The New York herald., 1868-02-24
TIE CARRYING TRADE OF THE ATLANTIC.
New YoHx, Feb. y, 1858.

l New YoKK, Feb o. 1858.
10 rae Enrros OF TINE HERALD:-
Your correspondent "a Shipownsr," Is unquss.ona-
by right N sttbuting the decline OF American tonnage
the European trade vicious navigation laws,
which prohibit American citizens from competing upon
equal terms with foreigners The Inability OF our ship
and engine builders 10 furnish with which our
shpowners can compete with the iron screw steamsv
built In Great Britain and Belgium coupled with our
laws, which prevent Americans from owning foreign
built vessels has brought navigation interests into
acondition Of utter heplessnsss from which they can
not recover without reversal of tho policy that
has ruined them. BY treaty stipulation with Great
Britain and other maritime Powers we have thrown
our foreign trade open TO the ships Of all the
world; foreign owned ships come and 60 as
freely As ships owned by citi-
Gems. and enjoy the privileges in all our
ports While granting this perfect freedom OF our
foreign carrying trade foreigners who at liberty
10 buy their ships when and whero they please, we
blindy keep our old restrictive policy In force against
our own citizens and deny to them the privileges freely
given TO the people OF other countries. This system
simply excludes American citizens from the carrying
trade as long the shipbuIldng establishments OF
other countries furnish ships and steamers at lower
prices than the shpyards OF the United States American
steamers confined to tho coasting trade, the
only trade which s,ill have power 10 protect from
foreign competition.
The only plan proposed substitute for the needed
change in the laws regulating ownership of vessels
Is a system Of subsidies TO American built steamers
equivalent to the enhanced cost OF building and working
such steamers compared with British built steamers
This plan Objectionable for many reasons To bs i'm
partial must be general placing all American
ship owners upon equality The carrying trade
Of the Atlantic will bo carried K
clusively by steamers, and 10 regain a permanent
,tiap In shat aAat LnYa
steamers which cauu0t have under tho SUBSIDY sys
TEN without an expenditure Of pubic money that Will
Boar heavily al other interests In the and
cost taxpayers than they viii DO Wiling 10 pay.
An American built steamer Of 5000 tons needs govern
meat AID 10 The extent OF 100000 per annum TO place
hec upon equal commercial footing with British
built iron screw steamer OF equal capacity over one
hundred ot these last namcd vessels are carrying on
| our European trade under the British German and
French flags. This numDer will, no DOUBT be doubled
withn tho next years ana OF the steam ltet u tina
Atlantic ten years hence at least Atty vessels should be
under the American flag On the subsidy plan $5. 200
per annum VIII be needed TO eaecl this Our axpal
will this long the will break
II did before and leave navigation in
worse pl,aht than they in to day. There
worthless properly Than sean,sh that caunut run
| without government aid after IL Withdrawn
The plea tua. extensive subsidies required
postal service 10 Europe viii not deceive the public ipto
general adoption OF the subsidy system One per-
hans two lines OF fast steamers Tor the mails ami
lrs class passengers as are willing to pay au extra
price all tnai need at present la addition 70 the
fast mail steamers Of tho British and German lines
We must lorgct that are egsaIing upon matters
own. IL We give the mails from tins sde exciu-
siveiy to American steamers England may give the mails
from her eide exclusively 10 BRUSH steamships, excud
| ing Americans II ftxed paid by goverH-
mont to the American limos the los of postal receipts
that would foow such a far measure OF retaliation
would iali entirely upon Post Once Dopartment
Our present system o limiting the compensation Tor the
carriage Of the European the postal receipts is
far tor all parties and WORKS. II should do
OF those suipow VINO furnish tho fastest steamers
II offers premium on speed and a fair compensation
for the OF supp yng H. and conpsls the govern
menL 10 send the mails ny the best vessels that como
iu,o the trade year by year, which dove
the Post Office tied down by ten years 70
| one or two cOmpanics
What really need keep up with the cqiirements
Of the times Atlantic trade, steamers
able carry cargoes and emiGrants at cheap
with profit to the shpOwners This the British emgrant
aud car lines are dong and these are the lines that
have wrcsted business from from sailing ships
We must combat these rivals with weapons equal
their own or abandon the contest Steamers Tor this
trade should have moderate speed needing small
sumption Of fuel and are, o COURSE united tor tho
maxi service whie there are fast steamers - IL
To give such vessels postal SUBSIDIES would he fraud
upon the puonc, which would be tolerated after the
exposure that would be 10 follow their perform
ance. II give subsidies lot it be plainly
derstood that subsdizng shipbuildcrs who.
