New-York tribune., 1876-07-29
AMERICAN COMMERCE
CAN IT NOT BE REVIVED ,

CAN IT NOT BE REVIVED
TIE WITHDRAWAL OF STEAMSHIPS BY EUROPEAN
C"NpANIES-ANOUNT OF IMPORTS AND IMPORTS
An OPPORTUNITY FOX ANGLICAN sHIrs TO DO
TIE WORK.
Articles have recently appeared in THE TRIBUNE
describing the phases of the present condition OF
business; the Diminishing cit.c of the panic the
change in The balance of trade the large volume OF
American exports, Sc There is another feature of
tine depression in business that has not been dwelt
upon which is of considerable interest. 1t can be
regarded with equanimty by Americans, since the
dcpre ssiOi il refers tO does not affect American M
vestmcnts, hat those of Europeans. Furthermore
itprcscUts an opportunity TO Americans for which
they have waited d great many years. How thc
times have affected the great land transportation
lines Of this country is only TOO well known, Little
has been said aboGt the loss OF prosperity by tn"
great steam transportation lines 10 Europe.
Twoor three years ago there were employed in
the commerce between Europe and the United
state. about 80 steamships, worth about @3o,oto-
600, all except about half dozca owned by
Europeans. Since the Summer Of IS1i a great
change Las taken place i'm the huslncSS of the com-
uaujnS owning these ships To-day between 10 and
81 Of the ocean steamships that once regularly went
and came to the United States are tied mp at
thclr owners vhorycs in England ana Germany,
with absolutely nothing to do. These are not "ld.
worn-out vessels. They are all sound, hr>i-class
steamers. The majority Of them are large enough
70 carry nearly thousand passenger and the gram
of q county, or the years produ,, of several cotton
mills at q single load. In other words, about
So On0. 900 of good property, once employed with
profitable results is now idle and not yielding a cent
Of revenue.
The change in the amount Of business done by the
compani, il, due 10 two causes The first is tine panic
Of 1873 in the United states, The second Is thc
cr, wing ability of American manufacturers, under
an Intelligent system OF protection. u compete IN
their home market with the foreign makers OF staple
goods The first Is of course tine prime cause, being
tlr sole reason of tie diminished immigration from
Europe, and the main reason Of the reduced lH-
/ portatous. The steamship companies dcrcud FOR
! their profits chiefly upon the transportation Of
passengers. This business has fallen Jh onc-haii.
I Tie year ending with Jay /, 1873, was ore Of The
/ crca. years for travel and imrigtaton. That year
/ there were a. many a. 54o,Ssj arrival, m The
United states about $40, 900 person, landing at the
port Of N,w-York alone But ~ the year Just past
/ there were only about 22poy0 arrivals IN alt
/ The return tide Of travel to Europe has
! increased somewhat since 1873. "a great
many American workw0-poorlc taking ad-
vantage OF the times Of duh work 10 revisit
/ the homes Of their youth S.ross the sea- sal the
figures show an aggregate falling oI, in travel VI
/ about ouc-half since the srmurr oi 1873. With
regard 10 frcigas there il "a large rcdu ton m thrr
volume also. From a calculation mad" Of tho tom
laca OF Anercaa imports and export. for Nh" last
six year. j: appear. chat since the Summer Of 1874,
two year, ago, tac volume Of American commerce
has fallen of about 100000 tons. quantity
LARGER than the total volume oi EXPORT o hc United
S,a.es forty y,ara ago, aud which would be su!rcTt,
Hla|a ..t...H.
ships II would take a months labor a. a." Bureau
OF Statistic 10 tell how large proportion OF this
falling Of IA freightng 20 other countries the Luro-
pean steamship, have had to bear; hut that it j,
mrgc is known. he fact that there are uow r'lu-
Ming 10 the port Of Ncw-York nearly fifty irw'r
steamships belonging to the great line. than two
years ago, and That whai,irc technically known as
Z" wild steamships less numerous than then sui
fcicutly tells The story.
In the opinion of many merchants, The present
condition OF tc ocean transportation bus.u'-a Ill
vites Americans 10 make chort to establish once
more an American ocean steam marine l"e steam
boat they saw was the contribution of thc United
States 10 the world and the American steam marine
was once a source Of national pride. In lSl3 the
entire steamship tonnage OF Great Britain was only
tvo-thirls that of the Mi,-ssrrpi Valley alone In
1850 when the old Collins line Of steamers was put
l
Britain by beginning business with class OF slips
superior in speed and construction in every rr,pcc
T. those oi English builders, Who had had ten years
] Of practice, with every cucouragemcut from the
| Government. The war of 1861 destroyed the Amer-
can Transatlantic steam marine and only spasmoIic
efforts have since been made 90 rcj-tabIisli il. As
has been said, many persons think the present
moment a good tna TO make a hearty effort. Tho
exports Of the United States now amount to over
100000 ton annually. With tine revival Of com
inorce tucy VIII b. greater There j, reason why
American steamships should not have q share Of t,
business. The same may be sald Of the imports.
They range from 500, 900 to 100000 tons yearly.
| There is no reason why steau-ycs-cis under the
United states flag should not carry q share of them
too, and q good proportion OF the 600 900 passengers
| who arrive and depart from tins country in good
! year.
THE IBO EHPEROHS 1GEEENENI