The Portland daily press., 1870-12-12
Boa !, Of Trade Meeting.

/
Mahoning from this coast took place at thu
time advertised at the Board of Trade Rooms
which were filled to their utmost capacity by
not only the representatives of the mercantile
and shipping interests of the city but also the
professions, railroad represen ;atives, and citi
zens generally. w. S. Dana, Esq, President
of the Board of Trade, called the meeting t.
ORDER stating the object for which it was as
sembled, and hoped that the proceedings
would not fail to present a graphic picture o
the necessities for the restoration of the Ma
honlng on this station or the substitution Of
one IN her place equally as serviceable.
MIR. Charles H. Haskell was elected Secreta.
ry of the meeting
Hon. W. w. Thomas was the first speaker.
He thought that this affair that had called
them together was a State and not city
matter and therefore thai the gentlemen
sfO1ld write to the Senators aud Representa-
tives in Congress from this State-not from
this district alOne-with whom they were ac-
quainted, and urge upon them to use all their
influence for the return of the MahOning, or a
steamer OF equal value. He urged that the
government could not afford such action as
had in the matter and caused the withdrawal
| of the cutter from this station. He offered the
forthcoming resolutions, which were unani-
| mously adopted.
Whereas, At the urgent request of the ship
| owners, importers and merchants of the State of
| Maine engaged in commerce. the Board of Trade
of the city of Portland represented to the Secre-
tary of the Treasury in 1868, the necessity and
importance of placing upon this station a power
| full and efficient steam cutter .for the protec-
ton of the vast commerce, and the assistance of
| the numerous vessels that traverse the waters of
more than two hundred miles of our sea coast
or as much as all the rest of New England, with
more naylgable rivers, bearing the commerce of
a State with nearly five times as many miles of
area as that of Massachusetts,, our headIands
presenting the first beacons made by nearly all
the approaching vessels from Europe. bound to
| ports east of New York, and the immediate prox-
| unity of this coast to the British North Ameri-
can possessions, and for the protection and secu-
| rity of the revenue SO exposed to illicit traffic
| carried en- to greater or less extent, with the
numerous islands and inles of our frontier coast,
and whereas, upon a proper investigation of
| these facts the Hon. Secretary of the Treasury
promptly dispatched to this station early in 1864
the fine new steam cutter "Mahoning", one of
the most efficient, powerful and swift vessels in
the service, under command of Capt. Webster,
an able and accomplished officer, and whereas,
the steamer "Mahonng" has rendered very val
liable and essential service in the assistance of
vessels in distress by towing them into port and
thereby saving many valuable cargOes from loss,
as we'll as the performance of much detective
service in preventing illicit traffic in this and
other districts, which could not have been per-
| formed by sailing vessel, and whereas, the
steamer "Mahonng" has been recently transferr-
ed from this station to Boston, and her place sup
piled by sailing schooner therefore
Resol0ed, That we hereby express our profound
regret at grave an injustice to the interests of
| the commerce of this State and of the United
States.
Resolved, That from the exposed condition of
this coast in the winter season. sailing vessel is
entirely inadequate, and can afford little if any
relief to vessels in distress or disabled
RESOLVED, That the great extent of coast on the
frontier thus uncovered by the removal of swift
steam vessel offers such facilities for illicit trade
as will in our opinion deprive the United States
of large revenue.
ResolUed, That the Secretary of the Treasury
be urgently requested to cause efficient steam
cutter to be Immediately placed on this station
| for winter cruising.
Resolued, That copy of these resolutions be
forwarded to the Secretary of the Treasury and
to each of the Representatives and Senators in
Congress from this State.
Mayor Kngsbury being called upon said
Collector Anderson. the Caleb Gushing was
the cutter employed on this station. She was
sailing vessel, and was inadequate to protect
even CascO Bay. The vessel was as good as
sailing vessel could be, and Ter officers and
crew prompt aud efficient men, but if the
news was received of vessel in distress some
distance out, the cutter could not go to her re-
| lief if the wind was adverse The coast of
| Maine is not only as large as all the rest OF
New England, but it is also the most danger
Gus, 1t is off this coast that the vessels bound
| for New York, Boston, Portland and other
| ports inject with their greatest perils coming
| from Europe, and it is at the most inclement
| season of the year, when the services of a
| steam cutter are most frequently in demand,
| that the Secretary takes the Maboning away.
| If the removal had taken place in the days of
Secretary Bib, who came from the interior of
Kentucky and who didn't know the stern from
| the bow of a vessel, he should not have been
| so much SUI prised but that man of the abil-
| ity of Secretary Boutwell, should be guilty
| of such suicidal act astonished him greatly.
