The New York herald., 1870-06-07
RESUScITATI0N OF AMERICAN COMMERCE
Reply Of Admiral Porter to the Letter Of Gov
ernor Gaary-Causes for the Decline Of Ameri-
can Commerce How It Can Be Resusci.
tated-Plan Of Admiral Porter.

letter addressed to him by Governor GearY, OF Penn
syivania on the subject OF the decline OF American
commerce. and which was published IN the HERALD
Of yesterday
WASHINGTON, June 4. 1870.
DEAR SIR have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt Of your communication OF the 31st ult, and
thank you for the iatterng terms In which you have
been pleased to allude To my opinions.
] do not, however claim any originality for the
views have expressed for they must be shared by
thousands Of our intelligent conntrymen, MANY & OF
1t not for an indisposltl0n to appear In print For
my own part think that every American whose
ny Ike the present 10 advance the interests q com
merce when Dur best statesmen are keenly alive to
s ana only H aaas @ our Sa ns
to enable them to act understandlngly. am much
pleased that my opinions have met with your ap,
proval, and that there Is some one besides myseH
who takes an interest in the revival of our commerce
on the ocean, which once babe fair to rival that or
England. We are wonderful nation IN our re-
sources and yet we are not taking advantage OF the
good that Providence has thrown III our way, nor
are We developing those resources In as inteligent
manner as might be reasonably expected, consider
ing the enterprsing character or our people. IL
would take but snort time TO double our resources
II more attention was paid 10 our shipping interest,",
which at this moment requires powerful impetus
to enable II 10 compete with foreign rivals anu untl
1t receives some greater encouragement tnan empty
propositions we Shall never do our own carrying on
The high seas. fhe importance OF having the com
merce OF nation carried on by ITS own vessels MAJ
be judged by the hercuean Efforts made ny England
and France TO put their vessels on every route where
trade can be opened.
There Is one great element of wealth in this coun
try, TO which you have alluded now lying dormant
on account OF the depression in shipbulldlng, and
that is the skilled labor in all the mechanical depart
ments Thousands OF mechanics are at this time
out OF work, many OF whom ought TO tnd ample en-
ployment In shpbuiiding and the construction or
steam machinery. Our private shlpyards are Idle
and the grass grows in what were once well trodden
paths. Our steam workshops are empty and the
sound OF the hammer ana anvil Is seldom heard
These facts speak strongly in favor OF taking imme-
date steps TO promote the interests or our mechani
ca labor-that great source OF wealth which Is now
lost to the country III shipbuldlng ls revived 1t Will
infuse life ana vigor into the great body
OF intelligent mechanics that are now depressed and
disheartened al the gloomy prospect anead OF them.
The policy OF every nation should be 10 utilize every
source or wealth, and above all things, provide Suc
employment for the masses that their mechanical
abilities may be directed into the proper channels
and the wealth OF the country be thereby increased
ana multiplied. In this country the mechanical
element Is inc bone and slnew OF the STATE ana
II Is not cared for and labor secured to
1t the whole body polite suffers,
great OF wealth Is lost to the country, and
most important portion OF the community are de-
prived OF the means OF comfortable subslst-
ence BY little wise legislation We can bring con-
tentment 10 millions VINO, IN their present unpro
vlded condition. are really clog to the naron and
we could induce thousands OF skilled emigrants to
seek our shores II they were certain of receiving
greater remuneration for their LABOR than In Europe
several plans TO resuscltate our commerce have
been proposed, but the majority OF them favor local
Interests which should not, at this moment, be al
lowed to enter into consideration. We should take
broad national grounds In favor OF our foreign CON-
merce, point m whlch we are most aiec ed and
are most OyershadOwed py foreigners have been
partly III favor OF or Two pr0jectsOf subsidies
and drawbacks but cry has been raised against
these plans, that they are indirect ways OF taxing
the people," In answer to this assertion it may be
asked would 1t not be Tightening the taxes OF large
portion OF those who can least AFFORD 60 pay them
by giving them immediate employment, with pros
pect OF It's further continuance2 mechanic would
willingly pay his taxes If he received fair
compensation for his labor, which would give him
the wherewltha to liquidate them and at the same
time support MS family. The employment of skilled
mechanics on shipbuding would not only benefit
the mechanical interests but would bring to life a
hundred branches OF trade that are now dead or
dormant. The importance OF fostering our skilled
labor cannot be over estimated, and as 1t must be
evident 10 every sensible man 1t would natural
to suppose that the evil would long ere this have
been mtgated by legislation, especially as our own
mechanics have been begging for assistance against
the encroachments OF foreign commerce, that ike
huge polypus is throwing out It's arms in every d.
