The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-10-21
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION INTO
TIE SHIPPING INTEREST,

tonnage engaged III foreign tfdde anu the
rreat dcDrcssi0n of the navigation interests
of tho co,nt,, met at thc Custom Uouse in
" LUZ, ,rI,-,s,o4 e., ~ ,,,,,,
New OLA l"9l "eoN' h"ey iilo' iol ''i0 p''l-
pose OF investigations and to hem the suggoS-
tons of practical men on the subject that they
aro ch,raod with tbo ;n,7ostioat;on of
,
large lV1Hpef Oh commercial men were pres
cnt, among which was & delegation from the
Association Of Maine. Of which
Mr. uicbl,or,, i c,bai,,,,o,,
,.,,
dr; a y: SNOW on pchail OF llc sii!po"n.
crs Oh Nc" DIX requeslea lHe coliiil,.l1o -
recommend tree trade IN -lilpS anu tnc HIT
al Tor them as brought rom lolei:l! snolG'
50 that we eouid come N eohlPetlton l,m
european fl'nMoIh - l, 1ot noo,, as
ould ouy on liilhe lleiI sillls ~ ,ia,,'P o.,
foreigners we c9uiN !Uil :nelii a., Is cite'p on'
Inc TACT was oteIMlse SlllGe llie W''i, oal az,
count OF inc dtlties impose, ny GonsiGss 81,
tIle Iilpo[U.'Ioi. % ll''n ~. - ~" alip'..
be passed +, ~ congress allowing a. as to 9uy
SihL9 II srn9I"nu oI I'lA "llore nouSL II
cQs'S more 70 s''l o'lf slllps' sui WIN lhAs
VN 'htaSe lhe sup9rloIlly o. ogl lna5!efs au
men VIII curry Us liilouSil 'Ae olillculS' we
1sN lhe pL!NLLpSe oi w, pn4lns our slitlS mn'ae
Wy t'tn -. 1'iJii ny T'illlot NY
VIVA llle SHIlltU l.toot u the o4u country. we
itie liot "l4oMeu ~ l'>c soo,'7 o''l VI 'olIu 10
loIel9tIS aIe' anu we HIt II, aiet1 ui9auNal-
tage III All lieS GNeell III tht regular iille be-
tween mere ana LnGE1hd.
MI iiaydeh OF Ihe deie9atloh representing
sll leltS'9 o. M"ilr' s,'i W. lieeu ~ i,iaee
oHISrlh - ~ = pos!totl - " l1i!'illle
R",NvI ~ '"luio p'I}e Mle'' o.i'ti n'.io,is.
" men II II Known ti'.ll we e'l construct
'lee' rapidly W. "lc sue ~ n"t no" we "lt
aLlAoS, Po"eiIG9s 10 20 80. nc eoIcil'lllG i
o," @ let "c - nl,u,t 1 ~ 1h
eI9 .lio Ioalei AiIei IC" u lltuIests II tile oiS
aoiIltlcs imposed ~ congress aLe removed q
VS. '9h 20 Oh olLlgi ~ We slih; ne sai'l
l5'tt o:loIe ti'e ""l sHPs couiu pc p'llll III
ne o1Il'e' A7l1t's ~ 'iieIp "e tlieS "elG III
europe lGl the PIite oi l'lpof was ni%lfef;
II H"ulu N' S0ell'' poiley 20 "loll lpeitl
ltSI9tf'uoi ~ ioltl9il NcSSelS' silall duties
OF none, "''" Liz 0I"" '''cA t'Neh AWAY rom
lll..eIE ~.
MI !ltlloolil' ! leSiatlii VI tiie Mal1e snip
oW1itI9 -tsSotluioIl: st'tlco the ulilcollleS
uioer Wili0A llie sllipo"iiefS Oh Name were
l;Voofih9 from me operation OF the laflll upon
INC various mueIlIs enlcflh@ mo the con-
SlFuciiol! OF ellll9a. ne olale o. MAINE, winch
before Inc War pulH Fcsscls LOT every nation,
Is now depehdcht on snlali ana lrecarlous
orders from lew ports at home; IWo-iilths
"f ler yards are ldle, and IN those that are
working the business OF shlpbulldln@ has
dWlnuied 10 very small proportions. taxing
Il national We" OF Inc qucstlon, ne consider
rd lhal every measure Whlch legislative WIS
uon coulu DEVISE shonlo De taken to restore
Inc American magic us pristine pre-cmln-
ehee on me ocean belofe the war the ton
mage OF TINS country fcachcd higher figure
1fan that OF Great Britain. Ships were built
and sent IN ballast to Liverpool to be sold.
a trade IN ships was established. This coun-
try would have gone along supplying the
carrying demand Is OF its own commerce and
selling IT'S superior and cheaper workman
snip to the nations OF the world. But 4 very
great reverse has occurred in these short
years Out OF sixty banks reported as arriv-
cd III the port OF New DIRK day before yes
lerday ioHy-thrce were foreign bottoms. This
lndeed IS Startling evidence OF the inroad
m(dc upon the mercantile marine OF Ameri-
"a. 1t Is Illuminating enough that we have
10 employ 1ore1@n vessels to carry the pro-
uuee ol the country abroad, but it is q posi-
i've INJURY 10 me financial interests OF the
country that all the money paid in freights
10 owners OF iofcl@n vessels should 90 from
~ without cGuNAIenf Had we our own
shipS: inc paiance OF exchange would not be
mus h'aNiiy a@aiiSl Us; ntit as long as those
'''" ~ IA''. l'A'llibil olii
competing Wlih foreign shipbnllders. so long
Wlli the American marine continue to decline.
Name IS Slllphulldln@ state par cTcoNeacc-
ii mas 'hG resources m timper' III yards ready
ana ample enough 1of any emergency, in
skilled mechanics ana hardy, framed sailors.
ne dld not ASK ne committee to help them
by interfering with any other established in
terest; but he could easily perceive how the
needed assistance could be rendered; how
Inc leliglS could DC taken OIL them by the re-
co@nizea p9hcy OF allowing q drawback on
me lha('flalS mat me silpbuldmg business
require. some fhlnK mat the time ior wood
en- vessels Is PAST: nat IS mistake He
saw an instance IN boston where British
''ulit IRON Nessci ana smaller lankee wood
en- craft were lying SIDE ny size, and the
former was, OF course more readily patroniz-
ca ny Shippers deslrous OF sending freight to
Melbourne Australia Both started for the
same destination together, but the wooden
vessel reached Melbourne seventeen days in
advance OF the other, and the merchant who
sent his cargo by her saved all the cost of the
freight by the advantage Of the time thus Sc
cured Wooden vessels and sailing vessels
viii never 60 out Of date. They will always
DC demanded by the wants Of commerce.
There was another thing which helped to
lrlye American shipping from competition
with foreign, namely, the rates of Insurance.
VI here Clyde built vessel will only be charg-
Il l.lt