New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-02
AMERICAN MATERIALS FOR SHIPS.

AMERICAN MATERIALS FUh eHlfSs
The following article, which we copy
from the New York Nautical Journal, is
commended to the consideration of all
who are interested in the subject of Ameri-
can shipbuilding. We are informed that
the views of the New York ship-master,
from whose letter the Journal makes full
extracts, meets with cordial approval by
the most experienced shippers and mer-
chants in New York, as well as prominent
officials at Washington, who have made
the subject a study all their lives. We
specially call to the consideration of this
question that class of persons who are
constantly depreciating American pro-
ducts, particularly iron and American
built steamers:
Ship Building.
A LETTER FROM THE CLYDE.
A well known New York ship master,
now experimenting several steamers build
ing on the Clyde, writes from Glasgow to a
friend in this city as follows:
do, indeed, wish l possessed the in
huence and ability to convince our law
makers and rulers of the facts Just as they
exist here, to show them how easy it would
be to iberate and put in motion again the
great commercial interests of our country.
But see by a proposition made and favor
ably entertained Just before the adjourn
ment of Congress, that they had drifted
into a current which will, If acted upon,
carry us further than ever from the desired
port. 1t is that the government should es-
tablish great iron ship-oullding yard.
What an absur dity, when it is the history,
all the world over, and with US especially,
that government work always costs double
that the same will in private hands in fair
competition.
Well may the English and Scotchman re-
ioice and chuckle, as they do, at the idea. :. |
have been congratulated several times that
our ship-building interests were going to be
revived. They think it just the thing the
United States government should do, and
will give it their best wishes. for it would be
Just the competition they would like.
hope. however, that better Judgment will
prevail, and that such an unjust proposition
will never be acted upon; better, by far,
leave us, as we are, even now as dark as it
seems, | think | can begin to discern glim-
merings of daylight in the distant horizon:
l feel as if the bright beams of sunshine
would spread over US, and we would again
assume the position we once had of being
the leading ship-builders of the world.
These gllmmerings speak of arise from
facts existing in this country at the present
time. First, the competition existing
among the builders is so great that many
are losing money, and some fail altogether,
and none but the strongest will be able to
hold out at the present rates. Of this | am
assured by the builders themselves, for the
price of iron is slowly but surely advancing,
and is inferior in quality TO what it formerly
was. The price of labor is alss moving up
ward, and at the present time it is almost
impossible to get skilled mechanics that
will work by the day at going rates, and as
almost the entire work of ship is done as
''piece work." by which they make more
money, the work is done accordingly bad.
This system is carried to such an extent,
and in consequence the work so badly done,
that it is disgrace to any builder; and they
know it, and demonstrate and do all they
can to prevent it; yet they say them selves
they are in a great measure pOwerless.
The system has been established so
| firmly throughout the country that they
| have to submit to contract work badly
done, or pay much higher wages for day
work, which they say they can not do
and build ships at the prices they are
| charging. Besides, the very bitter feelings
| existing between these slaves and their
masters does not nor will 1t IN the future,
| if am not mistaken, enable them to build
ships at the present prices. Next comes
the underwriters on the scene, for they find
| the ships do not come up to their ideas OF
strength, in consequence of bad workman
| ship and bad iron, and they pile on the
| thickness flor they keep increasing the dl
| manufact-
urer makes it correspondingly poorer, to
enable the builders to get it cheap enough
| to be able 20 make trjtle on his contract
with the buyer. Much of the iron is SO
brittle that it is absolutely dangerous to
throw it off truck, for fear of breaking it.
1t is from such facts as above that l catch
the glimmerings alluded to.
| There is another important thing that is
wrong with us, and might reasonably and
\ justly be corrected. When we talk about
| building iron ships for classification in our
insurance offices, and ask them what they
| require to class them, they Will invariably
refer you to the English Lloyds' rules
Now, how absurd that is, when they know,
and all the world knows, that American
| iron is from fifteen to twenty pei
cent tougher and stronger than the
iron used in the ships classed
under those rules. 1 say it, and without
| 1OdI VI SuCCeSslul III
our mechanics and our materials we can take
the English Lloyds' rules and reduce then
bytwenty per cent, and build ship stronger
more durable, and, consequently, more sea
worthy than they can in any part OF tn.
United Kingdom, with their mechanics ane
materials, for it is impossible to work thi
thick, stubborn and brittle iron in many IN
stances up to where it should be. and gel
the benefit of the adhesive qualities; /. e.. /
it is closely pushed together on the laps, thu
| grain imbeds so that it holds portion o
the strain; whereas, if it is not tirml.
pressed together the rivet takes the entir'
strain; but with thinner and more mallea0i.
iron this can be done. Therefore, l thinl
our underwriters would run no risk in max
ing rules that in the result would be fully
as safe and good as the English rules are
for their material If they will do this, an,
| our government remove the duties ON al
material used in ship-building, and no
establish any government ship-bulldlns
yards, to add to our already grievous ant
hard-to- be-borne taxes, the day of our pros
perity as ship-bullders will dawn bright,
and our commerce once more be established
Duties and Imports.
We obtain the following comparatlv