The Portland daily press., 1870-02-19


ion in consequence of the inability OF the Gov
,rnment to protect it; and now, whleeearing
is share OF taxation, has no SUN protecuon
rom foreign competition as is afforded to other
great national interests ana industries; and is
therefore steadily declining:
And Whereas, the restoration of our COM
,,erc,a1 marine, constituting, as it does, one of
.be most efficient means of defence in time of
war, is of great national importance and es-
sential to the maintenance OF our position as
first-class Power;
Therefore, Be 1t enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatves Of the United States, in
Congress assembled That upon ali Imported
lumber. timber, hemp. manila and copper, and
for iron not advanced beyond rod bars and
bolts, which may be used and wrought up into
the construction OF sCeam or sail vessels built
in the U nited States, whether for the hull. rig
glng, equipment or machinery of such vessels,
there shall be allowed and paid by the Secreta-
~ OF the Treasury, under such regulations as
he may prescribe, a drawback equal TO the du-
ties which may have been paid on such mate
rial; Provided, That the amount of such draw
back shall Lot exceed on wooden sail vessels So
per ton; on sail vessels known as composite,
that is, vessels composed of iron frames and
wooden planking and sheathing, $40 per ton;
on wooden steamers $40 per ton; on composite
steamers, composed of iron frames and wooden
planking, $12 per ton; on iron steamers $15
per ton. A1d l'rouaded further, That where
of iron or composite vessels or steamers there
shall be allowed and paid as aforesaid, an
amount equivalent to the duties imposed on
similar articles of foreign manufacture when
foreign materials not to exceed the amounts
per ton, on vessels of each class respectively,
herenbefore specified.
SEC. 2. That all ship stores and coal, to be
used and consumed by any vessel on its voyage
from any port of the United States to any for
os1~
such regulations as the Secretary of the Treas
ury may prescribe, be taken in whole packages
in bond, and disposed of for such purposes, free
of import and internal duty and tax.
SEC. 8; And be it further enacted. That the
owner of any American registered sail or steam
six months in the year in the carrying trade
between American and foreign ports, or be-
tween the ports of foreign countries, shall, at
the end OF each fiscal year in which such YES
sci has been so engaged, be paid by the collec'
tor of the port where such vessel is registered
to he nresnrihed by tho Secretary OF The Treas
ury, that such vessel has been so engaged
upon every sail vessel and upon every steamer
running to and from ports of the North Ameri-
upon every steamer running to and from any
European port, 81 for each registered ton; and
upon every steamer running to and from all
other foreign ports, So for each registered ton.
AN ACT imposing tonnage duties and for 9TH
er purposes
Sec. l. Re it enacted, &c That in lieu of all
duties on tonnage now imposed by law, q duty
of thirty cents per ton is hereby imposed on all
ships, vessels, or steamers entered in the Unit
ed States; but the receipts of vessels paying
such tax shall not be subject to the tax pr0vld-
ed in section 103 of an act approved June 80,
1864, nor by any act amendatory thereof: and
provided further, That no ship, vessel, or steam
tArh Epln To fro1n hn<ru 4
districts Of the United States, or to carry on
the bank, whale, or other fisheries, and no ves-
sci or steamer to or from any port or place in
Mexico, or from any port or place south of
Mexico, down to and including Aspinwall and
Panama, or from any port or place in the Brit
ish Provinces of North America, or the West
India Islands, and employed regularly in these
trades and no others, shall be required to pay
the tonnage tax contemplated by this act more
than once in each fiscal year.
SEC q And be it further enacted, That no
harbor duties, piotage fees, or other taxes on
imports levied or pretended to be levied, on
the tonnage, merchandise, trade, imports, or
cirgoes of any vessel, by virtue OF the authori-
ty OF any State or municipal government, ex-
cept wharfage, pilotage, and dockage, shall be
collected; and the collection of, or attempt to
collect the same, or any portion thereof, shall
be penal offence, to be punished as hereafter
provided.