rectlOn monOpOllZng trade and annually taking
frOm us some 500, ,00O,000
or all the plans that have been presented the
building up great private workshop on the banks
OF the Delaware for the purpose of building and
Europe or elsewhere. This plan proposes the issue
OF odn bonds 6S to to the amount OF $So3oooo or
anteed by Congress, security to be taken
on the property of the company, and the
bonds to be issued by the Secretary OF the Treasury
as the work progresses as set forth in the printed
charter OF the International Steamship Company.
The plan Is very simple, costs taxpayers n0tning,
and VIII give employment to hundreds OF thousands.
IL Is very evident that large establishment, with all
the appliances OF labor saving machines making all
the material required for shipbulding and running
its own vessels on well arranged system, can com
pete more successfully with foreigners than small
companies that nave to build their ships by contract
and purchase their fittings OF every description at
different manufactures. The former would once
save all the profits charged by contractors They
could import at first cost or manufacture their out
| fits, and they could be their own insurers. They
would have an efficient corps OF employees, all under
| good discipline, who with the prospect of steady
employment would find IL to their interest to be
faithful to their employers. The advantage OF such
| large establishment as the one proposed TO the
| government, both in time Of war and time Of
peace, would be very great. We nave not at
present single establishment In the United
states that will compare with the iron shipyards on
the Clyde We can build good machinery, it is true,
but not with the economy Of the English, as do
| not possess The great labor-savng machines that
| they have. We cannot forge those immense plates
nat the English are now constructing TO resist the
heaviest shot, and strange TO say we could NOT, with
our present MEANS build such ship as the British
vessel -of-war Monarch in tve years If at all.
1t is the possession OF such large private work
shops and the means OF supply ing any kind Of plates
or large masses OF IRON for war purposes that makes
| Great Britain strong as naval power, and no
government better understands the importance Of
fostering private workshops and Keeping their
skilled labor constantly employed. The result Is
that all the nations OF Europe invited to build
their ships and construct their machinery in Eng
lisn shops, because there only can be found all the
appliances for building every class OF vessel f
could only start OF these large establishments
YES we should soon become power,u! competitor OF
ships, but IN building those of foreign coun-
tries. Imagine what a source OF employ
ment that would be to the mechanics who
are now leaving this country in search
OF work elsewhere. Foreign Powers frequently send
to this country to ask bids for the construction OF
ships OF war, but finding that we have not all the
means to do the work they go to Europe We have
now contracts from foreign governments for over
100000 stand OF arms 10r having all the mechanical
appliances Tor doing this kind or work In greater
degree than the English we can make better and
| CHEAPER guns, Of approved patterns. The same
benefits would accrue to us In shlpOuding II we
could once start large establishment on the Della
ware river, which Is the best place in the country to
construct iron snips coal, iron and timber being
within easy distance, and all the facilities for trans
portatlOn close at hand.
Instead OF attempting TO build great workshops in
our navy yards the government could save expense
and always rely the private establishments OF the
country TO build and repair its iron war ships and
| machinery, which could be done much cheaper in
the latter tnan IN the former and at the same time
would be helping the great laborng interests which
should never be allowed TO rust Tor want OF employ
ment That grand source Of national wealth should
| be developed by every means that can be devised
| and thus large and most important portion
aNt