Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-05-31
GENERAL.
Iron SHIP Building.

SHALL AMERICAN ARTIsANs AND MECHANICS BE PRO
TEoTED AND ENCOURAGED?
In course Of a recent debate, in the House Of
Representatives, at Washington. on the question
of granting subsidy to-the Pacific Mail line
Of steamers, the following five minutes speech
was made by Judge Kelley Of Philadelphia:
Mr.. Kelley. Mr.. Speaker, there seems to be
a general desire on the part Of the gentlemen
that ours should be commercial nation; but
am struck by the logic OF the most vociferous OF
them. Their arguments II accepted would doom
us to eternal commercial dependence. they pro-
pose to make this great commercial nation by
allowing our people to buy ships where they can
be bought cheapest, and are oblivious to the
fact that this wonderfully ingenious expedent
will forever prevent the establishment Of ship
yards and the training OF shipwrights and ma
rine engine builders in our country. Their log
ic is borrowed from the old lady whose ill.,
tervew with her anxious daughter is thus re-
ported; att Ha C@ih
m ,ther, may go into swim7
Yes, my dar ing dauRhter;
Hang your el ithes on hickory limb,
But don't go near the water"
Laughter.1
They want our commerce to swim they want
to see vessels bearing the American flag on every
sea they want to convert the United States into
great commercial nationy but they do not
want to promote the organization OF shiu-yards,
they do not want to train and educate ship
wrights they do not want to establish forges,
furnaces, and rolling mills, to prepare the sew
eral parts OF ships near to the yards in which
they must be used. Their constant prayer and
earnest desire of their hearts is that the whole
American people may learn to swim without
going near the water.
Sit the gentleman from Indiana Mr.. Coburn
SAYS that when we shall have bought cheap ships
we can extend and maintain cur commerce IL
this a well-oonsdered conclusion2 Can we en-
ploy American sailors at German or British rates
OF wages? Can we hire engineers at the rate per
| month they are paid on board OF English, German
or French steamers? How will you man and
officer your cheap foreign-bullt vesselsi Grant
that you buy for so many pounds sterling per
ton less than Americana would build them any
number OF vessels from abroad, how can you
mann and officer them at such cost as will enable
you to keep them afloat. unless you alter the
law so that the American flag may float, not only
| over foreign-built ships, but over ships manned
| by foreigners-of what avail will Ii be Grant
all this, and where is the American Navy to
| come from2 You cannot say again,get Amer
| lean seamon, American engineers, American
| fremen, or American sailors, to serve for wages
/ that shall be less than one hundred per cent
above those paid to foreigners for the same
| service.
II gentlemen are ready to declare that there
shall be no American shipping, no American
slip-yards, no American commercial marine
| from which men and officers may be drawn fol
Navy in time of war and TO declare, also that We
can and ought to look to foreign bottoms, ,oficeret
and manned by foreigners, for our Navyip the
| event OF war. they may logically advA the
/ granting Of American registers to foyA Oil
| ships.
Sir, spurn sll such short-sghted and unpa
triotic economy, and am not only for this sub
sidy, but will hail aud welcome propositions t
give proper aid to this and all other lines which
will give us mail service and frequent CONNER
cial intercourse between the United States ant
| the non-manufacturing countries OF the Fast
the tropics and the islands OF the sea. Their
are to be found our legitimate markets. and To-
these we may produce our surplus Of manufac
lures and OF agricultural productions. Havinl
our own wide, broad, and profitable hom
market, we can then compete with Eng
land and the manufacturing nation
| OF the continent in selling our surplu
irrespective of profit upon that particular con
sigument II we can thereby break down th,
workshops and industries OF rival nations Thi
is England's policy. Having paid for her plan
and annual productions by the home market TO
new styles OF fabrics and wares, England ca
afford to send the surplus to our ports and SCI
them at a nominal profit or even at such los
as will leave fair profit on the years business
Though the books show loss ON this particua
venture she may find large profit in the det
truction Of industries, which, il developed an
sustained, would dwarf her market and reduc
her relative power and grandeur among manU
featuring and commercial nations.
Gentlemen cannot mean what they say, and d
but palter with words when in the same breat
they say we desire commerce, we desire to &c
our flag floating over every sea, but we do nj
desire to see the art of ship building known
practiced among our people.
Here the hammer fell