The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-11-24
England ON the Sen.

Although there are now strong
hopes of preserving the peace of
Europe, 1t must not be forgotten
that all the causes Of war which ex-
listed at the outbreak of hostilities
between Turkey and SerYia, stiil
exists at the present time. The only
thing which may be considered set
tied Is, that war will not be renew
ed on the present scale. If peace is
not made, Russla will appear as the
party opposed to the Turks, and
England a. the Turks defender. In
that event, the immense carrying
trade, which England took from us
during and subsequent to our war
of rebellion, would doubtless re-
turn to original hands. The com.
merclal tonnage of the British em-
pire Is now little more than seven
millions Of tons, To protect this
tonnage and her sea coast England
supports 400 ships Of war, whose
tonnage exceed 3l7,O 600 tons. The
aggregate tonnage of the ships of
war of all other nations of Europe
is only 100000 tons. a very large
proportion OF England's CONNER
cial marine has been built since the
American war. We came abreast of
England In this respect about the
year 1856, and continued to gain
until 1861, when we could show an
aggregate tonnage of five millions
against four and thTee-quarters for
England. We lost ground during
the war, and England rapidly add
Vanced, but ct the close we had q
total Of moro than five millions of
tons. But the ten or eleven years
that have elapsed since the war
have done nothing for us, while
England and every other European
nation has rapidly advanced. At
the close Of last year, our tonnage
amounted to about four million
eight hundred thousand tons,
against as we have already stated,
upwards Of seven millions for Eng
land. Should Q European war now
occur, It would be the fault of un-
wise legialation If we should fail to
recover what we lost by our own
domestic difficulties. Europe, apart
from England aud Russia, even II
the other nations should remain
neutral, IL not in q condition to take
any large portion of England's car
rying trade. Norway, which now
ranks as the third maritime power
on earth, is the only European ma
ton capable of carrying it's exports
ana imports In it's own bottoms.
Germany and France are each de
pendent on foreign vessels for at
laast two.thirds OF their commerce.
The immense fleets of Holland have
almost disappeared, and the greater
err part of iIs commerce is carried
by English ships.
A very general impression has
prevailed that American commerce
was frightened into English bot
toms during the war. This is true
to an extent, bpt not to the extent
loose statements of public speakers
would lead us to infer. At the cute
break OF the rebellion we had four
four and a-half million tons, against
I've millions at the close. Our mer.
camille marine was even then larger
than that of England in 1861, but q
little less than that of England In
1866. But from 1866 to 1875 we lost
two hundred thousand and England
gained two hundred thousand. II
was not the war that did it, but the
result Of war-rHinous taxation, in
fiation and misgOvernment, that
seem inseparable from q transition
from war to peace. Thus at . Pc
Fiod while other maritime nations
were rapidly Increasing their ton:
mage, the United States, for the
ca1ses alluded to, were actually
losing. Should there be serious
trouble In Europe, we shall rapidly
recover what we hAYe Lost. The
war rates of insurance will throw
commerce into neutral bottoms, es,
pecially 1t two or three cruisers OIL
the Alabama type should appear or
the scene.