The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-06-19
AMERICAN SHIPS.
SENATOR BLAINE's LETTER.
Reasons for the Decline in American
Commerce-Money Paid to Build
Up Foreign Lines-Subsi-
dies to Builders.
Blaine Speaks.

has addressed letter to the merchants
Of this city declining their invitation
to address the business men here on the
decay of American commerce, and the
means for promoting its revival.''
He detailed the circumstances under
which England took advantage of the
war of the rebellion to acquire our
commerce; that last year American
vessels carried only three hundred mil
lions of our twelve hundred millions Of
dollars of foreign commerce. In 1857
we carried five sevenths of all our ex-
ports and imports. Had we maintained
the footing of 1857 the increase of
commerce would have given American
ships over eight hundred millions.
Blaine does not favor repeal of nav
igation laws, and the admission of
foreign built ships to American regis
try as remedy; that would make us
utterly dependent on foreign powers,
even for our ships of war. 1t was
the navigation laws that trained men
for the emergency OF our great civil
war, when we were enabled at a mo-
nent's warning to furnish seven thou
sand good officers and ten times that
number of seamen,.to seal the ports of
the south, and to do some OF the bes t
and bravest fighting of the century.
The great British iron ships are built
at private ship yards, which owe their
origin and growth to the pecuniary aid
extended by the government, which
more than gets back its annual subsidy
IN the cheaper, more expeditions and
better work secured for its navy and in
repairs made. A less sum from the
national treasury in aid OF Individual
enterprise would build these yards at
various points from Eastport to van
eouver's Island. a less sum would
Duiid yards than would be saved to the
government Ill the better and cheaper
construction ana repair OF vessels OF
the navy.
III Is mistake 10 suppose That ior-
eigh countries are abandoning the SUD-
sidy system. This very year, besides
the iiperai allowance oil sea postages,
Engiahd Is paying S5,t0o,VOO, france
S4,oV,Voo' itMy sl,ooo,oVV, Austria
SooV,Voo, anu even iittie belgium SzVo,-
ooo, Durihg tne past tweiVe years the
ohiteu STATES paiu over three ana
i''ii lhiilions 10 foreign steamers Ior
hi'''i ser'ice, 50 that pes'ues anordihg
al opportunity 10 other governments
70 step IN ana Duiia up lines, we nave
thro"n In 1ew mlliions 10 ASSIST we
can pt'iia woodeh ships pe1ter thah any
o'her country ana us cheapiy' NO
iur'her aiu ID necessary except 10 re-
Quarantine exactlons' ana otherwise
nghOeh their taHaeioh. but IL we con-
tent ourselves Will WOODEN ships We
SURRENDER the larger nan ol the "orio >
eohiiherce. we must nave IRON s1ean-
ships besides, ana with the start thao
o1ner na'iohs ENJOY to-day we shali
heVer compete Win theni unless we use
tlie salne aus anu same ihstruinehtaii-
ties .lh't nave puilt lheir steahi neets'
anu ''''' a'o "ouiu give.
roi inS'anoe' eiiao' Il ID" .na. any
nan VI company WHO VIII ouiio III al
Ane,icah yaiu WIN AMERICAN iiaee-
rh'' py Aherican liecnalics' stea'n-
snip Vi tlree Thousand toiis, anu SAIL
nei iio,h any poi' VI Tue oni'eo '.i'e'
" an, io'e'sn po.'' no VI 'ney oman ~
'ei'e ioi nion.ny i'iio 'he man .'iio"'
anee u s"en'S -nso uoiiais i'ei ,i,ie pei
''na' i'i .'o s''ii'i's u's'"ioe D.'wooh
sno wv poi.s' ioi " seii,'-i',o''''iy iiho'
-h'e uoiiaas per naiie' ioi d "eeniy
no' seseiey-nNo uoii"i' poi io'
''no''u 1'io ''o"ne,9 . eN0eeu '''ioo .io'
'Ai 'o'' ,""ou 1A .n'
., sA' 10 -1-,s .n
."eo .no'S''n1 soi.,' s,',a Soiiospo,'ans
osi' Aeeps .a.ee 'no wins
90 o .ne .saso 800 '.a saas..s. s ;. ..;,a
~ ps'o'e 80 ''," 49, 49,. 40 40, pss synIs
~ 'u 20 ~ -. -. s.0 Ma,
~, -iAi, WIN. W. D -
..;I, % ~. - go ~ - 80
- ,a ~ an..s -. ~, - W.. 80 80 g., - 49,
ei n = po' w. o-' ' ~
a,u " 'u, Iiesn
~. ., s 'n nen. ~ "e " -. M
nI. WIN .-p' ."e
u