The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-12-17
The Proposed Change in the Navigation
Laws


The Proposed Change in the Navigation
Laws.
at the meeting of the National Board ol
Steam Navigation held in New York on the
11ih and 18th lnsts, the following "resolves''
were presented and unanimously adopted
Mr.. Weston F. Ml'iken OF this city, Presi-
dent of the Portland, Bangor aud Machias
Steamboat Co., being one of the trainers OF
the resolutions viz
Resolved, That the National board of Steam
n svigation has heard with alarm of the int ro-
duction into Congress of various measures in
tended to change the navigation laws 50 as to
admit foreign vessels to American enrolment
and reg stry.
Resolved, That this Board earnestly protest
against any such change in the navigation
laws, and in this protest unite, through the va
rious b1dies represented at this meeting, the
cou biDed protest of the steam and sail Daviga-
ton interests of the lake, The inland rivers and
the seaboard
Resolvec, That this Board opposes any such
char ge because
1. These laws have existed since the fouu-
dafion OF the government, and have not only
fostered American commerce but also have
raised hardy race of American seamen for
the national defense.
2. Unaer these laws a very large vessel own
lug aud vessel bu ding interest has been created
involving over S600.000,000 of capital and en-
ployiDg directly or indirectly over a million and
a half persous, which capital and employ ment
would, BY the proposed change, be imperiled, if
not destroyed
Such a change jeopardlzes the interest not
only OF the owners and builders of vessels, but
also the employ m-nt of hundreds of thousands
OF skilled and unskille6 working people, whose
trades are directly or indirectly dependent upon
American navigation.
4. Fair competition at home has already de-
pressed American commerce sufficiently to
have now brought here all the idle vessels of the
world to swarm on our rivers, lakes and sea-
board to completely ruin it,
Resolved. That copy of these resolutions
be forwarded to each house of Congress, as our
respectful protest against the passage of any
law admitting foreign vessels to American en-
rolment and registry.
Although these resolutions explain them
selves, their importance deserves more than
passing thought. Our country is of vast
extent and the people of the various sections
are absorbed in their leading business inter-
s-s-- 'rtN~- tho " .s.~s,,,y enura~Aes,
in crop raising and so give but little consider
alton TO the ownership of the ships that carry
their products out of the country. The ques-
ton to them is simply who can transport
such products the cheapest! and if foreign
ships and capital can come in and transact
the business at lower price than American
vessels they say let them come; Cong-ess
should even invite them by admitting them
to American enrolment and registry. We,
however, who live near the seaboard and are
extensively interested in commerce cannot
afford to sit idly by and see it thus destroyed,
We'll knowing that this step menaces the
prosperity OF our commercial ports. And
while the Western view naturally takes its
coorlng from the apparent interest of that
section, there is higher point of view that,
while not ignoring these sectional interests,
looks to the highest good of the whole coun-
try. The commercial interests of the United
States are confined to 40 one section and
anything that strikes blow at those inter-
ests affects, not the East simply but the
whole country.
The effects of this policy Of Stree ships"
will be more widely spread than its advocates
imagine; for, the doors once opened to the en-
rollmsnt and registry of foreign vessels, our
waters will be crowded with the idle shipping
OF England, manned by foreign seamen,
bringing to every possible extent their own
supplies with them, aud gradually but surely
monopolizing the whole coasting trade of the
country. In every possible opening British
vessels, under British officers and with Brit
ish crews are already crowding in, leaving
their own proftless routes, and it needs NO
very discerning eye TO note the efforts con-
stantly made to enlarge the sphere of such
operations. The consequences of such a
policy need but to be hinted at to show theil
magnitude. Millions of money now engaged
in commercial pursuits at immense shrinkagt
would be Withdrawn, aud the countless uum
bers of mechanics and merchants who now
directly or indirectly depend so largely upon
the constant use of this money in building
repairing and furnishing of vessels would
seriously suffer.
But not only in the peaceful pursuits o.
commerce would this be disastrous. As The
merchant marine has been and is justly
regarded by all commercial nations the grea
nursery of the navy, this policy woulC
leave US IN case of war with exceed
ingly limited resources and with a peo
pie unskilled in marine pursuits. The lessor
of our civil war If rightly weighed, will
overthrow all the specious arguments for fre,
ships. Without an extensive Merchant Ma
riEe and large force of available seamen 70
our navy,-taught by hard experience th'
lessons of the sea, we should have beel
powerless to quell the rebellion with al
our forces by land. England has gained he
supremacy by zealously guarding her com
mercial interests, and our country cannot al
ford to ignore this subject which is Of nation
al Importance. No section of the country
more interested than our own State of Maine
And hence we commend to the attention Q
our people the strong and vitality importan
resolution which this great national organ
zation has felt constrained to adopt unan
mously.