The New York herald., 1869-12-09

This condition of things will last until American
citizens have free trade IN ships; then, and not
unn lnen. will they bc able 10 c0pete with lorei2n
snlpowners Our registry law practically protects
the foreign shipowner from American competition,
and our carrying trade with other coln
tres Is no longer carried on Dy American ship
owners. but IL transferred 10 the hands OF
occurred mad the shipDudiIg industry OF the United
States kept up the shlpbulding INDUSTRY vi England.
!, American shpbuidng mas not improved wlthin
which Tue art OF shipbudng has made greater pro-
gress IN Great Britain Than AZ od IN al the countries
wnich prcceceu tne, the building Of seaSoing YES
ses IN America has nos advanced one step.
The improvements which the builde,s of England
have eilcc cd ~ steam machinery, comoinei win
tneif improved system o stpoulldiug ani the fdcdi
Ties wnicu they enjoy, anu winch enable them 70
construct ship ana engines at prices with whicn no
other cUuGIIles can compete, give Great Britain .
very long lead In the construction OF hon steamers.
Her ou.iuerS supply thcT own ana other countries
with steamers winch VIII earn large plolls in trades
in when steamers but IN the Unite States cannot
live, and they have entirely exploded tne Idea that
subsidies aio necessary to Inc support oi steam aes
on The great routes ut ocean tiaflc. TEe most sue
cesS III steam lines, IN commercial poiat OF view.
tiio.e wulch rely upon trallc anu care nothing
Tor mall contracts or subsidies. Steamers OF mode
rate speed ana large cargo capacity can earn more
money in the New YORK and Liverpool trade, without
subsidy, tnan the last steamers which carry CON.
paratvciY lltSc cargo and Dufu great quantity OF
coal, Can earn with the most LIBERAL mall service
Compensat on winch either the United states or
Great lltan are likely 10 give. A steamship that
VIII carry 5000 tons of cargo across tie Atlantic ~
twelve uays, burning Coz tons OF coal on the pas
sage, Is better property tnan ole that makes the
trip IN ten days. wih 900 tons or cargo and burn
ing 1000 vi coal. The last VIII make noise in
tue world by IN occasional very rapid passage, bur
the first viii put most money into the Golfers or nor
owners. TDes; are the steamers which American
sAipownes should DO permitted TO buy III the cheap
est market
Tor 1ore2n owners anu foreign service; some 70 to
China, othes South America, others again 10 the
BacK Sca aud Ba TIC OI German french span
In and Italian snipowners many 30 to England 10
bnild steamers ani SHIPS. In snort the high repu.
vi the builders there attracts purchasers from
al patls Ot the world except the united States.
There might b. some reason for The policy which our
people are pursuing IN refusing to bu.d steamers
urd SHIPS Outside uI the United States, If such
policy ne PED shpbullding at home benefited any
one class our Citizens II 1t even sarveu to secure
any paJ OF our foreign trade to SHIPS Duit IN the
States IL mgnt Oe tolerated. but the reverse Is no.
torousy true. The system works disastrously
to every American interest connected with navisa-
ton, not excepting the shipDuider5 themselves.
Stelners ana snips especially designed for the
foi iel1n carrying Lrade OF the United States are but
IN ngand III great iiuUeis anu every ship. whether
owned bi an Ensiisnlnan German o. French
man. enters INTO competition WIN tue lew American
ships mat are lett IN our foreign trade.
Our fule Efforts 10 project our shipbullders
are frsL destroying the business OF our snIpowners
and saipai.l5tef5 ana throwing the pronts OF our
lmmeasc carry ing trade INTO Lne hands ol foreign.
ers On the Clyde alone nity-egat steamers, regu-
lar traoers between New York and European ports,
nave Deen butt SINCE 1850. Their a2gge.a .ate tonnage
~ MOI less than 10 900 tonS Ills large IleeG does
not Include the vessels butt lor the canada aud
Portland lines. II is quite within bounds 10 estl-
lllalt THAT lNlS HpcL OI ClYue DlilL SlelnerS
diven 10000 tons of SAILING vessels from the trans
atlantic trade vi new YORK. Having ioSt the PROFITS
o. sh4pDui ding VIC seeni TO have resolved 10 throw
away Inc profits OIL ship owing ana her0icaly insist
upon driving our snipowDet5 from their business
ana mariners from the sea rather Jnan grant an
American register 10 u foreign built ship.
