The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-02
shipbui,ders aud Shipowner. A ssocia,.ou
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF MAKE.

| III eFeiy Counlendnce. opportunity OF labor
was enjoyed by all, and you had the proud
satisfaction not only OF giving employment TO
your fellow citizens, but of sending forth to
the world the finest specimens OF naval ar.
| chitecsure, to the honor of your country,
and the increase of individual and national
| wealth.
Our mercantile marine was then of such
ma?nitude, that the necessary supply to keep
up ltS effective force against disaster and de.
cay, was amply sufficient to keep your ship
| yards IN constant activity: and il was steadily
increasing and giving abundant promise that
we should become soon the LEADING com 1,er-
cial nation OF the world.
Now our tonnage is reduced ons-balf wbiie
other nations have vastly increased theirs
and the present operations In our shipyardS
are insufficient to keep up even this small
amount. Many yards lie idle, and grass has
grown where formerly was the busiest tread
OF the workmen; and the ability of our mar
itime community to contribute in relefof the
| national burdens, Is thus materially reduced,
What are the causes which have produced
| such disastrous re suits?
The acts of the governmen, of Great Brit
| ain in according the rights of belligerents TO
the rebels, and in sending out their Alabamas
to burn and sink our ships, constitute the
first great cause, not merely in the great num-
| Der of their acts OF piracy, but also by the
increase Of risk caused thereby, inducing the
sale of numerous ships to foreign nations,
and preventing, almost completely, further
| construction in this country.
| While we were undergoing this hostile and
ferocious treatment at the hands of the Brit
ish Government, we looked anxiously forward
| to the time when peace should again bless us.
fondy hoping to be then restored to our for
mer condition; surely never dreaming that
our own government, instead of relieving our
| distress, after all we had suffered from the
| hostile powers of Great Britain and rebedom
| combined, would lay upon us burdens, in our
exhausted condition, most giievious to be
| borne.
| The hipbuilding interest, vast as it is, and
| of such immense importance in a national
| point CT view, has not single representa-
| tive man in either House OF Congress 1t Il
not surprising, therefore, that in the desire to
| provide tor the wants OF Government, Con-
gress should, with the best intentions, tall in
| to most deplorable error In regard to this
| interest, not perceiving the peculiar position
| it occupies in regard to the welfare of tie
whole nation, but considering it as a merely
local interest, and consequently should fet-
| ter it So heavily that it cannot keep up in
the race with the other nations OF tie world
with whom of necessity it must always be in
competition.
Such are the lamentable facts, and lerein
is the second great cause OF our present de-
plorable condition.
How shall we obtain reliefin this sad emer-
gency? To whom shall we look for succor
and redress?
In Congress is our only hope. The power
which placed these letters upon us is the only
power which can remove them All the i'm
portant facts tearing on the case must be laid
before the members and brought distinctly to
their notice. 1t must be shown that this is
not merely a local interest, but a national
interest OF vast importance, and second to
none other whatever, in all that concerns our
existence as power on EARTH"
What can prevent us from becoming the
greatest power on earth if the present happy
state of peace with all nations can be contin-
ued? War is always great calamity even to
the victor, involving loss of life, disturbance of
all the channels of buspess and entailino
vast indebtedness. To avoid this evil without
sacrificing our rights, must we not show TO
tie world that we have the power to maintain
them? Situated as we are, in what manner
can this be done except by the exhibition of
an adequate naval force? But can a great
naval force be called into being without sea-
men ID man the ships? Look at the relative
positions OF France and England in this re-
gard. Has not England by fostering her com
mercial marine become the greatest naval
power? And not only so, but with that little
island for her base of operations, has she not
"
ton of the earth? g....lI.r a4. Ff|
The vastness of our resources in compari-
son with hers, will enable us.i we pursue the
course of -Tisdom and remove the fetters
which we have inadvertently placed on our
own limbs, to distance her and all other coun-
tries in comparatively brief space of time,
in the ace to national greatness and power.
A great commercial marine is therefore of the
highest importance, it is absolutely essential,
IN the existing state OF the world, to a nation
that is deter mined to maintain its rights and
enforce all its just CLAIMS; and while II en-
sures all this without the distress and ex-
pense ofwar, it is at the same time the great
est agency existing for the increase of the ma
tional wealth. ..-.
The carrying trade itself is vast source of
national wealth, the value of commodities be-
ing doubled, trebled, and in some instances
more than quadruped by the mere act of
transportation, enabling the shipper to paw
1emuneIative freights, all the profits of which
60 to increase the wealth OF the nation that
owns the ships. This grea: addition to our
national wealth from abroad. which is so
much clear gain to our capital, and which we
can have ii Congress viii allow our people to
gather it, is especially needed at this time
wher great drain exists On our capital to 90
abroad in payment OF interest on our bonds
Other nations fully appreciating the situa-
ton, and alive to their own interests, take es-
pecial care to remove all impediments to the
construction OF vessels; so that their people
place their ships upon the ocean at much
lower cost than, under the present circum-
stances, is possible Tor us to do, giving theirs,
consequently, very great advantage IN COM
petition with ours. aIa. ss.H
We ask no special legislation in our favor
All that ls Io4oired, all We ask tor is that
the burdens which have been imposed BY our
own government be removed, and we be left
rov.,, ,avl,,
thing like equal terms with other nations.
With any near approximation to an equal
change we have no fear of the result.
1t is of great interest also TO all parts of our
country which produce any articles of export
that our commercial marine should be ex-
tended as far as possible, because should Eng
land succeed, with the help OF Congress, for
she cannot do it without, in her endeavors to
destroy our cmmercial marine, so that she
can enjoy monopoly OF the iiighting bust
ness does any one believe that ireights would
not advance? And would they not continue
inordiuately high until we could build up a
fleet to compete with them? Is it not then
the path of wisdom to take off the fettels no,y
and let the competition commence at once?
Is not this then national interest? Is it
not of the highest importance to the West
and South as well as TO the East? Were
Congress properly informed in this regard,
does any one 1oubt what would be their ac-
| ton in the premises? Hotg can this be done
| and Uho aciU do it,? The readiest and surest
mode OF action to accomplish this result, is
| obviously to place men in Washington who
| thoroughly comprehend this matter in all its
| bearings, and who have the ability to commu-
nicate the knowledge they possess to the indi-
| vidual members of Congress in an agreeable
and effective manner Who will do this?
| Who will send such men there if you neglect
| it-yOu who are concerned equally with all
| your couDtrymen in the great national issues
| involved, and have in addition thereto all the
incentives of State pride and all the int erests
| OF private business? Name is by nature and
of necessity the shipbuilding State of this ra-
| ton, and the solution of this question will al
| feet her growth and welfare as State, and
| the welfare Of her citizens as WELL more than
| it will thai of any other State or people of
| the Union.
These convictions in the minds of citizens
| gave rise to the organization known IS the
"Maine Ship Builders and Ship Owners AS
sociation." This society, which has been or
| ganized under an act OF the Legislature of
| Maine, now addresses you through the urder-
| signed, committee appointed for that pur-
! pose at legal meeting holden at Bath on the
| 10Th Instant and we now appeal to you to
| assist in this matter by becoming members OF
this society, and by lending all your influence
| to forward the object in view. We appeal to
| you in your capacity OF American citizens de
termrned to sustain the honor of your coun-
try in the view OF all nations, and alive to all
her maternal interests. We appeal TO you as
/ osk \ fnNHRr,