The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-06-09

citation ScciuS SQpcrnuOuSs pul SAnloi loI
bear addueiug pointed remark in the same
debate by that able gentleman, William E.
Forster; There could not" said he, "0e
q stronger illustration OF the damage which
had been done 10 American trade BY these
cruisers than the fact that so completely was
the American flag driven from the ocean
that the Gs0ryid, on her second cruise, did
not meet single American vessel 10 six
weeks, though she saw no less than seventy
vessels in very few days. This is mos:
suggestive. So entirely was our commerce.
driven from the ocean that for six weeks not
one American vessel was seen. Another
Englisbman, in an elaborate pamphlet, bears
similar testimony. | refer to the pamphlet
of Edge, published in London by Ridgeway
in 1854 and entitled "a The Destruction OF
the American Carrying Trade after set
ting forth at length the destruction of our
commerce by British pirates, the writer
thus foreshadows the damages: "Were
We" says he, a. the sufferers, we should Ger
tainly demand compensation for the loss OF
the property captured or destroyed-for the
interest of the capital invested in the vessels
aud their eargoes, and, may be, fair com
pensaliOn in addition for all aud any injury
aecruing 10 our business interests from the
depr, datiOus upon our shipping. The remu-
neration may reach high figure in the pres
ent case; but il would be simple act of
justice, aud might prevent an lneomparably
greater loss 10 future" Here We have the
damages as assessed by an Euglishman, who,
while contemplating remuneration al high
figure, recognizes il as simple act of justice
Such is the candid and explicit testimony Of
Engiishmen,- pointing the way to the proper
ruleof damages. How 10 authenticate the
extent OF nStioual loss with reasonable GER
tainIy is not without difficulty; but it can
not be doubted that such loss occurred.
1t Is folly TO question il. The loss may be
seen in various circumstances, as in the rise
OF insurance on all American vessels; the
fate OF the carrying trade, which was Que Of
the great resources of our country; the dim
mutton Of our tonnage; the falling off in our
exports and imports, with due allowance for
our abnormal currency and the diversion of
war.
These are some of the elements; and here
again we have British testimony. W. E.
Forster, in the speech already quoted, an
nOunces that "the carrying trade in the
United States was transferred To British mer-
chants - and Golden. with his characteristic
mastery OF details, shows that, according to
an official document laid on the table of the
British Parliament, American shipping had
been transferred to English capitalists as
follows: In 1885, 3S vessels, l3,6SS tons;
1859, 49 vessels, u ,67S tons; 1860, ii vessels,
1862, 1S5 vessels, q, ,573 tons; and in 1868, 34S
vessels, 255, SOP tons, and he adds: II am
told that this operation is now going on as
fast as ever" and this circumstance he de-
clares to be "the gravest part of the ques-
tion of our relations with America y But
this 'grayest part is left untouched by the
pending treaty. Our own official documents
are in harmony with these English authori-
ties. For instance, have before me now
,r.. rI,. s,F .
for 1855, with appendix BY NimmO on ship
building in our country. From this report
it appears that in the New England States,
during the year lS55-rhe most prosperous
year of American shipbuilding-3O5 ships
and bdrks and l73 schooners were built, with
an aggregate tonnage of S26, 40 tons, while
during tue last year only IS ships and barks
and 2l3 sehO0ners were built, with an aggre
gate tonnage OF 9S,697 tons. | add further
statement from the same report:
During the tn years from 1852 to 1862,
the aggregate of American vessels entered ut
seaports of the United States from foreign
countries, was 80, 2225, AS tons, and the ag
gregate tonnage of foreign vessels entered
was Il, ,699, 1872 tons, while during the five
years from 1868 to 1865, the aggregate ton
mage OF American vessels entered was 8, ,299,
S17 tons, aud the aggregate tonnage of
foreign vessels entered was IA, 1l6, 42f tons
showing that American tonnage in our for
eign trade has fallen from zoe to 66 per cent
of foreign tonnage in the same trade. Stated
in other terms, during the decade from 1852
TO 1862 81 per cent. of the total tonnage en-
tered from foreign countries was in American
vessels, and during the five years from 1868
to 1858 only 80 per cent. of the aggregate
tonnage entered from foreign countries was
ia American vessels, relative falling off of
nearly one-half f"-EfnGHes Report for 1868
page 496.
1t is not easy to say how much of this
change, which has become chronic, may be
referred TO British pirates; but it cannot be
doubted that they contributed largely to pro-
duee it, They began the influences under
which this change has continued. There is
another document which bears directly on
the present question. | refer to the interest
ing report of Morse, our Consul at London,
made during the last year, and published by
the Secretary of State. After a minute in
quiry, the report shows that on the breaking
out of the rebellion, 1861, the entire tonnage
of the United States, eOasting and registered,
was {, $50 Sl3 tons; of which 2,643, ,625 were
registered and employed in foreign trade,
and that at the close of the rebellion in 1865
notwithstanding an increase in coasting ton
mage, our registered tonnage had fallen to
l. co., ,525 tons, being loss during the four
years of more than million tons, amount
ing TO about 40 per cent. of our foreign COM
merce- During the same four years, the total
tonnsge of the British Empire rose from
S95, ,369 to ,Ss2, 604 tons, the increase being
especially in the foreign trade. The report
proceeds to say that, as to the cause of the
decrease in America, and the CORES ponding
increase in the British Empire, "there can
be no room for question or doubt" Here is
the precise testimony from one who at his
official post in London. watched this un-
precedented drama, with the outstretched
ocean as theatre, and British pirates as the
performers.
Conceding to the rebels belligerent rights
of the sea when they had not a solitary war
ship afoat, in dock, or in the process OF con-
structiOn, and when they had no power TO
protect or dispose Of prizes, made their sea-
royers, when they appeared, the instruments
of terror and destruction to our commerce.
From the appearance of the first corsair in
pursuit of their ships, American merchants
had TO pay not only the marine but the war
risks also of their ships. After the burning
of one or two ships with their neutral car
goes, the ship-owner had to pay the war risk
on the cargo his ship had on freight as well
as on the ship. Even then, for safety, the
preference was. as a matter of course, al
ways given to neutral vessels, aud American
ships could rarely find employment on these
hard terms as long as there were good neu-
tral ships in the freight markets. Under
such circumstances there was no course left
for our merchant ship-OWners but TO take
such profitless business as was occasionally
offered them, let their ships be idle at their
mOorings or in dock with large expense and
deterioration constantly going on, to sell
them outright when they could do so with
out ruiuous sacrifice, or put them under for
eign flags for protection -s-ReDoTf Of r. III
NorSe, United States CoslssI at London. dated
January l, 1858.
Beyond the actual loss to the national ton
maze there was further loss in the arrest