New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-10
Amasa Walker on Our Marine.

We copy the following from the Washing
ton correspondence of the Chicago Tribune
The Hon. Amasa Walker delivered 6
speech before the Commercial Committee
Of Con gress few days ago, and have oh
| tanned the manuscript of it.
The commercial marine of the States in
creased with great rapidity prior to the late
war, especially for the ten previous years
| In 1890 the total tonnage was 3, 535000; in
1860 it was 5,353,000. Increase in ten wears
| ISIS, 900 tons.
Had our tonnage continued to increase at
the same rate, the total amount in 1870
would have been 100000. Instead of this.
/ 1t was at the close of the war, in 1868. only
3,5l6,OOO-a falling off of near thirty three
| per cent.
Since 1865 the decline in tonnage has
been continually going on at rapid pace
Above l04,605 tons had been captured or
destroyed, 74,652 tons had been sold, and
the balance had disappeared. These are the
brief facts in the case
The war being closed. why did not our
shipbullding revive! Why was not our COM
mercial marine restored We had the same
natural advantages as before the war: ma
terais IN abundance; the same capital. en-
terprise and labor. Why, then, did not our
commerce return with the general prosper
ity OF the country There must have been
some cause. There were, in fact two very
prominent causes:
First, the cost of building ships was
much increased by the heavy duties i'm
posed during the war upon materials enter
ing into their construction, especially upon
the important articles of iron and steel.
These are said to amount to some forty per
cent; and. if SO, they must in 80 far diminish
the power OF the American shipbuilder to
compete with foreign production
A second and more important cOnsdera-
ton is that the rate of wages of skilled
workmen at mechanical trades has adj
vanced sixty per cent during the last ten
years IN this country, while there has been
no corresponding advance in other countries
10 what extent these two causes higher
duties and increased wages, operate to en-
nance the cost of shipbuilding, NAV be seen
in the following illustration:
Suppose an iron steamer to cost $500. 900.
as follows:
Materials thirty per cent acknowledgements. 800 900
LABOR, sixty pei 10000
FRONTS, tt'I per cent ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 80 Gr0
70 oial csst s3000o0
r. cent the amount Will be.............. s25,.l5
If labor IS advanced sixty per cent the ad-
dtiena cost will be .................... g. 800 |
Enhanced cost Observation-Disclosures. se3.2l5 |
Equal to more than thirty one per cent.
1iiis estimate Is reasonable one because |
although the items may not be exactly ac-
curate, the general result, the increased ex-
pense OF building vessels, is quite as large
as stated
Now, we have the authority of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury that the difference in
cost between an American and British built
ship is only 1913 per cent. If this be so,
-htn 1t follows. that. if the duty imposed by
government upon the materials that enter
INTO the construction of our steamers were
and the prices of labor were the
same as in 1860, we could build vessels in
me United States as low, within very I'M
Important fraction, as they are produced in
'reat Britain: and, of course. there would
De no obstacle to the restoration of ship
building in this country
=, II = ms Is 1air statement Of the case. and
ne lacts vi the case, what is the remedyl
% ldr DIS duties are concerned, Congress
las only TO enact that, upon all that en-
G n ihto sllpDulding, a drawback shall be
1no"ca. Nothing more is required on the
y. 'he government, so far as that diff !
;ulty is concerned.
But how IN relation to labor! We have
'ald mat the skilled labor which enters into
ne construction OF vessels has been r.ise,I |
'iAty per cent. Ibis statement is made on |
he authority OF the bureau of statistics
'nd upon Personal investigation. What
las OccaslOned this advance
AhCip S"h oc Jul one CAUSE, viz. he {
,reat enlargement OF the paper circulation
# the country, which, in 1850, was S3O1
100000, and is now 500, 600. 1t is this +
expansion thaOhas raised the cost of ali
domestic fabrics by at least fifty per cent {
II an average. The cost of all BUILDINGS ,
whether houses, stores, or factories. is !
aised to an equal or greater extent. This
% one will attempt to dispute; it is appa
eut to all All values have advanced.
nd hence common labor has risen to the :
xtent of fifty per cent, and skilled labor, ;
s being more scarce and high priced, to +
lxty per cent above the rate in 1860 I
Who would agree to build and furnish +
abroad now at fifty per cent over the !
rices of twelve years ago! Are not ali |
ne expenses Of living more than fifty per $
emf higher than before the war! i
For this excessive rise of prices there can | t
e no other cause than the excess of the | q
lrrency. Less labor is required now to s
reduce commodities in general than ten (
ears age, for the reason that there has
sen a remarkable increase in the use of
boris saving machinery in production. s
AXE the boot and shoe trade-the largest p
industry In the country ! q