were running, England was forced
to allow that they were the finest vessels that
ever crossed o. ocean. Mr.. Collins was ds-
posed, however. 10 blow MS trumpet little 700
hard and when the Arctic went down. icahullJ
reminding the public that cYcn such vessels
were not absolutely safe and thc Pacific. racing
with the crack boat OF that time. the Persia,
vas never heard from; and when. having lost
one vessel by the mania for speed. Mr.. Collins
ambiticusly built the Adratic III obedience TO
the mania which eliminated in the Great
Eastern. the most liberal subsidies from Con
gress could not save the line. 1t was a national
calamity, however, when the ships ceased to run,
for their success had been confidently counted
upon as only an average example of Ameri-
can enterprise, aud they were considered Only
pioneers, doing better at the start than tbs
slower European after years Of trial. So our
yachts have beaten English yachts in their own
waters; our mowers have beaten theirs The
Times printed its American counlerbiaSts OF
American presses; and now the supremacy Of
the sea was TO be fairly wresied away from
Britannia who could no longer sing her song.
But the result proved TO be quite other
wi:e. The stsld British characteristics were
notsbly exemplfed in the history Of The
Cunard Line. The Persia made a short voyage,
but It as not deemed worth while to take the
risk of shortening her time further by swashing
againstcebergs. Anybody who writesno Of our
transatlantic steam marine can make as brief
chapter as the Rebel Secretary Of the Navy
might have made of his fleet toward the end of
the war, although the Rebels improved the
opportunities they had, while the nation gener-
ally does not. The Carrying trade performed
by steam vessels between this country and
Europe is now in the hands OF eight regular
lines, running about fifty vessels, not one Of
which flies the American flag. The old Cnnard
Line, most prudenty and hence successfully,
managed from the start, has seen the wreck of
its rival, the Collins and has steadily increased
lis business until it runs regularly six vessels,
though owning eight or ten. The "Inman," q
young line started with the main intent Of fur
nishing to the better class Of emigrant5 accommo-
dations superior to those of sailing vessels, has
built boat after boat until it now has thirteen
completed, and dispatches two per week from
this port to Queenstown and Liverpool. The
"National "-another British Compsny-has
eight vessels, and from an irregular line is
now dispatching regular vessel weekly.
Then there is the French Limo to Havre, at
present monthly line, but pushing new YES.
sells to completion with oil dispatch; the Glas'
gov Line, devoted largely TO tho carrying Of
immigrants; the Quebec and Portland Linei
and the two German Lines, ono 10 Hamburg
and one to Bremen, both running semi-monthly
vessels. While Of the ssven sp'sndid Amon-