The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-22
FACTS FOR THE COMMERCIAL CON
VENTT0N,

pIOtccb our poor anu ueCIcplb HhTCnhnb ma
1ine service against the aggression Of Eng
land, or to promote our foreign commerce by
the timely aid of government the cry Of "sub-
sidy' is raised, and Subsidy one of this class
Of statesmen has denounced as fraud and
plundering."
This was the argument of Sam Randall
when he opposed the Brazil steamship line at
the last session of Congress, urging that it
was robbery of the government to subsidize
line OF steamers that could not pay it's own
expenses. This assertion proved nothing
more concusively than that Mr.. Randall was
utterly ignorant of the policy by which Eng
land has driven our ensign from every sea of
the world,
One of the best informed American writer's
upon this subject says: "He who thought
lessly condemns the 'odious' term Subsidy
to steamships on the ground of economy, is
unwittingly but actually checking his coun-
try's progress and refusing bread to his peO-
pie, yet spending millions upon foreign yes
sells" This same writer after showing the
princely subsidies England has paid to her
lines, notes the fact that this has all been
done in accordance with the very policy Mr..
Randall denounced.
"The policy pursued by English statesmen"
says he, ''as shown in correspondence be-
tween the Postmaster General and the Lords
Commissioners of the Treasury, is to render
succor to such lines as meet with opposition
of foreign tonnage, and to such as meet with
unavoidable reverses; leaving those lines
having an uninterrupted sway to take care
of themselves
To show what the penny wise and pound
foolish parsimony of such economists as Ran
dali has lost to this country, this same writer
submits the following table:
To give an idea Of the decadence of our ship
ping interests compare the following propor-
tiOnHte values Of foreign trade us Transported
during the last two decades:
1857. TO and from New York city in
American ships ;:--- $3.50 ,565, $40
1857. To and from New York city in
1867 70 : and from IN New York city in '''''''''''
American ships ,,,.-:...-,. 1898. 1903
1867; 70 and from Now York city in
f~,reign shps ..--- -.--..-.--...-.. 371 $40 274
1857. 70 and from all our ports in
American shps .---,.-..-.-..,..- 51O0 900 900
1857. 10 and from all our ports in
foreign ships nly-...,....-....--.. 213.O00, 900
Or douby n favor Of American tonnage.
American ships- ---..-----..-. 1920 900
1867. 20 and from all our ports in
foreign ships, ,....,-----. - $50 100000
Or donble in favor Of foreign tonnage"
complete transfer Of our Atlantic com
merce from American to foreign hands by our
own supinrnr IS and at the end Of the LAST dI |
ca1e We find an increase in the value of our
Of $3.50 900 $50, but Of that increase
the proportionate gain to foreign ships is still
1877 70 and from all our ports. In
American1 ships ;,.-,-....,. $3.50 900 900
1877: To and from all our ports, in
OF our foreign trade for the year which |
closed June 80, 1873, the New York Sun OBJ
serves:
In tho year 1877-78, which closed on the tenth |
ot June. We imported 1923 900 900. and exported |
s6Sl oo0,N 600, having 8 balance to our credit of |
me for1ign t trade o ao in end ont
months. Who carried this immense trade !? |
of the whole imports come to
as high as nine tantha, cross the ocean by
steamship5. Three ffths of the exports from !
New York are carried by steam. This traffic of
ocean carrying furnishes about Il. 900 900 Of tons
a year for which We pay tribute, mainly to the
of Great Britain. at the rate of $780,
Exclusive Of the Brazilian experiment. there
Philadelphia and the Pacific Mail, and the
ten ,years we have paid for freight alone. to say
nothing Of passengers, moro than enough |
in existence with England France. Belgium
Ger many, Central aud south America, China.
Japan. and wherever else there was an opening |
for commerce.; to have maintained them on the
most liberal footing and to have put three or
four hundred millions into the treasury.
The amount paid for freights and passage
money to ships is reasonably estimated to be
10 per cent on the 81 ,1O4 O00 900 of exports and
imports during the year 1878 then the sum
paid to ships was S11O,4OO,0OO. It is esti-
mated that certainly not less than Is per cent
OF our carrying trade is done in foreign ships
Seventy five per cent Of S11O, 100000 is $82,-
SOC, 900, which exactly represents the tribute
we paid last year. mainly to the steamships
Of Great Britain, which country has followed
for years the policy, condemned by Mr.. Ran
dali, OF subsidizng steamship lines that can
not pay their own expenses. It would not
take many years at this rate to do ali, and
more, that the sur says.
The Sun refers above TO the Pacific Mail
inc. Let US see whether the government has
ost or gained by the yearly subsidy of $500, 900
paid to that line. The official returns show
hat from 1867 to June 80, 1876, period of
line and a. bali years, that Line has cost the