The sun., 1870-12-26

mariner They are TO q certain extent inter
changeable industries and dovctail into one |
nnotlr ! hey supplement each other in
emergency, end they bu.tress one another,
80 To spca,. They minple their interests,
and create a community of prosperity that |
sus:aius each in those inevitable temporary !
rcvers which come from time to time to all |
ndusral enterprises.
A moments reflection ought TO be sulIi
ciont TO convince any one that no seoiaring
rcoplc ran rely, in the mutations of national
LIE, ulon foreign nations for the craft it is
their profession to navigate The pride, the
ambition, and the prowess which belong TO
81 lor's lively and patriotic sense Of nation
nlhv, would be extinguished In n sense Of
lunil lation on the part of scamen who iclt
that their country was incompetent to con
siruct the bottoms in which they sail. The
legitimate outcome Of such sentiment
would bc the encrvation aud ultimate disso.
luton Of the whole race.
TO restore, then, our lost commerce, TO re-
construct that magnificent mercantile fleet
which we had before the war, and which
was the nursery of tho seainring multitudcs
with which VIC were al lie to man our naval
vessels, we must adopt policy by which
our ships shall be built at home, ms
well ns be owned and navigated by
our own people. No other remedy is ado
quate to the occasion. We must develop
our maritime growth aud capacities anew
from the root No must have the strength
and the fibre which come Of expansion from
an inward life To have a vigorous mari
tmo population, we repeat, we must have
their proper complement in q people who
have the capacity and the habit Of supplying
Tho constant want of the mariner, in con
structing. equippug, and repairing his ships.
Lot Congress then advance to the succor
OF great rerishing national interest, on tho
bcss Of the views we have now presented.
Let us accept tho first half OF Mr.. lNoER-
SOILS bill and let us refuse the last half
! We do not want to buy ships, or import ships
ready made, but we do want TO be al le TO
build them for ourselves To euaJlo us to
do this, we only need To be able to procure
our materials free Of duty. Ii W. cannot at
| tho moment, we yet can at a very early
PERIOD, suply ourselves with the shops and
the mechanical skill and the machinery
! by which we can construct slip rs
chUaply as any other people. The differ
ence in the price Of labor was no obstacle to
our successful rivalry with CIR Britain in
| the construction Of ships when they were
built of wood. Why should il be an imped
ment when they are built Of ironl When
we had the advantage of cheap material for
| bu ld,ng vessels we beat the world in the
| beauty and economy of our naval architec
ture. Now that circumstances have changed.
and iron has come into use FOR all large YES
sells and steamers, Great Britain has the al
vantage of us, for her iron costs but three
cents pound, while ours costs FIVE. Give
us but cleap iron. copper, hemp. and other
raw material, and We will again build as
cAcaply as Eogland or Scotland.
The high tariff men on former occasions
as well a. the frce-traders. have blindly and
unpatriotcally objected TO this simple and
truly national plan of rev.ying our nautical
prosperity ana recovering our maritime as
cendancy How long they will continue TO
oLstruct this revival and paralyze the right
arm of the nation. we cannot predict W,
hope that il viii not b. until it shall result
in some great national humiliation.
We have not today tho elements VIC
c. uld manipulate into material adequate to q
successful naval ,onfct with any frstclase
European maritime power This is not a con
dition in winch great power should allow
itsnlf to be placed o to remain. If either Gen
GRANT or his Ma Ol Secretary could be in
duccd TO consider this important topic, and
act upon the sugge esions We have offered
the recommendation of either the one ol
the other might weigh more with Congress
han our single leading article. But ths
aithor will lito to this level we cannot hope
They forgot the subjec in their annual com
municauous h. CongIa ass. and, though W,
expose their omissions, we fear they will b,
tHrdy ovailig them selves of orr ryAec
tions, or IN corr,ct ny tLcir errors. Never
,hlrss, our mercantile Iarine must bc ~
stored.