New-York tribune., 1876-08-19
STEAMSHIPS TO EUROPE.
A FOREIGN MONOPOLY.

III
, citv most qualified TO lldge critically of the sub
sct and bymany American publicmen, that the time
Roc came for practical work toward building up
Nm the Atlantic steam marine, not only for the
heGt o this city, but for that of all the principal
rts or the Atlantic and the industries OF the ooun
t in genera. Before the war the subject OF Amer
;csn sui remacy the sea engaged tic attention OF
.Ia hsr men 10 the land. Since'lsG1, the country
=; resrect TO the steamship lines hss been virtually
IN t,e could. on ot a merchant Who having fire to
r,t ont in ls store, and damages to Iepair after
rari has hai to abandon Temporarily the sale Of
roo1s arr has been subjected to positive loss of
trade. Matters are so nearly put to rights IL the
oorntrv now, however, that Il is possible again to
cve the subject of the AtlaIlic steam marine the
attontiOn it deserves
A statement of what ,hc Unit States has lost by
u,sinc the enteTprlsing business men of Europe TO
uonoDolizc its commerce with their part OF the
1rorld will be revelation to uost people. John
poanh speaking of the establishment of the numer-
ON. foreign steamship lines to this country, says
aTbe martial ana deceptive gilt las been the price
of tribute, whose burden would not be endured
t,a moment IL It's existence were clearly known
IA understoodn What does this tribute amount
e., In the first place the merchants of this
country now pay to the owners OF foreign steam
sb;ps at least $50, 900 600 annually for freight
This Is an annual tax the United States OF that
amount The imports are coneumod neie, and the
freight OF them must be paid by consumers 1t IS q
tax of yery different character from a customs dut.
because the money is not paid to Americans and
does not come back into the country to be spent
here. II goes 20 Europe. Were there no smuggling
of precious stones aces, jewelTy aad the Ike, the
sum paid would be greater. Ii is estimated that
over $50, 900 600 worth of tins valuable class OF
I = L. IL. oil lgvu
sipee 1861.
An amount is paid TO foreign stel nship companies
every YER. BIZ Americans travelling to and from
these shores AID for the transportation OF mails.
eonal TO that paid for freight. This also goes
abroad not 10 return. safe estimate of the total
o,nourt Of this draft upon the resources OF the
limited States ut present would place it 1T S6O,OOO
000 in gold annually. It is claimed thai there was
one year. 1872, when this tribute amounted to
S-5.OOOOOO. Were that amount OF money spent
among our cOIntrymep this ne1t yeaI, III addition
10 what will he disbursed under the present con
Citon OF trade it is believed that every Idle TRIP
hammer and forge aud cOtton-loom between the
two oceans would be set in active operation
careful calculation of the total amount paid IN for
eien steamship companies since 1851 places 1t AT
considerably over $500, 100000 in gold.
By the establishment of proper number Of Amer
lean stea lsip lines Oh the Atlantic, which can nov
be done with profit this heavy tribute would 10
avoided. Not only that but the money would t'
dfused among industrial classes at home. Grea'
as that blessing would be, however, 1t would form
small part only of the gOod 10 he done by the cre-
ton of an American steam Inerchanty3leet again.
The commerce OF this couatry with Europe is now
enormous, and sustains from 100 10 80 steamers.
Opinions differ as to the possibility OF breaking
II. Ne,..v y,s.li.
foreign merchant fleet with one sailing under the
American flag. There are those who claim 1t can We
done There is reason to doubt il, however. But It
is admitted that large number Of American steam
ers, perhaps So can be tanned III the European
trade The creation Of these would make
this country again great ship-buildmg
ration. and give permanent employment TO thou
sands Of good class Of mechanics. After steam
ship is set aioat, from 10 10 per cent OF her value
must be expended every year in repairs On the old
Collins steamers, which were built of wood, the ex-
peDditnre for repairs Was Is per cent annually Iii
sly years the repairs amounted to more than the
original cost of the ships. Since the introduction oi
iron ships and improved machinery, the cost Of re-
pairs has fallen off materially but it is a. large at
present rs 10 per cent, at least. 1t is this fact
which insures permanent employment to Sihpyard
after the construction of tho vessel About 20 pc
annually in supplies fuel wages of seaiEcn, and the
ike. Foreign steamers have all their repairs done
and bny nearly all their supplies in the ports OF
their own lands. American steamers would spend
their money for these purposes in the United States
The subject of what the United States is losing
under the present circumstances of it's commerce
with Europe and of what il would gain by going
'resolutey TO work to bring about a new order OF
things need hardly be dwelt upon at greater length
brief statement Of il is sufficient 20 show its WIDE
importance and general interest.
Every year .nOw in which action is postponed on
this general subject leaves the United States IN
worse condition than before. The existing steamship
lines are rapidly gathering up all the commerce OF
the countries between which they run, and even the
comparatively few remaining American sailing
vessels that continue 10 ply the same courses az
tie steam lines are destined to be crowded gradually
OIL the and 10 disappear. The steamship, when
invented, created vast amount OF commerce, and
If nOw fas: monOpOiIzHE il all In the future, II IS
destined to carry the principal portion of the goods
dispatched across the sea- including oven grain and
provisions, which ship-owners and CoHgressmen
once thought could never be carried by steam
vessels with profit steamer carries such enormous
loads and transports them quickly, yielding u
merchants 50 quick returns on their investments
that they are being pore and more patronized
every year. Il is possible that in time even petrO
leun, hides. wood and iron may he transported ex
clusively by stcam i'll prOpellers devoted 10 freight
ing alone The steamers have for years brought th'
largest portion Of American imports, they being com
posed Of goods too valuable to DC allowed TO rcat
loDz tralisit On principal lines they are now car
Iynga large share Of the exports. One steamer from
New-Ymk recently tolk oui caTgo cf over miliioE
dollars worth Of goods. In June the exports fro1
Eew-York to England were, by steam, S3,3f4.57l