Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-01-17
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Daily Kennebec Journal.
Forty-Second Congressional Session

Mr.. Pomeroy presented petition of the
citizens of Boston for a national prohibitory
law.
resolution was adopted that the Pres-
dent inform the Senate in relation to seizures
! of American vessels by the revolutionary
government of Venezuela.
A resolution by Mr.. Salisbury that the
President inform the Senate when General
McCook was appointed Governor of Colora-
do, and whether when absent in Europe his
salary was paid, was objected to and went
over.
The bill legalizng the issue of clothing and
rations to Chicago sufferers and admission OF
duties on building materials was taken up,
and Mr.. Logan advocated its passage but no
| action was taken.
| The bill amendatory to the act to reduce
| internal taxes was taken up. Mr.. Scott ad-
vocated and Mr.. Edmunds opposed it, when
| the amnesty bill came up but Mr.. Sumner
was not ready to proceed with his speech.
| After an executive session the Senate ad-
! Journed.
HOUSE,.
| Bills were passed paying the acting consul
at Rio Janeiro full salary, and fixing the
salary of the counsel at Tien Tsn, China, at
$500.
| Mr.. Brooks of Massachusetts, spoke of the
only American steam vessel plying between
Shanghai and lien Tsin. He said he deeply
regretted that class of steamers which have
been hitherto built largely in Massachusetts
and Connecticut and which had done so much
for American commerce and American credit
throughout the whole north of China, could
not longer be built in either of these States
or in any part of the [ nited States in conse-
! quence OF the enormous taxation on iron, cop
| per and cOrdage, and that the whole of
| that great manufacture of shipbuilding was
lost to New England. The building of those
ships had been transferred from Massachu.
sets, Connecticut and Maine to Glasgow on
the Clyde. He would also state as another
interesting fact that Glasgow ship carpen-
tiers were unable to construct that light class
of river steamers which did SO much to the
United States. The ships hitherto built in
America for the great rivers of China and
had contributed so much TO the wealth of
America had now to be built in Glasgow or
| some other British port, where the carpen-
tiers were unwilling to adopt the light style of
shipbuilding which prevailed in this country
and which was preferred for the great rivers
| and waters of China, SO that they have been
| importing into Great Britain carpenters from
New York and Connecticut, which carpen-
tiers were alone to construct that desirable
class of vessels. He mentioned these inter-
esting facts to show the necessity for the
counsel at Tien Tsn.
MIR. Farnsworth-1s that what is meant by
| claim. The high tariff improves the condi
ton OF American mechanics.
Mr.. Brooks-That question answers it.
self. .
Mr.. Farnsw orth-American mechanics |
| suppose are improved by being exported.
MIR. Banks Of Massachusetts said it was to
be regretted that American commerce had
suffered so much within the last ten or twelve
years, but there were many causes which
contributed to its general proposition besides
that alluded to by Mr.. Brooks. No one re-
GREETED that fact more that he (Banks) did,
ard no one would be more heartily in accord
with any general movement that would lead
to the restoration of American commerce as
it existed prior to 1860
Mr.. Banks said the subject was before the
House this session and he hoped measures
would be adopted which would re.establish
American commerce in all its prosperity and
power.
Mr.. Shellabarger of Ohio considered con-
sul's pay utterly disgraceful and inadequate,
and the consuls AS penny wise and pound
foolish.
Mr.. Banks said that the Foreign Commit
tee would doubtless present the bill this ses-
sion and remedy the evil.
Mr.. Kelley of Pennsylvania thought that
our consular system was disgrace to the
country. He continued that gentlemen from
New York, (Brooks), had seized upon the
bill as an occasion to speak on the tariff and
to say that American shipbuiders were now
drawn to the Clyde to build vessels for the
Chinese waters. He thought that Mr.. Brooks
was mistaken. Wooden shipbuildng had
sustained a greater decline in England and
the British provinces than in the United
States. Three years ago 5000 skilled build |
ers of wooden ships had been on poor rates
at one time in London, and those who had not
gone on poor rates had been employed break
ing stone on government works. One year
afterwards the wooden shipbuilders at Que
bee had bread riots by reason of their want
of employment. The changes from wooden
vessels to iron, and from sail to steam had
| reduced to pauperism more Britons than
any other. Under these circumstances it
| could not he that shipbuilders on the Clyde
were importing American carpeDters to do
their work.
Mr.. Brooks explained that the work for
which American carpenters were employed
in Scotland that light arrival ships
Joiner work erected over the bulls of steam
boats as on the Hudson, Mississippi, Ohio
and the Sound, but shipbuilding had become
so expensive in America and therefore yes
sells required for the great rivers of China
were now built on the Clyde.
Mr.. Kelley inquired whether iron vessels
ever had been built in America for Chinese
river.
Mr.. Brooks replied that iron vessels were
bnilt here now for the coastwi,e trad. and
would be built also for the China trade if it
could be done cheaply, as in Great Britain,
but the coastwise trade was exclusively in
American hands, and no vessel built in G lass
gov or elsewhere than in the United States
could sail from New York to Charleston, or
New Orleans, hence iron ships built in
America for that trade had no competition,
but they could not be built here fur the China
trade, because OF the competition from Eng
land and other countries.
Mr.. Kelley-Is it possible to build iron
ships in this county and depend upon the
trans Atlantic rolling mills for plates with
which to build them?
Mr.. Brooks-Remove the duties on iron,
copper, cordage, and everything that enters
| into the construction of ships, and forthwith
the American flag on ships built in New
England will be floating on all seas.
Mr.. Kelley-A letter from Mr.. Cramp a
| Philadelphia shipbuilder, and which l will
| have printed in the Gloha W III no nm ef{activo