, 1872-05-16

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In 1854 the returns of the British board
Of trade showed heremafkable fact that
nearly sixty pc. cent. Of the pew ship
ping added to the mercantile Aest of En-
gland was the work of North American
ship-yards, the British having bought
from us in that year two hundred and
sixty-seven vessels. II from 1850 to
1860 were the brightest years in the his
tory of our commerce, from 1860 to 1870
were undoubtedly the darkest. While
our tonnage in 1861 amounted to $685.
000., in 1865 it had sunk to 5,096, 900,
being loss of 443. 600 tons, and the
falling off still continues, showing that
some other causes must be at work to
destroy besides the rebel privateers.
Had the rebel cruisers been the only de-
stroyers of our commerce, as soon as the
war ended, if our ship-buildinginterests
had been healthy state, ourship-yards
should have manifested renewed activi-
ty to supply the places Of those vessels
which had been destroyed. Instead Of
that, our ship-yards are deserted, and
ship-building has become one of the lost
arts in our land.
1t is claimed by some that the substi-
tuition of iron for wood has had much to
do with the falling off of our tonnage.
Of the fact that there has been such a
change there can be no doubt
According to the London Shipping
Gazette, Great Britain during 1870 turn
ed out of her various Yards 974 vessels,
with an aggregate tonnage of 342.706
tons. Ofthese 433 were steamers repre-
senting carrying power of 225, GA tons,
and 541 sailing vessels of III, ,032 tons.
-Four hundred and ninety mine vessels
representing $3.50 tons of measure
ment, were built of timber, and 445 YES
sells of 271. .760 tons were of iron, while
80 vessels of II, ,41G were of composite
manufacture. But then this large per-
centage of iron vessels is but recent; the
Increase in 1870 over the previous year
in the construction of iron vessels as
compared to that of wooden ones was as
five to one.
Now, believe so great is the inven-
ton and versatility of genius in the Am
erican workmen and designers, that
have no doubt whatever, had our build
ers been left untrammeled, they would
rapidly have Accommodated themselves to
any change required in the nature OF
the vessels, and by superior skill they
would have soon made up for any tenn
porary disadvantage arising from such a
change. Our ship-builders, however,
had no opportunity to devote themselves
10 building iron vessels. About the
time they should ha commenced to do
so, they were crushed down beneath the
heavy and remorseless hand of ill-judg-
ed taxation. If not the rebel pirates, if
not the change from wood to iron were
the causes of the destruction of this in
dustry, let us see if we can discover
WHAT DESTROYED OUR sHIp-BUILDING.
Iu 1867 the Secretary of the Treasury
submitted a report to Congress. where
in is given the testimony of large num-
Der of the leading ship-builders as to the
decline in ship-building, and We find the
almost unanimous testimony to be that
it was destroyed by over-taxation. One
builder said that in 1864 he built ves-
sci which cost 1886, 900, of which $751;
600 was paid for material. $4,000 for
labor, and $25, 900 for taxes in various
forms. S}i-i
In 1861, just when the new improve
ments and changes in the art of ship
building were being commenced, just as
iron was beginning to displace wood un-
der the pretense of providing revenue,
Congress imposed such exhorbitant tax
es on all the material needed for build.
ing ship that that noble industry. once
our greatest boast, was crushed beneath
the load. Tens of thousands of men en-
ployed in the yards and marine engine
works were driven to other occupations
and ever since public men have beer
asking how shall we revive our ship.
ping.
HOW SHALL WE REVIVE oUn SHIP BUII.D
ING ? ug7 5s7
First. I answer, let us remove the loaG
of taxation which Congress has imposed
and which Congress should remove. Il
has been said by those who ought te
know that we are at disadvantage O.
thirty per cent. when competing witt
England in the building Of iron ships
Bnt the tariff on the materials entering
into our ships is more than thirty pei
cent, and there seems to be no plan sc
simple and easy as to greatly reduce ol
wholly remove the high inposts on al
materials which may be used in ship
building. Such reduction would af
feet the revenue of the country but &
very few millions, and would be boor
of unspeakable value in its beneficial eff
fects. presume there will come up &
terrible clamor from certain parties who
think they are protected by these i'm
posts which have ruined our shipping