The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-21
A Needed Change i'm Our Naviga-
ton Laws.


reform of the navigation laws. We have
frequently employed the phrase ourselves,
presuming too much. perhaps, on the intel
ligence and candor Of readers. 1t is not
only calculated to mislead persons OF mar
row information, but it furnishes ocsaslsA
for cavils and sophistry which require no
refutation when addressed to persons who
really understand the subject 'Free
trade in ships" in broad and absolute
sense, is not what is meant, and
in order that the question may be
disembarrassed of injurious misconceptions
we will state the real views of those who
urge modification of the navigation laws.
The question is of immediate Importance in
connection with the impending war between
England and Russia. The merchant ships
of each will be subject to capture by the
war vessels and armed cruisers OF the other,
and will seek the protection OF other flags,
as our own merchant vessels did during the
civil war, when the Alabama and her COM
peers were securing all the seas in pursuit OF
merchant ships carrying the flag OF the
United States. The vessels of the belligerent
Powers will be sold cheap, MS ours were
during the civil war, and it is desirable that
American citizens should have chance at
the great bargains which will be offered.
Our navigation laws, as they stand, pre-
clude Americans from purchasing English
and Russian ships at a small fraction OF
their cost and obstruct our recovery OF
what we lost when the greater part of our
mercantile marine was transferred to Eng
lishmen for less than the value of the ships.
Why should we be prevented from getting
back what we then lost?
1t is not absolute free trade in ships that
is wanted for this purpose, but only sim
pie and very limited change in our naviga-
ton laws American registers are
given at present only to American
built ships Of exclusive American
ownership. What we advocate is only
repeal Of the clause requiring that The ships
shall be American built, leaving the require
ment of entire American ownership in full
force. English or Russian owners must not
be allowed to smuggle their vessels under
the protection of the neutral American flag
There must be an absolute change Of owner
ship The law which forbids an American
register to be given to any vessel in which
foreigners have any proprietary interest,
wholly or in part, must be maintained in
all its rigor, FORGETTING the vessel, as now,
for any Misrepresentation or prevarication
on the point of ownership, and making the
forfeiture as absolute in the case of mort
0f ind int
if the vessel avowedly had foreigners among
the persons who had pecuniary interest
in it. This great feature Of the present law
should not be changed ut all But when in
the stress of war and to avoid capture by
cruisers British ships come to BE- offered for
sale at half their real value, there is no good
reason why Americans should not have
their chance among the fortunate purchas-
ers. The proposition is not to give fright
ened British shipowners the protection Of
our flag, but to put Americans on level
with other neutral peoples in purchasing at
great bargains the property which British
shipowncrs will be forced to sell at tre-
mendous loss. If great bargains ara to be
made in merchant ships why should not
Americans have an equal chance in bidding
at forced sales of property below its real
value?
Tho granting of American registers to
foreign built ships of exclusive American
ownership would conflict with no real
American interest Our present shipowners
would not be interfered with, because the
purchased vessels would continue to per-
form under the American flag the same
voyages which they are now performing
under foreign flag. They would continue
to carry the same freights which they carry
ut present, and would, therefore, create no
new competition. What American ship
owner outside an asylum for the insane
can imagine that his business would be
INSTRUCTED by the sale of the Cunard
line to q New York Company? The
Cunard steamers would continue to do pre-
cisely the same business when sailing under
the American flag which they have hereto
fore done when sailing under the English
flag, and with no greater encroachment on
the profits Of American built ships. What
difference can any sane American shipowner
think it would make to him whether the
Cunard line wears the Stars and Stripes or
the Union Jack? 1t could carry no more
passengers or freight under the American
than under the British flag. and 1t is only
by what it carries for pay that it can inter-
fere with the business Of the present owners
of American ships. 1t is oil the same to these
latter whether the Cunarders are owned
by Americans or Englishmen, the business
in either case being one in which our
present shipowners are in no condition to
compete. They would, therefore, lose
nothing if the Cunard line should be pur-
chased by Americans and sail under the
American flag But while they could lose