The Portland daily press., 1870-04-05
American shipping Interests.

American shipping Interests.
There is hope for the shipbuilders of Maine.
The report Of the special Congressional COM
mittec has called the attic alton of thousands
hitherto Indifferent to the importance OF re-
stering the American flag to the ocean where
it was once the proudest banner and where II
is now almost forgotten. For the encourage
ment of such of our shipbuilders as are still
respondent we make the following extracts
from a cheerful article in the Washington
Chronicle:
The very able report of the special COM
mittee of the House of Representatives on
our navigation interests has pointed out most
clearly and iorcibly the true course whereby
to revive the business of shipbuilding in the |
United States, and at the same time efiectu-
ally assist American shpowners in resalning |
their appropriate share of the carrying trade
of the world. Their recommendations and |
the facts and reasons by which they were |
supported have been received with great in |
tereSt by the public, and have met with very
general appreciation; and they have, more
over, been warmly seconded by the President
of the United States in his recent special
message on this subject. There is the best
reason to believe, therefore, that the action OF
congress will be in harmony with the views
reached by the committee after so many
months OF patient investigation and careful
study.
After noticing some propositions hostile to
the recommendations of the committee, es-
peciall7 one of Mr.. John Codman's that for
egn built vessels be admitted to American
registry, on the ground that it is impossible
for our builders to compete with those of for
eign countries the Chronicle says:
Put in plain terms, this is neither more nor
less than proposition of unconditional sur
render to the foreign shipbuiIders. The plan
proposed might, indeed, result in placing the
American flag at an increased number OF
mast-heads more rapidly than this could be
done in any other way, but in no sense would
it promote bona tide American shipping in
terests. 1t would encourage the investment
of American capital in foreign ships, which
would be manned with foreign sailors, pro-
vided largely with coal, provisions, and other
stores sn foreign ports. Such ships would be
American in name only, and the only Ameri-
cans who would derive profit therefrOm would
be their immediate owners.
The commi ttee proceed to show that we
cln not build up truly American merchant
marine in foreign country for the reason
that such countries will have the advantage
over us in competing for the carrying trade by
which such marine must be sustained. 1t
would perhaps be better to say that this rea-
son would prevent any great success in build
ing up even the nominal American marine,
which we have seen is virtually all that this
plan of admitting foreign ships to American
register seriously contemplates. 1t would be
confusion OF terms to apply the word Amer
lean to ships OF foreign build which were in
the main manned, provsioned, and employed
abroad. The owning of such ships by Ameri-
can merchants would be rightly designated as
the denaturalizing OF so much American cap
ital rather than the naturalizing of the foreign
ship. But the report goes ON to show that
this policy instead Of being remedy for the
existing prostration of our ship-building in
terests would be an almost fatal attack on
such OF those interests as still survive; for
say they, "it is not probable that American
! capital would be sent to Europe to build ships
with which to compete on equal terms for
business with the ships OF those who build
for them unless these foreign-built vessels
We're allowed to participate in our coasting
trade-a change in our policy which wonId
not only entirely destroy every branch of me-
chanical industry in the United States de-
pendent upon ship-building, but would ruin
the present owners of coasting vessels. 1t
would be admitting to the enjoyment of
American business foreigners who pay no
taxes to the American Government, and who,
by virtue of that exemption, would be ena-
bled to drive American Taxpayers out of en-
ployment."
The argument of the committee in favor of
building vessels at home founded on the con-
sideration that otherwise we shall have no
merchant marine upon which to rely for re-
Inducements to our navy in time of war,
commends itself strongly to the Chronicle.
1t says:
This is an argument addressed to no special
interest, but possesses the broadcast national
significance. 1t bears upon our naval power
and prestige, our readiness to protect our
commerce and our coast in time of war, our
ability to make our rights and the rights of
our citizens respected in all parts OF tho world
in times OF peace, and more than all orr abil-
---isy ~ maintain peace with the maritime pow
efs OF the world by that most effective of all
arguments, state of preparation for war. 1t
is by building up large merchant marine
that we can most cheaply and efectually Sc
cure this state OF preparation and for every
hundred thousand dollars expended in the
promotion of this end we can save double the
amount within the next ten years in the ex-
penses OF the navy, besides putting in opera
tion shipyards and workshops and foundries
which will afford employment to tons of
thousands Of men along our coasts. We
realize the great advantages of the Scotch
ship builders, and it is because of those ad-
vantages that we consider efficient aid to
American ship-builders indispensable; but we
have not so poor an opinion of the resources
OF our own country, or the skill and energy of
our people, as to doubt that we shall ulti-
mately be able to compete successfully with
the most successful OF the ship builders Of the.
Clyde. And il, as Mr. Goldman says, labor is
worth l25 per cent. more here than there,
how long do our free trade friends imagine it
vii! be before protection 10 American ship
builders will begin to transfer hundreds of the
best Scotch mechanics 10 our own ship-yards?
The result of this will be to compel an in
crease OF wages on the other side of the At
iantic, which will materially reduce the DIS
parity now existing between the conditions
here and there 1t is probably the absence Of
American competition chiefly which has put
Wages down to those low rates which are now
hourished before us to prove to us the neces--
slty OF retiring from the field and buying our
ships from foreign builders. The Scotch ar
tisan, no less than the American, is, there
fore, interested in the revival of American
ship-building.