Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-05-20
SHLPS-AMERICAN Us. ENGLISH
UILDERS

1t is a steady and well defined claim, on |
the part of the American shipping interests,
especially the foreign trade, that they are
practically debarred from re-establishing |
their lines, broken up during the rebellion.
Their argument briefly is that the law for
bids an American register and American
flag to any but an American-built vessel
that these cannot be built al foreign prices
and that if our shipping merchants are
obliged to pay higher rates for their vessels,
they cannot carry freights in competition
with the English, Germans, or French.
They therefore ask "relief," in various
shapes, from Congress, among other things
that American registers be granted to foreign
built vessels, and that the latter be brought
to this country without payment of duty.
AT the meeting of the National Board of
Trade, ut Cincinnati, in December, the
whole subject received very full considera-
ton, and resolutions were passed endeavor-
ing to reconcile the diverging interests of the
shipping men, the ship-builders and the
manufacturers of ship material.
All the discussion, there and elsewhere,
however, proceeds upon the premise that
ships cannot be built as low in this country
as in Europe, and this, after some investiga-
ton, we conclude, is not the case! If not,
then the whole question is changed in form.
This city, as is well known, is the head
quarters of iron ship-building, in this coun-
try. Our construction of wooden ships has
declined in importance,as it has everywhere
but since the difficulties alleged 10 exist arc
those Of foreign trade, for which iron YES
sells are largely used, we may conline OH
present inquiry to the latter class. In iron
ships, then, our builders have recently com
peted directly, with the builders on the Clyde
and having put in lower estimate have re-
ceived work in preference TO those celebrat
ed English artisans The case in point wal
the construction of ea-going, iron steam
ship, Tor Central American trade, built d,
the order of the Panama Railway Company
The proposal of the Wilmington firm benl
less than the Clyde builders, the ship wa
built here 1t is needless to say that TIN
work was as well done in all respects, an,
the material as good, as ii would have bee
if constructed in Great Britain, but it is pro
per TO add that new contracts at rates simila
will be accepted by our builders.
In another case, another Of our firms la
built two steamers, aud is now a, work On
third, tor u company who run lines on sem
Of the South American rivers. Fo' yarul
reasons, our builders are preferred, after
direct comparison Of their abilities wit
those of the English builders, and the con
pany in question give them the work.
So decided indeed is the conviction ,
the leading firms of this city, On this que
ton that, on heing recently applied 10 by
proposed Ocean steamship Company, for
certificate TO be presented to Congress, til
on account Of the tariil On ships material
il was impossible TO furnish vessel at foreil
prices, and that therefore those duties shou
be repealed, they conscientiously refused
make any such statement, for the SIM
reason that they knew ii TO be incorrct
This, to, notwithstanding that the stat
ment had already been signed by leadi
firms in New York AID Boston.
These, We think, are important facts.
they are unknown to the shipping men,
here present the information. They sh'
that encouragement to our home industr
by the Protective System, will ultimate
enable us TO compete with foreign establi'
ments, even at our higher rates of labor
fact which is admirably illustrated, in Z
particular, by experience in iron ship-bui
ing. Previous TO the Morrill, Tariff, so
seven or eight years ago, the English p
iron, "angle non, and rivet iron, was u
universally, in oil iirst-class iron vesst
None was produced in this country OF al
thing like as good quality. But the ia
raised the price, stimulated our manufaei
ers, and after some years, the result "
and now is. that Of these varieties of iron,
American is best is altogether used, a
would be used by builders, even if 1t c'
more we take this to be conclusive ia
SO far as IL goes.
Whether American shipping interests re
ly demand relief, or not, il is true as we
lieve, that they do not need IL on accou
of any higher cost of American over IN
fish iron vessels.