New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-19

will only seek in every way TO lghen the burden OF
taxation on vessels. We can build wooden ships
hetter than any other country, ana we can bulId
them rs cheaply; hut after they are launched ana
i'm trade they should not be worried anu married ana
burdened with every form of taxation. port-charge
and uuarantine eXaction at home and maltfeated
aud oppressed as they too often are, by our cosuls
| in foreign ports. They shonld have every iacihy
! for supply in our ports that England gives 10 her
| ships Wooden ships will always be used so long
"a frees grow and winds blow, and they Will form
large resource to our country. Indeed II is almost
he only resource now have in foreign trade, ana
/ we should cherish the interest as one mterWoVrn
/ with our history and prosperity as q pe"pe'-hy
own STATE is more largely Interested than any other
/ in the Union IN the binding OF wooden Shps, ana
| If the specie basis can be firmly maintained the
United States and CANADA will furnish INC sailing
the currency and the loss OF the specie standard WIN
prevent the steady growth OF that valuable inter
! est Beyond all doubt that would prevent its re-
| viyal and increase. and would ultimately result III
| its total destruction in our country. -.
| But If we content ourselves with wooden sailing
eescls we surrender the larger half of the worlds
/ commerce without a struggle. We must nave IRON
! steamships BESIDES and with the start that DINER
nations enjoy to-day, we shall never compete WIN
| them unless We use the same AIDS and the same ~
str,msutalities that have built their steam fleets
Aud that aid would give. Ana to give IL elieclNey
/ and wisely would abandon all ldei OF granting
snbsidv 10 special lines they apply 10 Congress
! for aid That policy, however lust ana meritolous,
! will always be rendered abortNe Dy prejudice, ny
! iaalousy and by scandal ither actual or imputed.
/ vould prefer general law that should ignore n
divduals and enforce policy. For instance. enact
| that any man or company OF men VINO WIZ Duld III
| an American ward, with American maleilai by
American mechanics, a steamship Of 5000 tons ana
sail her from any port Of the United States 10 any
foreign port he or they shall receive Tor monthly
| line mail allowance of $50 per mile per ahnum
for the sailing distance between the TWO ports 1nf
| seIn-monthiy line $40 per mile; Tor weekly lne
| S,z5 per mile. Should the steamers exceed 3,OOO
/ IONS a small advance on these rates might he al
! lowed: if less than 5000 corresponding reduc-
! tion. keeuiug 5000 tons as the average ana tue
! standard Provide that the steamships shall be
! thoroughly inspected by a competent commission
under the direction Of the Secretary OF the treas
ury. the Secretary of the Navy ana tne Slmastot
/ General and thus insure the very first class con-
structIon for safety and for speed both for pa>Seh-
! ger and carro-If the price have named seems
! large for mal-pav | beg 10 suggest that our Post
! Once Department, without cavh or question, Is
paying larger sum per mile for weekly, forthiRhty
and monthly mails within our own territory mails
that carry fewer letters than these steamers would
carry. mails that carry with them none Of the lncic
! dental advantages which form the chlef NaIue OF
the steam lines under discussion.
| 1uE RESULT OF SUCH POLICY
| know there is a large and influential class in
the country who are utterly opposed to the policy
thus imperfectly outlined. But suppose they should
! consent TO make the experiment If no one should
take advantage of such an offer by the the Govern
| meDt. no harm would be done TO the Treasury. II,
! however. the lnducemeut should be sufficient to
awaken interest and develop enterprise all along
our coasts the result might be that lines of Ameri-
| can steamers would begin TO sail, not only from
| New-loTk, Philadelphia, Boston ana baitlmoIre'
! rur large Atlantic ports from NeW-OrleanS on tHc
! Cnlf and from San Francisco on the Pacific, hut
from Portland, Oregon, a. vel a. ilom f3rli lIl'
! Maine, from Providence, NeW-taNen, N0flOlh,
! wilmington. Charleston, Savannah, Mopie anu
Galveston! Three, or even four mIlllons pei an,
! uun might possibly be called for, and mat womb
/ ,n1uv twcut V-ye or thirty lines of steamers run
/ ming from ports OF the United states 10 western
| Europe to the Meditcrranean, ana 10 Aillca, 70
| ASIA, 10 Australia and 10 South America 10 tHo
/ West Indies and to Mexico.
