New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-05-30
Our Commerce and Nav.

Says Washington dispatch in the New
York Graphic:
l had an extended conversation with
Secretary Thompson last evening regard
ing the relation of the navy and its condi-
ton to the revival of commerce. There
is no man in public life who has'cl
ideas upon matters of public interest than
be, or frmer convictions; and he expresses
them with great freedom. He referred
laughingly to an interview with him pub
ished in Washington some time since,
in which he was represented as favoring q
revival of the Wing party, and hoped the
Graphic would be less generous, and not
attribute to him more ideas than he really
had. He did not consider that there
would be any great improvement in the
merchant marine of this nation until our
navy is sufficient to protect our commerce
in all the seas which it penetrates. He is
not so positive or sweeping in his asser-
tons regarding the condition of our navy
as is Admiral Porter, who declares it ut
terly worthless; but Secretary Thompson
admits that it is not sufficient, numeri-
cally or in effectiveness for the demands
upon it. 1t is necessary that an improve
ment be made, and this government must
avail itself of the progress. achieved by
ship-builders in this and in foreign coun-
tries in the construction of vessels. This,
of course, will require large expenditure
of money, but it Is a necessity that must
be met.
eve are the great producing nation of
the earth, " he said, "snd when our ships
go out to other nations with their pro-
duce they must be protected"
He did not consider it good policy to
allow foreign vessels to engage in our
coasting trade, because it would be OPEN
ing competition too far, and lessen the
strength of our own mercantile marine.
1.-THE mode of developing commerce is
an altogether different question from the
mode of protecting it. A great deal is
said by people who discuss these topics, !"
the Secretary remarked, fabout what is
called horizontal duties and specific du-
ties. All my life long" he continued, ~
have been O strong tariff man, but can
see some things on which horizontal du-
ties should be levied, and others on which
specific duties should be levied For ex-
ample, VIC must necessarily extend manu-
featuring in this country very far beyond
the point reached already. Our skill is
increasing more rapidly than in any coun-
try in the world, and we are now rivaliDg
some of the greatest manufacturers of
Europe in their own markets. Hence,
when articles necessary for q further de-
velopment of our manufacturing talent
require protection against foreign rivalry
dutiesj itseems to me, ought to be levied
primarily for revenue, and yet specifically
for the necessary amount of protection, SO
that by building up manufactures the pro-
Queer and the consumer may be brought
as nearly as possible together, each con-
tributing to advance the interests of the
other, and leaving the surplus of products
over and above what is needed for home
consumption to find its way into general
commerce, and to be carried abroad in
American ships"
Secretary Thompson does not yet feel
after his brief experience in the
Navy Department, to express an opinion
as to how far the navy ought to be in
creased, but he did not think it was either
in size or effectiveness what a government
like the United States ought to have,
either for war or for the protection of
commerce. There are many vessels in the |
navy which might, by proper repairs, be |
made more valuable and serviceable than |
they are. This government has spent inn |
mense sums of money in building navy
yards and putting up machinery to build |
ships, and the Secretary expressed very |
decided opinion that vessels could be |
built in them as cheaply and perfectly as |
in private shipyards; and yet at the same |
he believed that it was not good general !
policy for government to neglect to en-
courage private enterprises, unless COM
PEELED, for the sake Of necessity or
economy, to do its own manufacturing.
''And therefore," he said, 81 think that |
for few years to come this government
will find it necessary, in order to make |
the navy what it ought to be, to employ
its own navy yards, and avail itself at the |
same time Of the advantages derived by
furnishing business, to some extent, to |
private ship builders
The Secretary is very much worn out by |
confinement to his duties. Since he has |
been in Office he'has worked an average of |
5welve hours day. He says he wants to |
get things in the Navy Department |
Enlightened out by the last of June, SO as
% begin the next fiscal year on clean
'heet Of paper.