Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-03-13
AMERICAN COMMERCE,
An Exhaustive Review Of the
question. ~.
NEW AND VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS
The Establishment Of Six Steamship
Lines Recommended.

adopted the following resolution
rThat the Secretary Of tho Navy DO directed
70 eommunlcato 70 the Senate such proposals, II
Any, ~ may have been made 70 him tor estib.
nshing Iron bodybuilding yards and docks TO
eoonomite expenditure m tho navy aud 10 aid IN
re.tollnK commefce With guch explanations,
deem advanlagoou1 % the doVernmsnt lin con.
nection with that arnieut"
In part reply 70 thm resolution, | had tho
honor 10 place before The Senate, on the li,h
Of April, The only proposals Of this character
which had thsu bted received, and to state
what seemed 70 be their advantages. That
communication viii DO found IN Executive
Document No. 10, First Session, Forty -second
Congress. ~ floelng sentence lsi
II viii hefesfiar endpayor 70 suggest, In obo-
dle9oe y youf fofoluton, some system, 70 DO
a u ygu dsosrsos I0s sns
and ior naval hiiitis II Tine q war;" ''N'''
IN further compliance with this resolution,
now hare the honor 10 place before Con.
gress such faels 'erplanations, suggestions,
abled 70 galhcr upon the subject Of restoring
our foreign commerce.. rs far as may be, 10
an advanced position relatively 10 the com
merce Of other nations.
rms pncLfNn or QUA sHr-BunpfSa AND
rms NnfItoD OF RroovERINg IT.
TheAcquisltlon Of, California stimulated q
demand for quicker sailing qualities than had
been before known upon the ocean. The
talents OF our shlp-builders nj once supplied
these qualities, In tho form OF American clip
per-ahips, which for speed and sea qualities
are yet unequAled BY any forcign-bullt vcs-
soils. II was the success Of these clipper-shlps
which stimulated the building Of screw ves-
1els, which, BY . constant though slower rate.
might nccompll.h their voyages with more
IN Great Britain, ship timber had become
90 scarce, and teached so high value as TO
Induce the making OF experiments with iron,
in the hope that II would supply IN the struc-
turo and use Of ships q substitute more eco
nomical and more durable. Tho experiments
have been successful, aud have met the grew
Ing necessity Of their case. $500
Timber with ts was and IA abundant and
its price Comparatively low. While Il con-
unued the material for ships, the advantage
wa. with us. But thesuccesaful Introduction
OF Iron has been 10 "a q temporary reverse;
not 20 much because Of our Inability 10 apply
u with equal success TO ocean purposes, but
beoau.e we were engaged at the time 10 the
more important and Imperative duty OF sus-
talning the lie and unity OF the nation.
These secured, we now have time 10 take
advantage OF the improvements which acl-
cnco and art have introduced into the means
Of ocean transportation, and with the Advan-
tage OF learning BY the experience aud utlllz-
Ing The reaulh OF others we can now make
our advance more rapid, loss costly In outlay,
and more romunerailve In returns.
THn TfAsr NRoHssfTY-To BUILD GOOD
...I 80 smfPs- -.H u..E
The hrst necessity at this time Is the pro-
duction OF ships equal, or superior II POSI-
bic, 70 those now engaged In ocean service.
TO Admit an incapaclty on our part 70 pro-
duce these under equally favorable circum-
stances would be 10 cast unmerIted dlscredlt
upon American mechanlca, whose intelll-
kence and Industry have been Evidenced In
All arts, and In nono more than In the art Of
thip-bulldlng. - Hsl nHHn
Undeg any adequate and sustained system
OF ENCOURAGEMENT steamers OF reliable
strength, a. beautiful In form, as perfect In
sea qualities and relative speed % were our
~ proper and profitable routes could be do
termlned upon, and thus the irst movement
for the restoration Of commerce under our
own Dag would be securely made.
