New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-18
AMERICAN COMMERCE.

cay Of American Commerce concluded It's session III
York on Saturday. The first gentleman examiner was
Mr.. A. A. Low. He said:
,Dterests Arg5itecps builders mechanics and sailors
advance the interests OF the County are framed
with view to protect our various p lHaSst
tries, but the laws which Sene iSis specis in
terest They are really burden upoa our hye Won
interest by the .S that have operated
duce this effect upon our eommerce, "" into the con-
strucon OF ship and have deprecated Tt ~
We have the Increased cost OF ons Of sailing the ship
after She is built think the American snpp,ps i
n The huding OF highpriced ships, and In
large numbers. aud the trainG III Innt o ON and
w. burned our vessels Insurance could not
be obtained, and these combined arove our CEC
~ Ensa1d In snbsidzng lines Of TO various
the world has her s Sease to the
construction OF ships, 1t seems as though IL taxes our
with England We have just now one important steam
line and its property has been greatly injured scs no
10 railroad together with lands and out Of all support
from the Pacific Mail lines suppose we have
OF the line years ago sO0OOOOG now IL s >oOO
had would no, SSsH GS Ss dSss:s SS
to the railroad There does NOT seem 20 20 law
ury yn Then the policy Of England is perfect They
nation Of large supplies; they nave III
Motley is excellent and all their laws in the interests
commerce Our opportunities here for the employment
given them that advantage think they have acted ted
wisely In substituting their lines IL ~ easier 10 t9 1e
sides could be given TO ocean iron steamers Wouu 20
an Sae has been that large subsidies should be given
These subsidies while they cost the Government largely
on ig9 nO%ai Outlay We cannot build wooden
has taken the place OF them Ihs screw
wooden stand the action Of the ocean on
the screw Mr. Webb and others express great con
IN he ali
English mecancs. must say have not that eonhaepoe
In 0sr I %s GSTe ssal %oi@en that
command better do not believe: 5ne SIPS 'eI
seems as though English had attained 10 the utmost
excellence and 1t seems SoS ~ a and anY one who
has made passage across the Atlantic In one OF Inen
have 10 adhered to the policy Of sustaining their
ocean lines by paying vo sufficient sbgmnS s fron
making them large enough to sustain them They have
driven deliberately and Intentionally from tae SSeas
purpose part of the English to buy larger snosl
Rg ONE Of the ComitteeFrOm your experience and
knowedgeo OF steamers do the English run them at much
TO receive all their supplies from bonded warehouses
pay duty pound Of sugar or tea or ANYTHING
courage interests every way our
Low that the shp,owners generally favor OF the
navigation laws and the purchase OF our ships abroad
can in their feelings would be in favor Of bring
ing iores ships here and 1Rs Ge~ =, Sn ses c9s
American mechanics encouraged so that we mlght t
would be better to 90 abroad and buy ships than
to ruled out Of the altogether as we now are Inc
Sas BEEN ruled out oft BY member Of the Committee
LIN your opinion, Mr. Low, If the American shpb1ilder
the same eneonragenent rs the foreign builder and
owner or IN other wods II our snOniu sdUT
revivei There are many things IN the way OF tue res
Currency. The English have the superiority in their
facilities for constructing vessels We have the mnd 10
n. aSS SPEAK Of the currency Mr. LOW
could you compete with them on gold basis Reduce
ton that we have Labor OF proportion to the diff
b2 sG s CANAL Already
making inquiries Eelght between here and China,
away from us By the Chairnsn-I understand you to
be in favor of attempt TO restore our commerce by
building ships at home, rather than by buying them
abrOsdi Certainly, sI Our shipyards should be re-
vved have always had desire 70 see our fs
and labor ia land. suppose that 1t is natural
Commerce Still think 1t would be better to TO
England for than TO be wholly driven from the
sea nv one OF the Committeeman effect do think
it would have our navigation interests to abrogate
laws and go abroad aud BUY our vesselsI ~ seems
than We pursuing course In regard TO our
aas The 70 Ie By the
COmmittee-W0uld the effect OF purchasing our ships
able extenti think t6a hope of reyving that in.
dusry among ourselves should mPel us to buy them
interest of ownership on the other side make them foreign
u,
much under the control Of foregners Americans buying
ships abroad and putting them under the American flag
would have enough TO them, and do not know
why there should tendency employ other than
Americans Our shipmasters ana men have generally
been Americans We have many men idle who would DO
glad TO obtain employment at small compensation.
Mr.. K. Poion Of the firm Of q. 4 T. PooD, south-st,
follows; find my views very fully expressed IN the
evidence taken yesterday. Mr. Sinners views fully
owners Association does not give the views generally Of
the shipOwners Of Hew.York OF the lA names In the
5hlpOwners Association, Al are foreigners and for
eign vessels. and not identified with rhe American
shpowners OF the remalIdsr most Of them are Inter
consider that the views expressed by this association
not fair exponent OF the views OF the shpOwners
OF York and of this country Many of our
spectacle shpOwners have no connection with this aSso
navigation laws 1 think all that the ship
building interests Of this country require ID
enter Of the vessels and especially
upon copper aud all metals and cUrdage On account of
foreigner for bis copper AS far as labor is concerned
although pay literally think that the superior
copper results IN actual prohibition. Our immense dock
Interests seriously affected by it. Ships pres
cut that need recOppering will take In Improbable
cargo and England because they be recOppered
so much more cheapy there. We not only deprive
selves OF the obtained before
but 1t affects the interests OF the vorkngnen BY
having drawback we place our mechanics on footing
want Is 70 be placed on footing with them II
In ships materals. think the result would be that
coasting trade would be swamPed with the English bot
toms before We could get into the trade think the
ships built ut home should have the preference
cOssttng trade, To give chance recover
nations I think two years would be time enough.
What the Americans cannot do In years they
English have, for in enterprise that looks like
paying in England there is never any lack Of capital
The Eugsb aud French Governments paying larger
subsidies to vessels running 10 south America than they
70 vessels running TO this port They formerly SUD
sdfzed the Cunard line more than they do now. They
have crushed out American opposition and have with
hand al araln iiGa ln