The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-12-15
PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL
MARITIME WISDOM.

1t is difficult to predict at this time what
action will be taken by Congress to encour-
age American shipbuilding, OF whether any
action at all will be taken. The President
has, in vague and general way, alluded to
the subject in his message, but without pro-
posing any remedy for the depression in the
business apparently more because of q no
ton that some mention of the matter would
be expected, than because he had ANYTHING
to recommend.
| Already several schemes have been brought
forward in Congress, ostensibly for the en-
couragement of American shipping. Senator
Wilson, of Massachusetts, submits plan
which he designates as one
To secure eligibility to American ships for foreign
trade, and to encourage shipbuildng in the United
| States. 1t provides for the appointment by the
Secretary OF the Treasury of commission to es-
tabsh standard for rating ships and allowing the
managing owner OF every American built ship de-
string to employ his vessel in foreign trade to have
| it rated. When such vessel shall have delivered
her cargo of dutiable goods in any port of the
United States the owner of such goods is to be en-
| titled to drawback of - per cent on the amount
Of duties. The bill also allows to owners of ship
yards drawback equal to the amount of duties on
|
designed solely for perfecting and cheapening ship
construction.
| This IS but little more than meaningless
muddle, and reminds one of Hogarths pic
turc, in which he represents q crack Drained
surgeon operating with a complicated ma
chine in so simple a matter as setting a mans
leg. Why the government should under
take to rate ships at all, and why rated ships
should authorize the owners of their cargoes
to drawbacks on imports, is what most peo-
pie will fail to see. We tear that the Massa-
chusetts Senator has got the traditions of the
cobblers bench mingled with his bill.
Mr.. Lynch, Of this State, who battled man
fully at the late session for a remission of the
duties on shipbuilding materials, has intro
duced a bill to the same effect. A measure
of this kind would be palliative only, and
might be accepted as affording temporary
relief, while Congress was being educated or
persuaded up to measures that would make
the revival permanent one
Mr.. Cox, Of New York, introduces a meas
ure which in its effect would be destructive
of the remnant of American ship building.
He proposes bill entitled one ssto enable
United States citizens to register foreign
built vessels" We have not seen the details
OF this bill, but we can imagine none under
that title which would not operate as an en-
tire repeal of the restriction in the navigation
laws by which foreigners are forbidden to
engage in coastwise and inland navigation
The devices by which the real ownership of
vessel may be concealed under an apparent
one, are SO numerous and secure, that no
precautions can prevent foreign capital from
stealing in and snatching the profits The
California trade, the navigation of the lakes
and rivers, and of the Atlantic coast, would
be shared, if not monopolized, by vessels
built and still owned abroad. The coasting
trade of Maine would all be done by the
cheap vessel of the Provinces, built of free
actions of heavy duties and taxes. And
these not only make dear the materials, but
increase the very important item of labor. The
ship carpenter who is taxed heavily on all he
consumes cannot labor for the same wages
with one whose supplies are untaxcd 1t is
loading man with chains and bidding him
race with one unbound.
In this multiplicity Of theories devices and
cxpedients, we fear the ship building interest
is doomed, Unless some unhopcd for mani
festation Of wisdom is made apparent very
soon, the American mercantile marine, once
the pride and boast of the country, with all
its glorious traditions, will pass away.