The great commercial successes OF nations
have always been secured by Government en-
eouragomcut IN some form, and our own
earlier successes arc the best Illustration OF
Our political fathers, realizing the value Of
our extended Atlantic coast llne, indentcd
with noble harborr, and looking 10 the de-
volopmont OF lts advantages and 70 the pros
= perity OF The great commercial communities
which were p grow up thereon, and under
standing the direct and collateral advantages
10 be derived In peace and war from estab-
hahing and fostering the art OF ship-bulldlng
AZ one deyelopment Of the resources and
ablllties OF our people, gave 10 this art the
fullest protection BY a total exclusion OF for
elgn ships from our flag. Ua.s
The slmple facts that In tho period from
The adoption Of these laws 70 1851 We *
- 49, IL.
qualities OF ships, and that our commerce In
creased with unprecedented rapldlty, arp owl
dsnce Of the wisdom OF these laws.
Tho introduction OF now materials and
mode1 Of propulalon, at a tina whom higher
dutles than those OF extending trade, occupied
our attention., and tho temporary precedence
over Us gained BY Others, should not ID
oounted reasons for encouragement, but In
centives 70 action, that We may regain our
place N the nrut rank and make our flag once
more an assurance OF excellence In the shlpi
soVer which II Is displayed. ..i-..
Our frat endeavour, Then, should DO 10 stlm-
ulnte the building, In our own waters, by our
own workmen, Of the ships which are neces
sAry 70 establlah our commerce, but which :
wlse policy forbids us 10 procure abroad.
To this end we must first Of all, determine
upon and provide the means Of accomplish
Ing this AZ. cheaply ~ possible. The nrsl
elep In this direction soonis TO be the creation
OF large and commodious building yards, adj
vantagooubly situated with reference 10 The
ready and cheap supply Of the great bulk Of
the necessary material, and so arranged NJ
and appliances required 10 convert this mate
rial, through all its necessary processes and
applications, Into ships, urder ono organized
system, single, direct and harmonious from
the inception, and involving but one profit tt
the producer. NtI
produced without some action on the part Of
the Government TO encourage the necessary
aggregation OF capital, and TO secure Its 70
sglis 10 some extent In return for the nationa
enterprise In which IL Is embarked. 49,.
II In addition TO any aid given In this az
rection, Congress should also be wiling, Ii
order further TO encourage the development
and employmont OF our own resources, 4
give, for a limited term Of years, q genera
return Or bounty TO the American ship-bulldei
and owner upon the american materials ant
articles uaod In the construction and Quilt Of
nhipe, Of an amount equal 10 the duties upon
like materials and articles II imported, Il i
obvious that great impulse would DO giyet
70 the manufacture and use OF each Grtlcll
required; since II these dutles now amount d
prohibition on the use OF foreign material
and articles, their amount would be libora
MEASURE OF the encouragement necessary Z
put the American producer on an equality
In this respect with his foreign composition. 7
Tnn hExT HnoHsafTY-THE KsTAnLfsnMEN7
OF PROPER ROUTES.
But though the building OF good ships I
the hrst necessity, Il ID by no means all, 7
The mere building and possession OF ship
will not re-establlsh commerce. Their us'
muat DO properly directed aud encourages
upon some consisteut system In harmony viii
~ laws Of trade, and upon fixed routes
selected with reference 10 the use and de
Velopment OF our home resources, and III
opening, appropriatlng and securing Of th
most desirable foreign markets and source
Of supply, These principles II not evident
arc readily Illustrated.
Within the iimita OF our country are EN-
braccd nearly all The productions which mln
lister ~ the necessities OF the human nee
The internal exchange Of these products
when moasufed BY money value, reach
sum far greater than the foreign comunorc
'of several Of The largest maritime naiiona,
concantgalod, would amount 70. $3.50
But domestic trade cannot alone alve powe
aud groatnoaa 10 a nation. II II could. Chin
would now 10 a the head OF civiliEatlon.
The almpiQ exchange OF ono product 10
smother Adds comparatively llttls 70 nalioni
hches, but The conyenlence which such an q
change ahorda pernils OF dlyialonn Of lRhoi
whlck dlvlhlona, Il puTnuod, produce create
poriociion In each Arb and q consequent n
dactlon In cost, thus aIInutlna national Weall
-. - stm4.nI