The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-16

Continued Congressional Invcstigatten-De-
cline of ShipbuildinG and shipping Inter

~ the custom House. At ten O'CLOCK, All. lghcii, VI
Maine, In the chair.
Mr. A. c. SINNERS, Naval Engineor addressed the
committee. He spoke OF the law in England where
the materrs Of the vessels construction were free
I'm duty and all the stores afterwards; he advo-
Gated the passage Of such aaw In the United states
and we can then successfully compete with Eng
lan6 and any other country, aud we could build
vessels "A cn.ap as any other. He denied that we
could not bud IRON emshps equal to those built In
England. and said Mr.. Rowland, OF TINS Guy, mao
built iron steamships as good any thar =. oe0n
constructed In England ana their models were lar
superior He had superintendent their construction In
several places in the United States and he had never
seen In Europe their huls surpassed. The duty here
on materials for wooden ships was from six to eight
dollars and from eight to ten dollars per ton accord
Ing to the size The builders OF wooden ships adapt
themselves readily to the building OF iron ones Tho
difference Ia very simple. All we want Is to be put
on par with England; and we prefer to use Ameri.
rcan materials, for they are Of better quality The
materials Of construction ana the stores should be
free from duty and we can successfully compete with
England; such Is the liberal policy OF oil foreign ma
tions, he believed. II this policy were adopted ne
believed our ships would MAKE better profits they
would earn more money than foreign ships. They
are more profitable vessels to run. We have always
led all nations In the qualities OF vessels; they
could be run by foreign seamen as well rs by Ameri
can citizens; we make no exceptions in manning our
vessels In respect to nationality lie thought that II
the policy or England were adopted here there
would be very few vessels purchased abroad. He
thought that II restrictions were removed we could
produce vessels here quicker than we could get
them from abroad. either Of iron wood; the facll
ties for supplying material here would increase
according to the demand. We produce IN tins coun
wire rigging Is very generally used now and we
at Chester Pa, wilmington, DEL, New York and
Boston the means were at hand to 90 TO work aud
build iron ships iiany demand was made for them.
lie was satisfied that better vessels could be built
here than IN European ports.
\. r. ROWLAND, proprietor OF the Continental Iron
Works, Greenpoint said that he mad contract for
three monitors and built them from the keel up With
out the aid of single expert; the experts having
took plumbers carpenters ana all or mechanics
IN their place. He built the Puritan and the best
mechanics in the country viii TESTIFY that better
piece Of iron Workmanship was ever turned out OF
any shlpyard He thought the best way to remedy
the depression In the business OF iron shipbuiidng
would be to take the duty Off iron ana make the
Pennsylvania ironmasters come down In their price.
Inc decline IN American shipbulding he attributed
In great measure to the aversion Of American capi-
tasts to invest IN what yields but small per cent
Of profit. The field Of speculation IL otherwise
SO extended and the inducements 50 much greater
that capital has no inclination 70 Wait Oh the small
and slow ret urns OF shipbuldng. lie could build
an iron ship which should be ten per cent less than
the English cost, II the duty were taken or iron.
The cost OF machinery here ID the same per horse
power In England. Tie American bar iron, he
the square nch while the English VIII mol hold up
than $4,000. 1t would be an advantage to this
country he thought, II she would adopt system Of
reg lstraton similar 10 that at Loyds, in Lonoon.
DR.. 1. A. SMITH, naval architect, said that the
cost OF an iron vessel, Oh looo TONS ready LOT sea-
while here she would cost about $l2l0o0 so that 1t
makes about 81, 900 In favor Of England.
Mr.. WILLIAMS, OF the firm OF Williams Gui0n,
said that It was manifest to him fifteen years ago
that we were about to lose our shipbuiding trade,
us iron ships had come to be regarded rs the safest
and cheapest IN The end and England having
much greater facilities and means was bound to dis
tance this country entirely. The war only fastened
the result lie was in favor of free trade ia shIps
ana he believed II this had been the practice before
the war We would have saved the most OF our com
Mr. W. NELSON. Jr. OF the shpowners' Association,
| said the question concerned the whole country
| East, West North and Southland that the entire
| energies OF the people would be gladly devoted TO
the raising up OF our PROSTATE commerce II govern
ment would give the announcement. We were
| dragged down by an obsolete and fosslized lava
law that f0rbids US from purchasing our tonnage In
any foreign market we choose the tonnage OF Great
that or all the world beside. II has inc reased
over 100 per cent IN ten years. while ours has de-
necessary to revive our shipping interests-vesses,
marine insurance ana negotiable paper based upon
It. one gentleman says that tho people OF Great
Britain content with small profits; but he thought
inv marine enterprise We can only bud up our
| tonnage on the basis or free trade we must also
discard wooden vessels for their day Is past, and
invest IN none but lion ships, with steam Tor the
MIR. W. ii. WEBB shipbuilder, said that the opin.
ions Of the Shipowners' Association should not he
taken represent the true state OF the case IN this
matter OF applying a remedy to the declining
and practical men In the business were
| not represented, and no should like the
to nave esr t On na e
imported for the construction Of ships we should be
| able to compete with other nations We can build
better ships, and the fact Is appreciated abroad by
English, French, Italians and spaniards, who come
| to oar market to purchase vessels But now tins
| years, ne constructed over a hundred ships, and
made q reasonable profit from each, he cannot con-
struct any now without suffering loss. To avoid
fraud on the government in allowing the free i'm.
| portation OF materials for shipbuildng, he would
propose that no drawbacks DO allowed until the ma
| terlas are used In the vessel.
MIR. NELSON rose to u question Of privilege, and
said he did not like the statement made by Mr. Webb
| failed to represent the shipping interests OF New
York. Three-fourths OF the shlpowners OF this port
! were represented In the society.
MIR, PAUL FORBES, shiDbulder, said the prices
paid shpcarpenters at present were from 81 26 to
So so day. The cost Of building ship before the
| war was forty dollars ton; now It was from 6rly
| dollars to alty-nve dollars.
| Mr.. X. p. BUCK, shipowner said he thought those
who wanted free trade in ships were men who owned
| foreign vessels and were anxious TO bring them
home here TO put In the cOastng trade lie did not
believe there was any more energy n ana INGENUITY I.
atve restrictions In the way OF our successful COM
petition IN snpbulldng with any other nation.
The following letter was presented and read:- -
NEw YORK, Oct IL, 1869.
Hon. Jons LrsoH, Chairman Of COMMITTEES, &C. -
DRAp SIR-As member Of the committee OF tho Ship
owners Associations and having been prevented from attend
ng conference hold yesterday desirc to call your
collateral branch Of the subject which does
have been discussed before you by my
While fully agreeing with those gentlemen IN their state.
that the only salvation for the shipping interest under
to admit TO registry all upon their
becoming the property Of American citizens would add
that free ships require free Sailors therefore
the removal OF all restrictions to the nationality OF officers
and men serving In mercantile marine 70 an admitted
navigation behind the times and that
require code that will not suffer comparison with
that OF Great Britain, which passed In 1864 act known
the Merchants shipping act many q the provisions OF which
might be adopted advantage hs country to assure tho
and TO organized
tenn OF shipping dischargng by proper officers, with
forms Of capacity and conduct The
tile community being alive the alarming decrease Of their
| III who tho O YOUR