Ssc. g. And be 1t enacted, &C., That any per-
SOD VINO by vir.ue of any authority or pretend
ed authority derived under any State or NUM-
clpal government, shall collect any such illegal
tax, ices, or dues, or shall attempt to collect
the same, shall, upon The conviction of each
offence, be fined in sum not exceeding one
hundred dollars for each offence the amount
of which fine shall be paid into the Treasury of
the United STATES to the credit of the judiciary
fund, and he shall further be liable TO pay a
sum not exceeding double the amount of the
illegal taxes, fees or due thus collected, or at
tempted to be collected, one halt to be paid to
the infOrmer and the other to be placed to the
credit of the appropriation for light houses.
Sec 4. BE it enacted &C., That the captain
the duly authorized agent of any vessel, line OF
vessels or transportation company, who shall
pay, with or without protest, any such illegal
taxes, fees or dues, as are prohibited by this
act, may recover the sum from the person COL
ieciing the same by action in appropriate form
IN the District Court of the United States of
the district where the collection was made, and
the courts of the United states shall have full
jurisdiction in al, cases arising under this act.
In reporting the bills referred to, your com
mittee are hopeful that in case of their adop-
tlon, the shipping interests of the country NAV
derive very considerable relief That they will
fully meet the expectations of the. large class
OF our citizens connected with this interest
they do not expect Nor have they fl1ll nnn f
dence that the result will be speedy restoration
of our lost commerce.
Time will be required to organize the capital
and labor necessary to embark extensively in
the business of constructing iron sail and
steamships; and still greater Inducements must
be offered to insure the establishment of lines
of American ocean steamers which will relieve
us from our present humiliatipg and disgrace
full dependency upon foreigners.
1t is but few days since that our Govern
ment was reminded by the managers of the
English lines OF the disgraceful fact, that not a
single merchant steamer beaIiug the American
flag now crossed the Atlantic, and that we
were entirely dependent upon them for the
OF our mails, which they carry
under temporary arrangements, to be termin-
ated at their pleasure. While our Govern
ment has with lavish liberality in subsidies of
lands and money aided in extending railways
through the West, and have appropriated large
sums for the improvement of interior water
communications, our ocean navigation has been
left without either aid or protection. The pros
perlty OF the country in time of peace, as we'll
as its security in time of war, is la. gely de-
pendent upon an efficient merchant marine,
and it is worthy of the consideration of Con-
gress whether bv granting such aid as will Sc
cure the building up of a large part of this
marine. in swift ocean steamers, readily con-
verfIble into cruisers in time of war, We are
not providing most economical and efficient
means of naval defence. It was stated by Ad-
!niral Porter before this committee Opp Of evil
dence) that with few such ships converted
INTO war vessels at the breaking out OF the re-
oelllon, such blockade of the Southern coast
could have been established as would have pre-
rented the rebels from sending out pound of
var; and the rebellion would have been strane-
ed almost at its birth. Who can compute the
oss IN lives and in money consequent upon the
want of a few such ships?
1t is evident that our future wars with any of
he great powers must be upon the ocean. and
a 1r1sfa I,
ack us, and whose vulnerable point to assail
the population and wealth which he has
catered on every sea.
Great Britain has as we have seen. adoDted
he policy Of substituting her lines OF ocean
teamers, and the result is she has doubled the
hclency OF her navy, and at the same time ad-
ed immensely to her national wealth. These
ubsldlzed ships are subject at all times to the
demands OF the Government. Our Govern
hent mas ne such source to draw from, and
must consequently depend entirely upon a navy
IN peace to be available in war
1t would be matter of economy if our Gov
'rnment should build vessels adapted to the
Uses OF commerce in time of peace, and readily
convertible into fighting ships in time OF war,
giving the Tree use OF such ships in time of
PEACE to merchants " no would take care of
md use them until required for the national
teience. Under such circumstances TIE Gov
would be relieved of the cost of talk
ng care of the ships when not re quired for the
,uDlc service. and the national wealth would
,e increased by their uee tor mercantile mr.
'oses. AS the Government can have the con-
rol OF such vessels when needed, by paying
MY matter of economy and sound public
'olcy to legislate with view to such results.
The policy here suggested should be entered
'pon after such careful and thorough consid-
ration OF the whole subject as will lead to the
doption OF a comprehensive system that will
re permanent in its character and certain to
ecure the desired results.
Your committee have only had time to con-
ider the general question RELAXING to .nnuina |