The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-27
III We Wish to Buy ships, Let Us
Buy Them"

ner But justice is hardly done to the neat
ness and epigrammatic force of his sentence
without quoting the whole of it. If we
wish to build ships, let us build them; IL
We wish to buy ships, let us buy them. !"
Such language contemplates perfectly free
trade in ships. Senator Blaine, who spoke
at the same dinner, was quick to catch its
import, and apologizing for controversy
in social repast, he made an argumenta-
tive reply to the Secretary of State, advo-
eating the permanence of our present navi-
CATION laws.
1t is easy TO appreciate the advanced
point of view of Mr.. Evarts. He desires
the extension of our foreign commerce by
the opening of new markets, and his par
ticular aim is the conquest for our produce
tions of the markets of South America.
Those markets naturally belong to US by
geographical proximity and by the adapta-
ton of our goods to the wants Of South
American consumers. But our command
of their markets depends on the
establishment of direct communica-
ton between our ports and theirs. Com
mercial correspondence with South
America is too circuitous and slow when 1T
requires four transits across the Atlantic
namely, a passage to England and thence to
South America before q letter can be de-
livered, and then passage Of the answer to
England and thence to the United States
before it can be received A merchant
needs to have his hand constantly on the
or ~1yatc wi, ha
otherwise he cannot take advantage of the
ever varying Gibbs and tides Of demand.
When it requires four passages Of The Allan
tic to get an answer to commercial letter
opportunities for shipping goods at profit
are lost before our merchants can take adj
vantage of them. And even if they could
keep themselves promptly informed Of the
state of the South American markets they
would be unable to ship their goods in sea-
son without means of direct and constant
transportation. 1t is, therefore, Of the first
Importance to our conquest Of the growing
commerce of South America that regular
lines of steamships be established between
the United States and the southern portion
of the continent.
This is the point of view from which Mr..
Evarts reasons on the question of free
ships. He regards it as Of subordinate con-
sequence whether we build or buy the ships
for the establishment of South American
shadowing Importance that the question of
means is insignificant in comparison. It is
of little consequence whether the steam
ships for South American line are built
in the United States or purchased
abroad, because if they were making
regular trips our merchants would
have the conveniences they need for
understanding and supplying the South
American markets. SO great an outlet for
our productions would touch the nerves of
industry and so stimulate the activity of
our people that there would be no longer
any idle hands seeking employment
Whether the ships for the accommodation
of such commerce are built by Ameri-
can citizens or purchased abroad by Ameri-
can capitalists is justly regarded by Mr..
Evarts as o subordinate consideration in
comparison with the great importance Of
the end to be attained.
The great carrying trade of the world has
passed into the hands Of nations that are
not fettered by Anticipated navigation laws.
All the great steamship lines between
Europe and the American continent are
owned by England, Germany and France,
whose merchants are free to purchase ships
wherever they can buy them cheapest. We
lad fhic lr,nr IL H.,
our narrow and restrictive navigation laws.
We should like to see the argument by
which it could be proved that Germany and
France have made mistake in giving free
scope to the enterprise of their shipowners.
Who will contend that the great German
lines and the great French lines of transat-
lantic steamships are not an advantage to
those countries and source Of profit to
their citizens? But it is doubtful if they
would have been established, and certain
that they would not have been established
SO early, if only German built ships could
carry the German flag and French built
ships tho French flag. The United States,
once the most enterprising maritime nation
of the world, stands still and sees this
great prize taken away by nations which
enjoy free trade in ships, and blindly holds
on to the navigation laws which put man
acles on its commerce. We are paying
every year nearly "a hundred million dollars
to the owners of foreign lines for transports
ing the commodities which we export and
import. We have hardly any share in this
lucrative business because the cheaper out
fit Of the foreign lines enables them to mo-
nopolize tire carrying trade by lower freight
rates. No company of American capital
lists would think Of establishing rival lines
between New York and Hamburg The ne
cessity imposed on them by our navigation