Marshal Clark-You forget he's Massa-
| chusetts man?
Mayor Kingsbury-I beg your pardon. l
| did make that mistake, but the Secretary will
learn some time that there must be more than
one hub to every team, and sooner or later that
Portland will be that other hub. That what
| ever local feelings the Secretary might have he
| was an honest man and he felt sure he would
| see that an adequate vessel was sent to protect
| our coast
Mr.. J. w. Munger, representing the insur-
ance interests, said that there arc certain rea-
sons why a steam cutter is needed on this coast
more than anywhere else. The latitude of the
coast of Maine affects the winds much more
seriously than in the tropics. There they are
constant for days and weeks; here they change
every two or three days. Ii you count up the
line of coast on this State, you will find that it
| amounts to some 1000 or 5000 miles, includ-
| ing the sinuosties and bays The exports and
| imports of this port give some idea OF the
property placed at hazard. They amounted
last year to at least $780, 1850, 900, of which half
was foreign and half domestic. No matter
what claims other States may have, the inter-
ests Of the government are thus shown to re-
quire the cutter as well as those of the indi-
vidual, and the interests of underwriters also
| all over the country.
Capt. j. B. Coyle said, in behalf of the
steamboat interest, that he concurred fully in
| all that had been said on the subject. He was
| not given to talk, but he was full of the mat
| ter. The recent case of the steamer "Chase''
showed how much the steamboat companies
| felt of the need of cutter in case of accident
| to any OF their vessels.
Hon. S. e. Spring said that if the merchants
wanted the cutter back they had got to work
| for her. There was not probably any inten-
ton on the part of Secretary Boutwell, to do
Maine an injury Mr.. Boutwell, probably
knows nothing of the topography of the coast
| of Maine. Officials in his position rarely do.
The Secretary had been to Old Orchard Beach
| and Prout's Neck and that was the extent of
his acquaintance with the Maine seaboard.
he need of steam cutter to help vessel into
| Boston harbor in distress was absurd. YES
sells don't 90 in there in distress, as any ship
| master will tell you. The danger is off this
| coast. When Mr.. Boutwell, is fully awakened
| to the necessity of having the Mahoning en-
| ployed on our seab )ard then he will send her
back. Formerly foreign built vessels used to
keep Oh TOu POTC DtCduSo tuey COuluu Z
get repaired. Now that we have a dry dock
| they come in. 1t must remembered this is not
Portland matter, it is of vital consequence to
| the whole Of New England.
Mr.. Dana begged the meeting to remember
| thOt the MahOning was procured for this coast,
IAN entirely new vesseD by special effort of this
| Board of Trade in 1860 and therefore the ag-
| gravation caused by her removal was greater
than it would otherwise have been.
Mr.. Spring said that the Mahoning would
| not be used in Boston harbor for aiding ves-
| sells in distress. If a vessel should happen to
| get on lea shore the Charles Pearson or some
powerful tug would be sent out
Gen. S. j. Anderson said that there was one
| point embraced in the resolutions that he con-
sidered the most important of all and the one
| that in the discussion had been the most over
| locked The meeting must remember that
revenue vessels were not intended TO protect
vessels in distress and underwriters. They
were intended so protect smuggling. Now
there are greater facilities for smuggliug,On our
| coast than that of Massachusetts owing to the
| immense line of coast with it's hundreds and
| thousands of bays and inlets which are very
| few in the latter State, and therefore a steam
| cutter is especially needed to move rapidly
| from point to polnt. The General thought the
| Customs officials should press the matter on
| trade necessity By preventing smuggling on
the Maine coast the Massachusetts capital is as
much protected as Maine trade. He thought
| committee of citizens should also be appointed
| representing the mercantile, shipping and
| trade interests to press the matter upon their
| senators and representatives in conjunction
with the Customs officials, if the Secretary de-
| clined to furnish the steam cutter.
| Mr.. q. Ii. Haskell moved that the whole