Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-02-01
Don't Give Up the Ship

Don't Give Up the Ship
y. 6. Hichborn. Esq, of stockton, late
State Treasurer. has issued pamphlet Of
IL pages, giving hi> views Of the relative
value OF Iron and steam a. against Wood
and Sails" and also what must be done 20
revive the >hipbuilding interest Of Maine.
Iron ship. arc moi rated a. high a wood-s
ones. they have no standing unless IN
spected each year. while nrst class wood
ship. ia this country and IN Europe !,
rated without conditions for frcn. seven 10
twelve years: and live OAK ship i. good.
ordinarily for twenty-five TO thirty year,.
the only drawback being her iron faSif"i-
ings. which give out first, and have - be-
renewed. Mr. Hitch6Orn argues that il 10
live esk or wooden ship the
first material 20 give out j. the iron fasien-
ings. that in an irou snip the who'll must
want renewal. That the iron pilates are
continually oxydizing upon both sides. and
like n candle in hot candle-iick j. melt
Ing away AZ both end. Therefore the
iron Ship cannot a, claimed lat twice a.
long a the wooden one. lie say, that Il
has been decided that iron ships cannot BE-
relied upon a. seaworthy after twelve years
service. and by British authority Mr..
IIichhorn argues that the iron ship is NOT
80 saie. iron being non-elastic aud liable
Z 10 crack. while wood !, flexible and elastic.
There Il another point agaih-, the iron
-hip Her bottom fouls more rapidly and
nothing ye, has ben found to prevent It.
and careful estimate rates he loss %: -pect
from til, cause. a; one Knot per hour per
month. That /, il the maximum rate per
hour from the first month be 10 knots for
the second month IL will be only Q. and
on. The wood ship is adapted 10 any Kind
Of cargo. while the !rou ship is not &C.
| &c.
We like 10 hear any one defend the "rrsi
class WOO ship and the ability OF our
/ conntrymen To build such, and also 10
demand every facility from the govern
ment for their construction, go therefore
We hare read this treatise with SONS inter-
est and perhaps profit, but on some points
J
Hichborn SAYS that British cheap capital
and cheap labor are not now In the way
any more thar before the war. What j.,
then: l. il surplus of foreign built
tonnage: No. Except those hasiv built
Clyde iron propellers which are impraeti-
cable and un,caworthy' says this writer
tonnage has lesscued while the business
OF commercial. exchange has increased.
What then j. the trouble: Thi. writer
catches glimpse OF the Trouble when he
SAYS. Legislation must not be too restrict
i've" Here Is The main trouble We ap-
prehend With non-dutlable cordage iron.
copper. sail-duck &c. the cost OF CON
-;ruction of vessels will be reduced large
H. but the price of labor will still be nearly
do lie what i: was fifteen years ago, be-
cause the cost Of living is nearly or quite
double what il was then.
IL seeIas 10 us that there : sone,hing
wrong back OF any statement OF the causes
OF decline by this writer. something wrong
in our legislation that has crippled the de-
mand ia this country for more tonnage,
for We must have a commerce or no BUSH
ness for ships or brigs. Mr.. Hichborn's
! remedy is thus stated =
RESOLVED, Tha, from and ater the pas
sage Of tbl> resolution there shall Ike allow ed
and paid under the regulation, Of the Treasury.
10 the builder Of ABLY ship vessel or steamer
drawback equal TO the duties entering into the
construction Of said ship, vessel or steamer;
and all provisions and supplies necessary fer
the repairs may be taken out u bond under
| the .arne regulations"
Ii Wiz be seen that this proposition i
about the sane as that introduced by Mr..
Hale, which we published two weeks since.
though not SO comprehensive as his. No
doubt il would be great point gained TO
get this bill passed. but we will add also.
that all may understand the side OF the
question not Yet presented, paragraph
published a fey weeks since from the
Evening Post:
To support shipbuilding must hsve com
merce. and 10 have commerce we musf not
place legal prohibitions upon it, The reduction
Of our export business since 1861 may be
directly traced 10 the tariff. With population
nearly twenty per cent. greater in 1853 than in
1851, the exports were nearly one hundred
millions Of dollars less. The loss Of exports in
special articles, such a. boots and sfoes and the
manufactures Of wood iron and wool, show
the disastrous effect Of the tariff upon those
interests, and consequently upon our commence
| generally. SO long as We cannot obtain the
raw materials for manufacturing at the lowest
| rates We cannot compete in selling with Other
| nations. We must increase the demand for
! shipping Is well a. reduce the cost Of ship
| building. by n revision Of the whole tariff il
We wonld restore the stripping interest. A
partial remedy Is no remedy, for il will only
produce embarrassment, If Congress will
discuss the question in this light the way TO the
relief Of the shipbuilder and the shipowner
will be easily found; otherwise il win simply
| demonstrate once more how not 10 lind il.