Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-01-26
RELIEF FOR SHIPBUILDING.

Ahe ioho"i"S - an aostract OF Mr.. Hales
remarks on his bill in relation to admitting
materials for shipbuildng free of duty:
The bill introduced by me and in which l
seek a direct vote, is very important, and
some fault has been found that push its pas
sage without sending it to a committee. Sew
eral reasons move me-frst, the importance
OF the subject; the building of our ships and
the sailing of them to earn money make the
interest greater than any that has asked relief
at the hands of Congress.
Second, the decline and prostration of this
interest is undisputed. The carrying trade of
the world has nearly left US. We build no
large ships, or very few. Our earnings in
the foreign trade fell off from 1861 to 1869,
1857 1858 1903, and the last three years have
been even worse.
Third, the question is not a new one. It
has been IN Congress. in the press, in thought
full mems minds, and the President, has sent
US special message upon it.
Fourth, this bill is brief and simple. II
presents the plain question of the abolition of
tariff duties upon shipbuilding materials and
upon stores and supplies used in our ships.
l believe 1t will be effectual 1t applies to all
vessels. My own constituents are more i'm
medately interested in building wooden YES.
sells.
We have the yards, the materials. the best
mechanics living, but we pay duties that
cripple US in the race with the British or Pro.
yincial builder. single town in New
Brunswick now builds as much as Maine.
| Give US this relief and we can live. Our
labor is better, our skill superior, our currency
appreciating, and the duy has not yet come
when wooden vessels have no uses. We
have acquiesced too namely in the contrary
assumption of British iron ship builders. FIR
certain regular voyages iron is better, but
wooden sailing ships Offset this free motive
power against the speed and certainty of iron
steamers. wooden vessel, owned in my
own district, lately sailed from Chill to Fal.
mouth, England, in ~ days, and such voyages
are not rare. Iron and steam cannot do
much better. Iron has its weaknesses Ms.
chinery costs heavily. MIR. Wetmore told
the special committee in 1867 that two or
three iron ships were wrecked of Newfound-
land to one wooden ship.
| Wooden ships are needed in newly opening
commerce in the far East, but this bill bel Q
both iron and wooden ship building. We
should build both. Take off our burdens, aid
we will do it. practical iron ship builder,
who built iron ships for our government in
the way, testi6es to his belief that the old
wooden shipbulders will easily turn to ir. n
ship building. Green Point ship builder
tried hiring British mechanics, and kept elev-
en- Of them three weeks. Nobody else tried
the experiment. Duties Off will give US
cheap iron from abroad, or bring down home
iron, which is better, to fair correspondent
prices.
In fair field, such as this would give US,
we beat the British ship builder for thirty
years up to 1860. cannot consent to tie
amendment of Mr.. Cox, who wants to buy
ships abroad. That measure would be the
death knell to American ship building.
The refuse ships from abroad would be sold
cheap, and thus make new stimulus to Brit
ish yards. Our builders would never see the
day of fair competition begin, the strength Of
their rivals is SO great. In case Of war be-
tv cen England and another maritime power,
her ships would be put under our flag ~
nominal sales, and the earnings all spent
there, and she would thus continue to main.
tain the supremacy that she gained by our ex-
posed condition in the war of the rebellion.