The Portland daily press., 1873-10-29
Revival of Shin-hniIding

From nearly every town along the coast OF
Maine, we have intelligence that shipbuilding
another season will be carried on to greater
extent than during the year now closing
There is every prospect that within a year or
two the tonnage built in the State will exceed
the largest amount of the prosperous days
before the war The same encouraging re-
ports come from the iron ship-yards at Ches
ter, Pa, Wilmington and other towns, Two
years ago the spot upon which the Chester
works now stand was worthless swamp.
Since that time the works have been built, a
village of fine tenements for the workmen
erected and before the first of January next
dozen iron ships of ocean size will be
launched from the yard. What was will
derness ten years since is now the model
shipbuilding yard of the world.
The discussion of the subject in the Ma
tional Board of Trade at Chicago last week,
indicates the great improvement in the pros
poets of this industry that has taken place
the past few years. The resolutions I'm Ter
consideration endorsed the bounty system
recommended last winter by Secretary Bout
''all articles of foreign product needed for
subsistence and general use On board vessels
engaged in the foreign trade" and demanded
that 1.-THE right be conceded by law to
American citizens to purchase tonnage
wherever built or owned, and to place it
under the protection of their own flag"
Upon these propositions an animated de-
bate ensued and one by one they were voted
down, indicating the change that has and is
taking place in the minds of the most ex-
perienced men on the policy to be pursued to
restore the country to its former position in
the carrying trade. A better idea of the sent-
ment of the members of the National Board
can be obtained by giving an abstract of the
remarks of several speakers as reported in the
Inter Ocean:
Mr. Hawley, of Detroit, ''knew that some of
the shipbuilders were sure that since the low
ering of the cost of material they could compete
with foreigners
Mr. Stone, of Wilmington said ''The cost
of building ships on the Clyde was increasing
on account of the scarcity of labor and the in
creasng price of material, while in this coun-
try the price is decreasing so that the differ
ence now is not more than ten per cent The ship
builders do not want Congress to give any such
bounty, and don't want any such recommended
ton made"
Mr.. w. E. Smith. OF Milwaukee, said that
las this came from the Executive Council, and
was supported in their report, he desired, a
member of the council, to say that they were
not a unit in opinion on the measure. He adj
mired the spirit of the Wilmington shipbuld-
ers, and as far as he knew, the same was the
growing sentiment among that class of bust
ness all over the country. We shall be able to
compete with England soon, ard the ship-build-
ing interest in this country will be restored to
its former greatness"
Mr.. Wetheril said THE gentlemen of the
board, if they could visit the ship yards of the
two countries, would be amazed at the activity
of ours. The ship-builders of the country do
not ask for any legislative protection, and it
should not be extended to them
Mr.. Croker of Massachusetts, said: ''Let us
keep to our individuality in every way, without
appealing to anything outside of our own ener-
gy and enterprise. 1t is worth coming from
Boston here to hear such expressions as the
gentleman from Wilmington has used.'
Mr.. Burwell, of New Orleans said: ''There
was not, he was told, an unemployed ship
carpenter in the State of Maine and he thought
this indicated something OF importance. He
wanted things to remain as they are.
He believed that iron steamships will soon be
built at st. Louis, Cairo and PIttsburg. He was
satisfied with the resources of his country and
the ability of his cOuntrymen, and he didn't
want any aid begged from Congress-"
Mr.. K,nse, of Cincinnati, Thought the ship
ping business was getting along very we'll now
and we had better let it alone. He called at
tention TO Secretary Boutwells speech in New
York the previous day, which referred to the
benefits produced by drawing aborers from
other countries, the system forced upon us, and |
the increase of the wages which follows in Eu- |
rope, so that we can produce many articles at a |
corresponding cost"
Mr. Hersey, of Portland, was in hopes they
had 'ssed the day where they would have to
rely on legislation to further their business.
They had had too much legislation. He repre-
sented the eastern section of the country-a |
country particularly anxious concerning cheap
transportation. If the west would give them
cheap transportation and cheap labor his sec
tion would build them ships as cheap as they
could be built elsewhere. Should they strike
blow at the interests of the country by admit
ring ships free without taxes? If they were
given free trade with the dominion then he
was willing their ships should come in free.
The increase of American shipping has greatly
advanced in the last year. Every shipyard in
Maine is in line and the sound of the hammer
could be heard Give them the men and they |
would turn out all the ships required as cheaply
as could be done elsewhere This question has |
at this day a bad odor. Subsidies and bounties |
are the great destroyers of the enterprise of |
this or any other country.
The opinions expressed by Mr.. Hersey will
doubtless meet the approval of both the ship
owners and shipbuilders of the country. As
rhetorical trick, free trade in ships is rather
taking, but if practically applied by allowing
the purchase of old ships in the market of
the world to be put under the American flag,
the activity that nov begins to gladden. our
long deserted shlpyards, will be paralyzed
again as it was by Anglo-Rebel cruisers in
1854.