The New York herald., 1877-10-15
CONVERSATION With A SHIPBUILDER
How to Develop Our Commerce and
Make Good Times.
A SOLUTION OF THE LABOR PROBLEM.
An Example to This Country in
England's New Policy.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct, IL. 1877.

which Mr. John Roach head ana front is sad IN
be tho largest establishment of the kind IL the world
including as 1t does the .snipyards Chester tho
| iron rolling mills Wilmington and the Morgan
Iron Works in New York, altogether employing . 200
men and requiring So, 900 per week in wages Upon
tho occasion Of recent launch at Chester had the
opportunity Of talk with Mr. Roach upon iron ships
and the general condition OF American ship building
To see him now one would scarcely think that about
forty-hvc years ago John Roach was u pucky ltto
Irish lad only thirteen years OF age. who found him.
| sell dumped ashore in Now York without a
! dollar in his pocket friend within
| two thousand miles Between then aud tho
present tho story Of Mr. Roachs lie is romance
Now he is OF tho representative business mon OF
the country, enormously rich but dressing like one Of
his workmcn ana oblvous 10 the small affairs OF
lie that unless he is watched he will scarcely eat and
his clerks say that IL some didn't stop him he
would down to Washington to the Secretary OF
the Treasury threadbare and venerable alpaca coat
that has stuck to him ike friend for many years In
this old great shipbulder pottcring about
the shipyard whom accostcd him.
IRON snPDuiLDsG IN AMERICA
"Mr. Roach" asked "what is tho condition OF
iron shipbuilaing in this countryr''
swell, sir, u has mado moro progress than either
the press the public to know. For Instance
seven ago thore was not shpyard this coun-
try that could build largesized steamship with
out unreasonable delays; but there several
yards whore they can be constructed cxpedtiousy
OF better material ana good workmanship as
anywhere In The world. But iron shipbulding IL
only beginning with u.s. We have few vessels Whv
to carry our share from New York, Boston, Phiiade-
pha. Baltimore and New Orleans, taking our maritime
condition relatively us II was before tho war | have
found by calculation that it would REQUIRE the con
struction Of about $35 COO 900 worth OF steamers
''The building OF SO many ships would reove the
dulness Of tho labor market somewhat, /" said inter-
| rogativcIy, to which Mr.. Roach rejoncd:--
1T would give employment TO an army OF w0rKmep.
About forty different trades arc represented tho
building Of q snip at our yards. Take the City of
Washington that you launched the day the Cover.
here. Eight months ago the iron OF which
she composed lay the bowels Of tho earth and was
worth probably $780, To-day that material is worth
s375,ooo and the vast difference between these two
represents the Of the labor that been be.
slowed upon the iron ore. think Of the S35 600 900
/ mentioned about $34, SOC, 900 would bo spent IN
| labor.
.'can ships bo built much chenper abroads"
| 'Not much; perhaps hvo or ten per cent But
though labor and material are somewhat higher moro
our material is bccr and workmen perforn n moro
work IN day. Taking into consideration the supe
ror Intelligence OF American workmcn build
as chcaply as tho English have talked with tho
|
have never yet found who objected building
here because 1t might cost little than ON tho
| other side
| FREE SHIPS.
'sWhy is there demand for Tree shps2n
| ''Let me tell you that this demand docs not como
| from American merchants or shipowncrs | know
/ many OF them who wanting ships for tho foreign
trade, went abroad to purchase but found that the
ships for there old and Of inferior quality
| lxub,io
class ship there here Our merchants know as
we'll do that tho hundreds OF old vessels at the
English docks originally built for SPECTATORS
thrown together in nimsy way like the sbonus''
houses put up by real estate spectators. Some OF
very merchants VINO went abroad TO buy came back
and ordered their ships in this country. am building
for some OF thcm know tho present demand
for free ships does from that source"
whence does it come, Mr Roach<"
'.Thcrc two parties making this outcry for tho
repeal OF the navigation laws. Ono is composed OF
theorists, wouldbe political economists who imagine
that If these laws repealed merchants viii i'm
modiatcly buy English snips, hoist the American aag
aud a; regain for former position on tho
4 ocean. These have KNOWLEDGE Of tho dis
astrous effects Of tho repeal OF these protective laws
under which our commerce. hourshcd until It was
destroyed by tho rebellion. They are iasc mated
with the idea OF having everything free'-oven
tho freedom TO cut throals The
other and stronger class advocating this rc-
peal made up Of sharp spectators who know that
good commission be made tho sale OF these
old ships II they succeed IN repeating these laws
these old English ships will be put on record in tho
name OF Americans who would have only NOM nal
interest in them. with English mortgages Tor nine
enths Of their value. THIS would give them
can registry, but they would be more American
ships than they are now. while they would be run
| hero in opposition TO American ships, built with
| American capital ard Amer can labor, and paying
heavy duties many OF the articles entering into
their construction. No business that know Of re-
turns more TO the laborer than does the building and
running Of ships, and This money is always spent
! wncrc the ship IS owned and built Now, is Il not
strange, whom have rich coal and mines that
only mood wise legislation to enable the laoorcr and
the capitalist to profit by developing them, that
Notwithstanding tho great suncriDg all over
the country from OF employment Tor
our workngmon. that tncro arc visionary
men and theorists who will not themselves invest a
dollar ships snipyards advocating the repeal Of
the navigation lawsy Those men would allow ships
10 be purchasc cd abroad brought hero duty tree
whio everything that goes into the construction OF
ship is heavily taxed Tney would deprive our own
workngmcn OF The labor that naturally belongs TO them
and turn them tho street 10 starvc. They would
absolutely Kill growing and important American IN
dustry"
zone further question on thus subject. Mr.. Roach
| III you build ships in this country good
| and ncury cheap as they can be built the
clyde, why you OBJECT to tho free sn proposition ~
'Wol you know this government has gone through
| an expensive and bloody war, ana has incurred
enormous debt the principal and interest of which has
TO bc paid Ia gold. Now, order to support the gov
ernmcnt pay the debt every tool IN my shlpyard,
| every workman IN my employ, indeed, every dollar
have invested IN shipbndlng Is taxed. The English
market now IS ovcrsockcd with cheapiy constructed
shps aud their owners are roady to lead their surplus
on THIS market 1uty Tree. OF course they under
sell our manufacturers because they not axcd as
Take of my heavy taxes aud then shall
stand where the Clyde builders stand. Until that is
done please let our navigation laws alone When
tho country Is ready Tor this policy the sh pbuding
interest can stand froo trade well any
= XALc Ill LII on icr "a ~.