New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-01
OCEAN STEAMERS.

yerted The case is very simple. me
vessels were built of wood, we could bulld
them cheaper than Europe, because our timber
was moro abundant and accessible; but wheh
iron was substituted for wood the boot was
on the other leg. If we admitted iron free Oh
duty, skilled labor would still be far cheaper
at Glasgow. and she could undersell US IN
steamships.
Nor is this ALL Ocean steamers are very
extensive TO run as we'll as build. and we
cannot run to profit those we already have.
Nations that manufacture so cheaply as to
| undersell other nations i'll their own markets,
want ocean steamers to transport those goods
quickly to distant markets. but we who sell
mainly bulky stapes-Wheat Flour, Cheese
Pork Cotton, Tobacco, &c.-cannot support
! them. Just consider the following facts:
In a few days two first-class American screw
steamships of 5000 tuns, new, or nearly so-one
having never made voyage-are to be sofa
at public auction. These vessels were con-
structed for ocean service, to run to Liverpool
and are fitted and found in the best manner
for this route it is said, and are propelled by
irst-class machinery. One ship has made two
VOYAGES to Liverpool, and her performance was
most satisfactory to those interested For some
months these vessels have been offered at prl-
vate sale for much less than cost without md
ing purchasers and the opinion is that the
auction price will not be third OF their org
inal cost.
The side-whec steamship Adriatic-the last
one built for the Collins line-represented 10
be sound and in good order-is offered to our
merchants for less than $S0000-a steamship OF
1000 tunsl 1t is true, this vessel is under En-
gli,b colors; but, having been transferred be-
fore the late war, and sold IN good faith, Con-
gress no doubt would, on application, author
! ize the Secretary of the Treasury to reissue
her register, should she be purchased by our
citizens.
Within n few weeks wheel ocean
steamship of over 1000 tuns, built in New
York. and not over six years old, sound and
in order. has been sold for less than $4,000,
after having leen in the market for sale a
year and recently two or three smaller sore"
steamships averaging from 600 to 1000 tuns,
have been disposed of at equally low prices
and an iron screw steamship OF 1000 tuns a
fine ocean vessel one of those captured during
our late war, is offered, without purchasers
being yet found, for less than 100000.
Why can any one be found to advocate
foreign built steamships being admitted to
registration. and allowed to sail under our
fag7 Or that materials from abroad be inn
ported free of duty to be used in constructing
steam and other ships here while ships like
those above cited are offered and sold much
cheaper than foreign vessels can he built OF
than 1t is possible to construct steamships here
with even duties taken Off
The only reason why prices are 50 low Tor
American steamships is-we have no business
for them. There being no organized lines oil
our own running to Europe, there Is no. de-
mand for such vessels; and it is impossible to
run steamships as transient vessels, tor many
reasons easily understood.
When we consider the necessity for imme-
date dispatch everywhere, owing to the great
cost of tho sailing expenses, and the large
number of men employed, any one must sec
that regular business must DO provided for
steamships, which can then. under the quick
dispatch regular line insures, be run at low
rates for passage. freight and mails.
The fact is that nearly all the foreign steam
ship lines in the European trade with this port
are subsidized. The Cunard line, the lnman
line, the French line, have largo subsidies from
their respective governments, by which means
the hostages with Europe are kept at an out
rageous high rate, considering the rates Of land
postage both here and in England but this
insures profit to those steamship lines in the
business they are employed in. The Hamburg
line has tho United States and foreign mails
to an amount constituting a handsome yearly
subsidy and the Bremen line has also mails to
large yearly amount, equivalent TO more than
n quarter of million Of dollars These are
the largest steamship lines between this coun-
try and Europe. The Cunard Company owns
twenty -four large steamships, tho lnman line
sixteen, the Hamburg line eleven, the Bremen
line twenty -four, of which fourteen are en-
ployed regularly in the trade with this country,
and the French line twenty-one, Of which six
are employed in the mail service to NewYOrk
These lines are established and owned IN
countries where capital is cheap, and where
the Governments realize q necessity for we'll
organized steamship lines, and to secure such
pay large subsidies. The French line has from
its Government large loan Of money without
interest; the Bremen line has a floating debt
on which they pay but four per cent. interest
Any one can see that to establish an American
line to compete with such steamships there must
be something moro than q limited saving OF
cost in the construction Of the ships.
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There was meeting on Monday evening OF
| .bo nennhera and friends of the Iounp Mems