! Such a trade these lines would develop WoulI
give TemmeratNe employment I, lIle CAPITA, aIu'
what is far better, would give worn "I go"I va
10 idle hands. 1t would build up great shlp-Nards
on the tidal rivers of the Atlantic. ana Womd soon
demonstrate to the most skeDlical lhaJ We sH"uIu
/ find qs England has fOuud that such expenditure
| of money comes back To us IN pront, both dlftc6
and indirect in the saving OF cost ia naval outlay,
i'm tho education OF the best class of American sea-
men. in the large and generous employment o.
! American mechanics, IN the acllVe ahu hohOI!ipic
! and profitable employment OF American capital
The Athenlan max M Ias laughU Us tildU We 10 nSt
feed hay to sheep III order 70 get PACK nay, Out 40
get back wool. In the present case tue SMALLEST ol
! heritage would return 10 Us the Golden Fleece
Among the numbeTiesS advantages WMch gen
cral law would possess over special ald to selected
cism growing out OF the Constitutional inhibition
that "no preference shall he given to the ports OF
one State over those of another" congress mas
never adiudged that aiding particular line OF
mall-steamers contTavenes this provision, nor 90
believe IT does but still 1t would undoubtedly DC
the wiser policy To offer even ana exact lSlce 10
| all to the end that no such objection could nave
Judgment in the minds of the people of any section
| In expressng this preference for general law l
mean no reflection on the effort made TO eNlehu
help to the Brazilian line, 80 energeucaIiy Set 2nat
| by Mr.. John Roach. SO far from tnat, thhh hI'
Eoacb's enterprise that deserves 10 be alued,
and it was a source OF regret TO me that CONGRESS
declined 10 pass bill to encourage II. Our heGh-
| bors in the Dominion of Canada have decided, after
our refusal to extend ard, that theY would Try 10
| iii our Dlacc and have voted for a line from Halifax
! TO Rio Janeiro much larger sum than Mr.. Roach
asked from our Government. Those opposed 10 MI;
Roach during the tendency III Congress OF the Dill
to aid the Brazilian line were III the hablt OF Heciy
ing that enterprise and sneerng at ITS pr,Jectof
! Mr. Roach rs a self-made man, mechanic framed
! to hard work who by his skill his talent and ms
energy has done much for bis country. In me IasG
seven years. covering the period OF depression ana
financial distress, he has built forty-sX iron steam
| ships has gwen employment to 2,5oo mechanics
| and has expended in cash for American labor ana
! American material more than SlIoOO,OOO. men
NAV sneer at him as snbsldy-hunier bat the facts
will show that he was risking millions IN bulidlns
| m an American steam marine where the Govern
| ment was asked to advance hundreds and that IN
doing so he was blessing many househod' WIN
fbe privilege of earning far days wages Tor iair
| DAYS work. Those who have paid two ana haI
millions year SIS, 900 day for seven consecutive
| vears-to the workiugmen OF the United states may
! 1ossibIv afford sheer at MIR. Roach To others |
commend silence in the presence OF the great WORK
| done by this treless. unselfSh and honest man.
| SUPREMACY OR DECAY.
| It is not denied that steamship built IN the
limited States costs somewhat more than one built
in England. But the difference is not great. 1t
does not exceed s. or at most 10 per cent and this
! excess of cost arises wholly from the better wages
| paid TO the American mechanic and laborer. And
this difference is really not great obstacle Giving
twenty years as the life of steamer 1T Is less than
one-haf per cent per aDnum on her cOst ana thaI IN
! n very small drawback compared to the numberess
advantages OF home construction. Nor can II iall
To be noted that the argument for free ships applies
with equal force 10 the free admission OF an dutaDe
articles which are not exclusively on the revenue
basis Why not have free cOttons and Tree WoolleDs
and free silks and free irOn and free steel and Tree
cutlery and free fabrics Of all kinds, now manu-
| featured by tens of thousands of busy hands at
! home but many Of which may possibly be bought
! nj - lower price in fOreg countries There are