The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-04-29
Friday, April 20, 1920.
Causes Of the Decline of American
Tonnage.

We are indebted to Senator Sawyer
FOR copy Of the Report of the Select
Committee Of the House Of Reprcscn-
tatiyes, appointed by resolution,
March 23, 1860, and instructed to in
quirc into the causes Of the reduction
of American tonnage, engaged in the
foreign carrying trade, and the great
depression Of the navigation interests
country, and to report suitable meas
urcs to revivo the same. We have
found tho Report very interesting
and this as well from the nature Of
tie subject matter, as from the
thoroughness with which the Commit
tee have collected the facts, and the
clearness with which they havo pre-
sented them.
1t seems that prior to tho late war,
there was gradual and steady in
crease of American tonnage engaged
an the foreign carrying trade-bcing
from 1880 to 1910, ut the rate Of
about sixty per cent; from 1910 to
1850, at scventyfvc per cent. from
1850 to 1850, sixty per cent In the
hitter decade, the tonnage Of Great
Britain engaged in foreign trade in
creased. only 10 per cent. In 1861
American tonnage engaged in foreign
trade reached its highest point: being
in that year 2,942,6os tons, willis,
that Of Great Britain, was then
3:l79,GS3 tons; giving this country
II second place in tho extent Of its
own tonnage, whilst it was the supc
fior OF all others in naval architecture.
and in the efficiency Of it's mercantile
marine.
Yet in ten years, following 1860.
nearly all that had been gained in
half q century was lost-ono half OF
its merchant shipping, and all Of its
maritime prestige. From 1861 to
1866, American tonnage, engaged in
foreign trade, decreased from
2,G42,G2s was to 1902: o26; being a
loss Of more than 43 per cent, whilst
in the same period the tonnage of
Great Britain increased about 80 per
cent.
tTho estimated value Of the ton.
mage of the United States engaged in
tho foreign carrying trade WAS, in
1861, S109,347,7iS; the estimated
gross yearly earnings Of which Was
333 per cont, Or s:36, 1896. In
1859, the estimated value Of tho same
zonnage was S70,4SS, ,945. and the cs-
timated earnings, s23,4G0,3l5; Il net
loss in yearly earning Of this road of
Sl2:G19,6G1.
"Ihe increase in gross earnings of
this class Of tonnage from 1850 to
1860, s14,719,397, or 73 per cent.
Taking the same ratio OF Increase
from 1860 to 1869, say G5 per cent
and wo should hayo, in 1869.
s57, ,643. > The actual amount OF
gross earnings is S23, ,496,3I5, or a net
annual loss, in consequence Of our
ocean commerce, Of s33,921,32s."
In refatation of the assumption,
that the revival Of American ship
ping will follow the increase of its
exports, the Report exhibits statistics
which show that whilst American
exports have doubled since 1853 the
per .centage carried in American YES.
seis has fallen from 67 per cent. to 81
per cent. To increase our exports
then, will only furnish an increased
business to foreign ships, unless
American vessels are put in condi-
tion to compete with them on equal
terms. Nearly seventy per cent Of
the imports into the great commercial
city of New York are carried in for
ejgn steamers, and that single port
pays annually grand total Of
s24 100000 in tho way of. freights to
support tho steamships of foreign ma
tions, which constitute the naval re-
serve of those powers.
The'whole tendency Of tho freight
'ing business of the world now
isi to seek direct routes, and by
steam Communication, to COM
biDa mail and passenger with mer-
chapdise transportation. Great
Britain, availing herself of the use Of
steam,. has obtained control of the
chief of-tbese direct lines of ocean
communication. She has now nine
direct lines to, North and South
America7two along the West coast
of Africaa and greatest line of all,
that Of the Peninsular and Oriental
Mail stsaa.mnsehip Company, connecting
Southampton, vthrough the Suez Canal
sand the tha Red s't sAA with Bombay and
.CeyloR,; ,qaalnnsd and then with a line
running to A1p1 Australia, md then with
another u Ransssm9ffr:a frr::a is5ssss f.; ..r,.y
eFor Che postal service, they. per.
form Great Britain pays to twelve of|
her principal mail steamship, ,eehpa-
MES, in the form, Of an annual subsidy.
s903,7b0, or $4,393, ,244, besides tie
.aaionnts collected for postage from
othjsvFripofpat. Sroutes andiIag nnm-
her yadi apnueoting,so lines; amount
ing to enough more, to make the en-
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