The New York herald., 1870-12-14
Oar shipping and Foreign Commcrcc-Hew
70 Revive Il. &C. sly !,

Of the country. During the last session sew
eral bills were introduced fer this object, but
nothing was accomplished--no, not even when
hours Of the session to remain over short
time for the purpose of seizing the opportunity
afforded by the European war to increase our
shipping. 1t may be, however, . hopeful sign
that Congress has begun thus early In the
present session to work upon this subject. On
duced bill in the Senate to aid the Mediter-
ranean and Oriental Steam Navigation Com
pany Mr.. Ramsey, Of Minnesota, to supply
ocean steamship lines for the transportation ol
the mails between the United States and
Europe; and Mr.. Schenck, In the House, the
same or similar measure to that OF Mr.. Ram
sey. Without gsilg into the merits Of these
propositions at the present time, we do not
hesitate to say that the time has come when
something should be done to restore the mari-
tine Interests Of the country, and that while
Congress should not favor any jobs it ought to
strain point on the side Of liberality where
our shipping can be increased and the public
service promoted.
The subject Of our foreign commerce Is now
before three committees Of the House of Rep
resentatives. The Committee OF Ways and
Means got control Of it through the reference
Of the Presidents special Message to Congress
! in the expiring hours Of the last session. The
| Committee on Commerce has got control of it
! through the reference OF that portion of the
| Presidents last annual Message which relates
| to the decay of American shipping; and the
select committee on the subject which was
appointed at the first session of the present
Congress, on the 22d Of March, 1869, has
special control of it, These three committees
are expected to hold conference together and
agree to some definite plan for the revival Of
our foreign shipping interests.
II will be recollectsd that the bill reported
at the last session from the select committee
proposed to remedy the evil by the remission
Of duties ON all materials entering into the
construction of ships, and also by system Of
subsidies under which American vessels en-
gagged in the foreign carrying trade for more
than six months in the year should be paid out
of the federal Treasury at the rate of from a
dollar and half per registered ton for sail
vessels up to four dollars per registered ton
for steamers, besides being allowed ships
stores and coal free Of duty. That bill was
discussed at pretty considerable length, but
failed to receive the support of a majority of
members. The bill reported from the Com
mittce Of Ways and Means in the last
hour Of the session contained the
principle Of allowing drawback on the
material used in sbipbuilding, coupled, how
ever, with the more important principle Of
allowing foreign built ships to be owned and
registered by American citizens. This bill
failed for want Of time-a few dilatSry motions
being all that was necessary to prevent the
House voting upon it before the hour fixed for
the inal adjournment.
1t viii be seen that the bill, as reported
from the select committee, was one which
aimed at reviving OR foreign commerce
through the cheapening Of American built
vessels and thus giving stimulus at the same
time to the sbipbuilding interest Of the United
States, while the bill coming from the Ways
and Means aimed at more immediate results
through the purchase and registry Of foreign
built ships.
The two propositions, II will Rs seen,
although made composite by the Committee of
Ways and Means, are Numerically opposed
to each other. II our shipping merchants be
| permitted to purchase ships built on the Clyde
| aud Thames there will not be much ship
building done on the Kennebec or the Hudson;
and while our foreign commerce may revive
there will be no corresponding advantage to
oar shipbuilders. This presents the great
difficulty which yet awaits its solution. The
shipbuilders claim that the impetus must come
| from them. The shipowners claim that moth
| ing but free trade in ships can ever restore to
the United States the prestige which it once
| held in the carrying trade Of the world.
| In the meantime all the great shipping
| yards of the country are closed up The
| Wcbbs and the Westervelts and the Nc
| Kays--once SO famous for the unrivalled ships
launched from their yards-have ceased to put
new vessels on the stocks; and nothing abso-
/ lutely is being done in that line except in the
way Of building and repairing for the coastwise
trade II would appear, therefore, that any
opposition from the shipbuilding interest to the
policy Of free trade in ships would be sort of
dog-in-the-manger policy. The ships that now
| command the commerce Of the ocean are of
| class that have never been built In this coun-
| try. and in which, even with all the materials
free of duty, cur shipbuilders cannot compete
| with those OF England,
The era of wooden vessels has passed as
completely as chat Of sail vessels. The iron
screw propeller has taken their place. The
shipyards of Maine and New Brunswick may
still flnd work in supplying coasting and fish,
| ing vessels; but the vessels for long voyages
| mill 10 hniif clr axuharn and Of iron not wn0l