The New York herald., 1869-12-09
OUR MERCHANT MARINE.
State Policies, Pilot and Freight Laws-7he
Decline in American Conlmerce-VieWs
Of ShipbuildirS and 0wners-llOw to
Revive American Commerce
Hints for Congress.

The snpowners Association OF New York held a
meeting yesterday afternoon at their rooms III Pine
street, tnere being full attendance. Mr. G. A.
Brett having taken the char aud some formal bus
ness transacted u committee was appointed to IN
quire into the feasibility OF having q new and uni
form State policy for VESSELS The insurance compa-
being IN the habit .. yearly adding to risas
that In few years every chance OF recovering on or
even taking out poiicy viii be impossible. The
Committee on the Pilot aud Quarantine Laws then
reported progress when Mr. Snow rose OH the ques-
ti0n OF the Seaen's aetreat, and, after couslderd.
Die discussion, IN which Mr. Barnes policy at wash
ingtOn was condemned. u resolution was passed
recommending thar Tie head money or State Hosp
tai tax be collected ana wingiy paid as being Dost
calculated forward the interests OF both seamen
and shipowners.
The question Of the decline Of American commerce
was then called on, ana the committee, composed
OF Messrs. William Nelson, Jr. Gustavus A. Biett
James w. Ewe, Ambrose Snow, edward Hinckcn
and A. Wilson. have, alter three months labor, pre-
pared the following report, which Is to be circulated
among the members Of the association, SO Us 10
show the public and the .ongiessona committee
what the views OF practical men are:-
TO THE SuIPowNERs ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE
or NEW ORK:-
The shlpowliers, Association OF the state OF New
York, desirous W leaalu that which tins country
once possessed, ana whch, without any iauit or
theirs, II lost, nal on Is greatest pride and wealth.
amercnant marine, nave prepared the following ar
EumentS iOr The consideration o those WHO nave the
general welfare ol tnc coaLtry ut neart:-
In 1864 we not ony rlvaieu England IN the con-
test Tor the supremacy the SEAS. but we bauo ialr
70 leave her bunnd. In 1861 the total tonnage OF the
world amounted 70 II i723O,oi5 tons, as ioilows:-
owned by the United states .............. ,539Sl3
Owned by Great Blitaln. 5,SJ53UJ
M Is ,e a ,"a ,uaae Of The iniica states as
given in Tie report o The Treasury Department was
Ssosol5 tons, aud since tnat aate our tonnage has
steadily decreased.
In slSGy the Lon. John Bright. president OF the
British Board Vi Trade, stated that Tie tonnage Oi
Great Britain ana her dependencies amounted to
7,232, COO tUnS-a prepGncefthCe oil nearly 3oUU,OOU
IONS III lavor ol Gieat Britain.
England, in adopting iiee trade. surrendered
1alacy lor whcn she AaI contended tor centuries
In 1854, when tle laws relating 10 the shipping ana
navigation OIL Great Britain underwent Important
Changes, the decay proteotionst parry prcuIctei
The speedy rum vi B.tisn maritime supremacy. one
argument was '.Br.lirn snipbuuers cannot compete
utterly false these iuieooOihss nave proved Ii amply
demonstrated Dy eA. erence.
We know OF no ollel nation IN the world than The
United states That re- uses " register iureign built
vessel anu NJ tie same ttne requires the pay ent o
? duty upon tue raw material.
Then follows the testimony which Mr.. Mckay. q
well known snipbuilder of Boston, gave before the
Congressional commtIec.
Then follows an AZ. umcnt in favor OF iron ships
over wooden, embodyng the same facts have
lately been promulgated III other considerations OF
the question.
Ten years ago the iron works OF New York were
the pride OF ner manufacturers, and splendid lines
OF steamers went i0rh from her docks equipped
with engines and machinery which could not be
surpassed In the workshops OF any other nation.
