The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-27
Ocean Steamship Lines-HOw and WHY
They succeed.

They succeed
We have published at different times COM
municatiOns on the subject of establishing
American steamship lines to Europe, and have
endeavored to stimulate enterprise in the mat
ter. We have pointed to the surprising sue
cess of the British, German and French lines,
and asked why portion at least of the vast
trade they do with this country should not be
done in American steamships. The letter we
publish to-day in another part of the paper
under the head of transatlantic Steamers"
with an extract from the Glasgow HerGtd,
throws some light on the subject. Not only
do British capitalists who enter into the steam
ship business go to the Clyde for their vessels,
but foreigners do the same, because they can
get finer and cheaper ones there than at home.
There are few OF the vast feet of fine steam
and French lines, as well as in the British
Cunard and Inman lines. that were not built on
the Clyde, and simply because that was the
best place to go to for them. The companies
went TO the best market without any regard to
the nationality of the builders or where the ma
those vessels become French or German, as
the case may be, and have nothing of British
character about them. If they could build
steamships as cheap and good in France or
Germany they would construct them there, no
doubt but finding they cannot they have sense
enough to get them from the Clyde and give
them a French or German nationality after
wards.
Here, theu is great disadvantage Ameri-
cans labor under. and one OF the principal
French and Germans in Atlantic steamship
enterprise In the attempt to protect a few
American shipbuilders through the law
prohibiting registers to foreign built
vessels we are destroying the maritime
interests and progress of the nation. This
narrow minded and short-sighted policy gives
the vast carrying trade between this country
aud Europe to foreigners. Out of the hume
rous fleets of steamships crossing the Atlau-
tic some of which are arriving at and leaving
our ports daily, there Is not one bearing the
American flag Nor is there one to the South
| nent, though they are our near neighbors.
and though England and other European
countries have probably a. many as fifty run
ming to and from the different ports of South
| and Central America What a vast amount
of wealth is thus drawn to Europe aud to
England principally, from us and orr neigh
bors which ought to remain in the United
States! The stupid Registry law does not pro
mote shipbuding and is fast destroying the
maritime interests and character of our coun-
try. With greater natural advantages than
any other country, with an extraordinary
stream of emigration coming all the time,
with thousands of Americans continually
crossing and recrossing the Atlantic and
supplying the largest amount of materials for
commerce, we are still nowhere in the race oil
ocean steamship navigation.
Nor will any effort to build up steamship
lines or enterprise by government subsidies
prove successful. II might enrich particu-
lar company, but it would prevent rivalry. Ii
would create a monopoly and prevent other
shipping capitalists from entering into the
business. 1t would be unfair and contrary to
the spirit of our institutions. Special legisla-
ton in favor of particular individuals or com
panes is wrong and tends to injure rather than
promote the general interests of the comInu'
nifty with regard to either the shipping or any
other business. Incidentally and generally
everything possible should be done to encour-
age steamship enterprise, such as by giving