National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-01-02
THE REVIVAL OF AMERICAN SHIP
PT,kpISG P!ak 1Hs;,ISIcS AND OF AMERICAN FOR

Tho recommendation OF the President and
Of Secretary Boutwell, that Congress should
speedily devise measures to restore our ship
building interests and mercantile steam ma
rine hns aroused the wrath Of The Nation
and other English writer's to an unusual de-
gree.
Tho history Of the decline Of the American
shipbullding interest is very brief. Up to the
commencement Of the American rebellion
wooden ships were chiefly In use. The sup
ply OF timber was so abundant In Maine, and
the skill of our ship carpenters so great, that,
notwithstanding the higher wages paid to
American mechanics, they almost mouopo-
lied the shipbuilding trade Of the world
During the late war the Alabama and other
English cruisers, sailing under the Confeder-
ate flag, destroyed our mercantile marine, and
compelled our merchants to change the ma
tlonallty OF their shipS. In the meantime the
material OF which ships were constructed had
changed from wood to Iron, which England
possessea In great abundance. The supply OF
coal and iron being near the coast, the wages
paid for mechanical labor being but molety
Of those paid In the United States and a
superabundant reserved capital having estab-
llshed shlpyards and all other costly appll-
ances, England Is at present building the
ships for the worlds market. Clyde-built
Iron steamers are plowing the Rhine, the
Elbe, the Mediterranean, and, In fact, are
found In every part Of the known world.
Thus, America has lost this valuable trade,
and has Itself become dependent upon Eng
land. The Nation says this Is no matter; ; let
us purchase our ships ready y-made In England,
yhar kf.W1 oh
shall only initiate the balance Of the world.
II the art Of shipbuildlng had no other In
huence upon our national welfare than the
manufacture Of needles and pins, this advice
might be taken, though we doubt the proprl-
ETY. Of being dependent for even 40 small an
article upon foreign power.
But the shipbullding art Ia Of too kreat
value 10 our ocean-hound republic 10 be num-
bered among the lost arts. Whenever The
Nation and Its kindred English journals shall
realize that to the American statesman the
money question Is utterly insignificant In
comparison to the establishment Of the power
and grandeur Of the nation, they will have
learned the A b c Of American statesman
ship. We might save money no doubt II we
gave England the contract 10 build our ships-
Of-war, or even 10 police our coasts, 90 that
we might avoid the expenditure Of twenty
millions per year for the maintenance Of our
navy. We might save money no doubt BY
withdrawing our embassies from every land,
and there Is scarcely limit to the amounts
that might be saved at the expense Of the
honor, glory and international standing Of
the republic But we do not propose to save
money In that way We consider II too dear
A. L..
price 10 become dependent upon any for
elgn country, least oi all upon England, for
the construction OF our ships. But where Is
the remedyf
II h TO induce capital to invest In ship
yards and the appliances OF shipbuilding, by
the promise Of steady market for ships
This promise is made good by subsidy per
ton either upon the construction or the
annual production Of American-buIlt ships
II ls the expectatlon-and past experience In
other branches Of manufacture justides it.