Now, with the exception OF the outfit OF the
Spanish gunboals at NJ. Dclamater's works. not
solitary marine engine or iron steamship
Is IN course ol construction The Aliairc Works.
where the Collins hne oI steamers were built, have
been converted lnto u horse stable; the Fulton
Works are selling their shops and machinery, models
and stock; the Etna WORKS commencing. IA small
business In architecLuai .iron Work; the NeptuLo
Works are turned INTO a saw mil; the Quinlard
Works repair on old vessels and obtain an occasional
Job from southern railroads.; and the Morgan Wor Ks
are berolcaly labotnR lof future that may never
come.
Other works are Ike predicamcnt An AL
1000 ton wooden snip built III the United States
vii cost eighty dollars currency per toh. and
vessel precisely similar can he built in tie British
provinces Tor iorty dollars gold, per Ton. But We
ere forbidden to purchase foreign built vessels and
at the same time the building vi ships here Is
Qered Impossible al pay Ing prices, OWING to the
heavy taxes imposed uLon every article that enters
Into the construction oi vessel
Shipowners OF this Tree country therefore
placed in the following position: Our government
prohibits the uic,iise and admission OF foreign
built vessels to American registry aud at the same
time by over puts utterly out OF our power
to build probably III nome. We, who twelve years
ago not only did three Iourths OF own carrying
trade, but also large proportion Of that OF tue rest
OF the world, are now actually obliged to allow for
elgnerS to bring 10 ano carry lr0nn Our shores
10,Sl3, 66S tons OF Iregnt annually We, who could
show In this port oi new YORK tnirtytw large ships
OF over 200 tons register each building III the month
OF September 1864 can now, In the month OF Sep
tember, 1853. find only one ship ON The stocks The
committee then ash, are We wrongin expressing our
earnest convection that II this country adopted
more liberal COMMERCIAL policy her pors, IKE those
OF Great Britain, wouta be joyous with the busy
hum ol industry
Another great difficulty in the way OF restoring the
dict between laoor ana capital and the damaglpg
effect Of comoinat.ons among workmen
At the beginning OF the war the government made
call lor vessels up0n The dlcrent naval
etructorS OF the country winch mlght under Iavor-
able circumstances have brought INTO existence
within one year one OF the most magnificent navies
IN the world, Dat the shipyards OF America had not
@cites for answering that cal IN five years. and 1t
never was fuzzy answered. Snold some terrible
. emergency come upon tne county tomorrow auu
the government cry cut " the shipbu to
her IRON impending rum iecUie response would
come rom the deserted yards anu the silent
fonndries; alas, we na:dy furnish you with u
solitary vessel. 1he uus.ucss has gone INTO other
1ands; our iaclles have been crippled; our re.
sources have mouidered away during these years OF
1dleness; our mechanics have gone TO other vnci-
tions aud we cannot break at once the leaaen spell
snat rests upon our workshops.
The question OF the present condition of the in.
dusry the BRUSH provinces Is there discussed at
length and SHOWN 60 DO IN just as bau "a state
America, IRON ships being the cause. inc New Eng.
3and shipDuliuers deuounce the tariff which project
the interests .! the iron master, cordage maker.
hemp grower, Sc gnorlug tue facts that their own
business OF snpbu! NJ Is the most nlpnl projected
industry IN the country; that Is the only branch
Of manufacturing la The Lntei STATES winch has
the home niurnet secured to 1t by absolute legal
protection TO the point uf pronibltlon, and that in
The construction OF vessels Tor the home maxet e.,
for the coastwse trade, they nave tina utmost extent
OF protection which " possible enforce,
Apparently tnc.r Zeal for Tree trade never leads
them To agree TO tue Abandonment of projection 10
their own particular INDUSTRY, when Tree trade
In snips proposed tncy instantly become ardent
prOtectlOulSIS
Whether It would be wise TO withdraw the protcc-
tiOn when now secures our home market 10 our own
builders IL question upon which much must be said
upon b0th siues. On The one nand IL would un-
dOubtedly be q severe blow 70 shpDuildtng In,