| because they cannot compete with foreign builders,
upon dragging merchants and mariners down
with them latncr than abatc one jos OF old privileges
which Ceased to b. useful TO lhcm while they
| destructive to our shipowners and shipnastere.
The subsidy system, opposition The Tree purchase
svs.em is being pressed upoa Congress, by The Boston
Board of Trade, many of whose members aro owners in
The Ontaro aud Erie and other steamers egss
Boston and Liverpool kne. They are said 70 be
L St6amcfs-as
be bull OF wood. rno manag rs Of the hne arc
perenced and successful sh powDers the enterprise
mas broken down with the hsst tnIee voyages OF their
frs. Gamer at season OF abundant and remuneralIye
frsights, which the British screw lines from New
YORK earning large profits. Ine Ontario If about
5000 tons, aud COST u Is said, SS00O0o. The France,
OF the National I'm. between New YORK and Lverpooi,
bui Liverpool OF iron, cos, 900 say 500 900.
currency She larger than the Boston SUPP Will carry
glty per cargo and steam fast barDiug
twelve per less The rcsIlt Is france
earns money, while tho ontario loses II the
Den, p n AL
the difference in their cost would xii tue Onlaro.
sieamer X a very poor IN estnept she win MOI nav
her insurance account seven per cent interest,
aud at least ten per cent for depreciation
and renewal fund The Onsro iu currency
] $500 900. which 10 per Cont Insurance would
Zen per cent deprecistion fund ........... 10000
Seven per cont niefest' oooso
Necdcd above WORKING expenses per $4,000
| The France cost 5000. O00
/ insurance, 10 per cent. .............. SJO,O00
depreciation, l0 per cent. 30 600
Interest, Z per csnt.............. 5J,o o0oi3j 900
Difference in favor OF tho France. $4,000
On steamers needed 10 weekly line. 4so,000
A subsidy Of $500, goo per annum would place
line Of steamers like the Ontario equality
gards profit with line OF steamers like the France aud
nearly double the money would be needed to start H.
Ia worth while TO attempt to navga.
interests by such expensive and Objectionable
policy wnen snpie inexpensive and enec,ve rem dy
is open 10 usg II IL ls said free ships Will damage
American ship builders IL may be replied that ship
bs proalaby employed tho transatlantic rsdc They
wil therefore, oso nothing by the change, while all
other classes or cuxeas will gmn m ich.
Transportation the Atlantic will 90 hack to
wooden shps; the day OF their supremacy Is pas. In
,ns struggle We must keep pace with epoch
give In n IL, then, reasonable or just to 60 with
our present system, which practically orcos American
shpowners TO limit their enterprise to wood and sails
wne their rivals have full aud OF iron
and steamS All that shpbuldcrs against
gn builders 10 the coasng trade and this be
retained under the proposed new stem by excluding
foreign built vessels, wnothsr owned by American c
zcns foreigners, from the privileges of the ing
trade Iron bail; here will before many years
take the place ot our Wooden ccasting vessels and
thus q and iiaproyed shipbuiId.ng Interest viii
gradually grow up, which may In time supply rs with
Iron steamers for ovn foreign well coast
~ ncafa lhore a