The Portland daily press., 1878-12-18
Registry Of Foreign Ships,

Registry Of Foreign ships.
To the Editor of the Press:
The advocates for the admission and registry
OF foreign-built ships have made an important
move in the House of Representatives in Con-
zress by referring Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Harri.
son bill to the com mmttee on commerce, by
vote of "a to &c. The committee will surely re-
port the bill to the House for passage.
The New York Journal of Commerce re-
marks Dec. 81: "This vote is a sure indication
that majority of the House ia somewhat anx-
lous to pass free ship bill, and as the commit
tee on ways and means at the last session neg
lected to report such measure, the bill today
was referred to committee who will adopt it,"
Thus one of the most important interests of
this country, and one which adds yearly great
material wealth to the nation, employing vast
number of honest, hardy, industrious men from
the time the ship timbsr is prepared in the for
est to the laying Of the keel, building, floating
and sailing Of the ship on the ocean, is to be
the football of Congress-. Nothing but short
session may save the shipping interest, the ship
and dock yards of this country, from deadly
blow from which it would take years to re-
cover.
Harrison Of Illinois introduces into the
House this bill for the immediate repeal of all
acts Of Congress protecting American ship own
ers and builders, and proposing to pass an act
for the admission and registry of foreign built
ships-and all this for buncombs among his
constituents. He has no conception of the vast
interests dependent on this question, neither
does he care, but only wishes to make his COZ
stituents bslieve that by the Introduction of
free ships there will be more tonnage to carry
the productions of the West, and grain freights
will bs less to Europe; whereas the truth is
the tonnage of the maritime world has access
to our ports in competition with American
ships, and transatlantic freights cannot be low
er without ruin to the carrier This proposed
measure is fraught with untold damage to the
commerce of this country, and if consummated
will materially depreciate in value the 1900, 900
tons Of steam ships and Sailing vessels owned
by our merchants and all other classes of our
countrymen, and will permit foreign built YES
sells to compete with our own for the coasting
trade of the United States; and thus vast
body of hardy, Industrious men would be thrown
out of employment and what rebel cruisers
and British influence could not do 10 the total
destruction of the shipping interests of this
country would be fully and completely accom-
plished by an act Of Congress. But will not
further discuss this question, having already
replied to an article in the New York Herald
advocating free ships, which you kindly pub
lished june 4th, and which fully notes the
objections to this measure.
Tho ooff fha
of some ship owners in New York, who dur
ing the Rebellion had no. the patriotism to sail
their ships under the "Stars and Stripes" the
glorious old flag, but sailed their vessels under
foreign flags, and now wish toget them regis
tered again in the custom houses of the United
States. Now would this be just to the men
who during the rebellion placed the flag Of our
country at the mast head, and doing so had
their ships destroyed, and were continually
paying exorbitant rates of insurance, shippers
reluctantly shipping by them, at less rates of
freight; while the others were reaping rich
harvest, their vessels always having the pref
erence?
Another class who advocate free ships are in
the South, who have the same idea in regard to
increased tonnage that is prevalent in the
West-lower rates uf freight to the exporters
of cotton and tobacco. There might be some
reason for this II all American exports were
confined solely to American ships, wholly ex-
cluding foreign tonnage. There are many ad-
vocates for free ships in Louisians, who would
spread ruin from Baltimore to Eastport, who
would do all in their power for the passage Of
this act, reckless of consequences to millions of
our people, forgetting that for the protection of
few sugar planters in their State producing
10000 hogsheads of sugar per year, more or
less. To benefit the commerce of New
| Orleans, an oppressive duty has been placed
| upon foreign raw sugar, an article of absolute
necessity to the people of this country, yield
| ing more than $4,000 to the Treasury, while
tea and Coffee not SO much articles of necessity
| to the people of this country, are admitted duty
free.
But there is an individual advocate for free
ships, upon whose guilty head rests the limo
cent blood of millions Of his fellow country.
men, North and South, and who will never be
reconstructed while the haDgman is defrauded
| of his Just due. In a speech made in Missis.
| sippi during the past Summer-and recently in
the Commercial Convention in New Orleans
| he advocates free ships, and what he could no,
do to destroy the North in the Rebellion he
would bring about by legislation in Congress.
would very respectfully suggest that oul
Board of Trade take some measures to cal
public attention in this State to this important
Matter. If this question could be generally
discussed and brought before the people of this
country, upon its merits, the proposition fol
the admission and registry of foreign ships
would not be entertained by them for one
moment. The people would not wish to see
foreign built steamers navigating the Missis
sppi, or steamers and sail vessels of foreign
construction, engaged in the internal com.
merce and coastwise carrying trade of ths
country 10 competition with merican tonnage
neither would they permit it.
Our Senators and Representatives in Con.
gress are. true linen, and will do all in thei
power to protect this important interest of on
State, and this will be the fact with all mem
bers of Congress from commercial states bu
the people Of this country, as before remarked
need to know fully In regard to this importan
question to settle 1t for all time in the pro
motion Of American enterprise, industry ant
interest II.
Portland, Dec 16, 1878.