The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-12
English and French Mercantile Marine

Statistics recently published by comnis-
sion appointed to examine INTO the cohaiuoh
of the mercantile marine of France show that
France possessed in 1880, fourteen Thousand
eight hundred and fifty-two vessels, OF All
sizes and descriptions, with an aggregate ION
mage of six hundred and eighty-nine thousand
five hundred and fifty eight tons In 1850,
period of thirty years, there was an increase
of only seventy four vessels, although the
tonnage was increased to the extent OF three
hundred and six thousand five hundred ana
thirty-six tons, or rather over forty-tour per
cent.
In 1880 England possessed twenty-three
thousand seven hundred and twenty-one YES
sells of all sizes, whose aggregate OF dsplace-
ment was two millions five hundred and
twenty-five thousand and fifty tons. In 1860
she had thirtv-eight thousand five hundred
and one vessels, with an aggregate tonnage
of five millions seven hundred and eleven
thousand tons IN increase, in thirty years,
of nearly fifteen thousand vessels and three
millions one hundred and seventy nine thou
sand tons, against an increase in France,
during the same period, of only seventy-four
vessels and three hundred and six thousand
tons.
At the commencement of the year 1860 the
number of vessels in the merchant service OF
Great Britain was thirty eight thousand five
hundred and one in that Of France, fourteen
thousand nine hundred and twenty-five; eX-
cess of vessels in favor of England, twenty
three thousand five hundred and seventy nine.
The tonnage of Great Britain in 1860 was five
million seven hundred and eleven thousand
that of France, nine hundred and ninety six
a fplf o.
cess of English tonnage, four million seven
hundred and fourteen thousand eight hundrea
and seventy-siX. The great number OF frehch
vessels in proportion TO tonnage indicates
that most of them are of small class, only
adapted to short voyages and coastwlse naFl-
CATION; those of the English average much
larger tonnage, and are evidently designed lor
long ocean voyages.
The French journals, admitting thlS enol-
nous disparity, contend that by the opera
ton of different system, they Will YET Dc
able TO compete with the commercial enter
prise of England. They point 10 The fact that
they have overtaken her in railroad improve
ments, though she had Il long ways the start,
and say it will be the same with the mercan-
tile marine. But how will they obtain the
maritime temperament and commercial apu
tudes of the English? They also look with
hope TO the idea of associated capital as
means of conquering difficulties which cannot
otherwise be overcome, and cite as illustra-
tions the two great French maritime compa-
MES, the Messogeries and the Trans Atla"tiq"e,
the first of which possessed in 1864 fifty eight
steamers, with an aggregate power of seven
teen thousand five hundred and thirty horses,
and a capacity of one hundred and two thou
sand four hundred and forty-five tons; and
the last, which only went into operation in
1861, now owns twenty-one steamships, OF
sixteen thousand six hundred horse power,
and a capital of nearly seventy-two millions
of francs