II any American Is disposed 10 doubt that the
days ol wooden shlps are over, lct HIN make tour
around the wnarses OF New YORK, Jersey City and
IioD0Acn and look III the steamers Whlcn carry on
the trade ol our ports with Europe, aud The ships
that are leicnng oar carsoeS ironn india. Ii his
walk IN New YORK laiiS To satisfy iiln let him visit
the docAs OF London. Liverpool bremen, Hamburg,
Iiavrc, Marsales Trieste, Alexandria, st. Peters
burg, bombay Calcutta &C, and see how rapidly
and surGtI WOOD built ships nave disappeared from
tlO5e great martS or trac, aai now nine tentnS Of
the non ships which have succeeded them bear
uLmstakeable marks OF BRUSH origin The attempt
10 ruEaii our iOrncr pre-emnent position US mari
time rover, by RENTING ihe duties on imported
materials ana encouraging the building oi wood
saiilng snips must iAu or he attended with very
limited success.
The price asked in Great Britain for an iron ship
butt on LDyd's specification, guaranteed 10 rate
double AL Tor twenty one years and completely fitted
lOf sea- with the extra sails, spars, Gc., required
Ior voyage to India and back, IL fl4 per ton
sOiietnihe less. Contracts nave been made with
buoers ON the east coast ol England ~ fi2 los. per
ton ot ships which gave entlro satisfaction to both
Owners ana underwriters. For $685. gold, per ton u
British snipowner can obtain all iron snip which the
unueiwTlLeiS accept as FIRST o ass Slip Tor twenty
one years. Nsw ii we 90 back 70 lsoo, the year in
Wnioh OGDEN shipbuIiuing reached its climax, we
iinu that an American wooden snip to which the
New Ork or L0ndoD underwriters would give first
class rate Tor ten years cost, wltn an India outfit
ana lnciuiIng copper, about sos per ton, or just
aDoai the present cost or British built iron saip
rating inst ciasS Tor twenty-one years. An Amerl.
Can but ship not Coppcred couid VI that tilnc-ln
ln56-De sold IN England for tl2 per ton; but now
the same class and quaily or wooden ships Will not
Inc report socs on to state that the depreciation
In wooaen ships has received less attention here
than In England, and counseS our shlpDallders and
owners to .oox at the matter IN It's true ilght.
IL see4s very CERTAIN that the United states must
aivance very promptly and boldly or else fall sadly
Iipr nj "a
cannot maintain respectable maritime position
before the worlu IL Our mercantile navy Is TO consist
oI wooden SAILING ships alone or wooden sailing
ships coupled wlih one or two lines OF subsidized
Steaners-and this IS our present uoslt0n-wnie ull
our rivals are disanclng US and carr ing on our
own traue IL s OF course, better to build our ships
at home than IL Is 10 build them abroad. but II Is
better To buiid them abroad than not 10 build them
at all. IL Is letter TO employ our own shlpmasters,
mates and seanen tnan the masters. mates and sea-
men OF our commercial rivals, and 1t Is better
for us 10 cross tho ocean with steamers
commanded by our own fellow citizens and carrying
our own nag. All this can only be accomplished by
repeang tue law which refuses to grant an Ameri
reg.s TO steamer buit IN the cheap building
yards Uf Great Britain. 1t Is surely worth our While
10 consider whether We are not paying too dear for
the sentimental feeling which mas already destroyed
our commercial prestige.
The registry laws are declared to be by the force
OF circumstances prohiDitory and oppressive to
own citizens and In the interest or ioIegn ship
owners and mariners. That tntoe cnt and cruel
Law should b. amended without delay.
statement prepared by Mr.. Jonl Glover shows
thai tne daily WAGES OF carpenters jolners pIaters
caukers riyeters. painters, ringers. salmakers,
engneers boiler makers, turner's and pattern makers
colnplncd are I2s. sterling on the Inames 5Ss. Sd
on the clyde ana $685. Sd. ON the Wear The
Thames woTkmen are admitted by nm to
be no better tnan those on the Clyde or Wear the
great disparity Of wages aud conscquent loss OF
nearly all shpoulid'ny on tae thames beng caused
by tue arbitrary ruinRs OF trades unions winch
fixed o rate below which wages, in their opinion,
should not be allowed to fan. Ihey have Kept up
the price, but lost the work. MIR. Glover further
says.-'l ormery al vessels were built OF wood;
UuIlt OF WOOD rarity
large sailing vessels aro built entirely OF iron or
with q wo o1dcn sKiu."
Every new steam line that Is started auu every iu1-
cost oi Working large ocean steamers IL benefit TO
the producers or our Wesern anu Soutbe. n States
They want cheap transportation 10 the markets OF
Europe, especially TO those oil Great Britain. They
want low rates OF passage for Ia
States. Tnc3 are dependent upon BRUSH
steamship companies to carry the product OF
their states abroad ana To carry emgrants back. IL