The Portland daily press., 1880-10-07

7th-That all material entering into the
structon and repair of ships shall be admitted free
of duty when SO employed.
Sth-That we recommend Congress to take.early
action providing for the distribution of the balance
in the Treasury on account of the Geneva award.
w. H. Lincoln of Boston offered a resolu-
ton that the House hill, No. 1899, bill of
repeal and amend certain acts pertaining to
the shipment and discharge of seamen be re-
ferred to committee consisting of five ship
owners for consideration. Mr.. Lincoln adj
vocated the bill, claiming thht at present I'M
der existing laws seamen could not be dis
charged for any cause in foreign ports without
paying them three months wages, and
that this amount went into the pockets of
consus.
j. E. Burt of Boston proposed that Con-
gress be petitioned to amend the law relating
to admeasurement of vessels so that accommo-
datlons Tor officers and crew shall be exempt
from measurement or only such space as is
available for cargo be measured, Mr.. Burt
stated that this is the case with English YES
sells, and English steamers are allowed the
space occupied by machinery free from adj
measurement. As. a consequence they save
tol mage dues, lighter and harbor dues wharf
age and various other charges which our YES
sells are obliged to pay on this excess of tom
mage. 1t also accounts for English vessels be-
ing aDle 10 carry more cargo according to their
registered tonnage than our own vessels In
trade with the West India ports vessels pay
$50 tonnage dues per ton on their registered
tonnage; in Cuba and in Hayti $1.50 per ton
and even on this excess of tonnage it is quite
a serious matter on vessels making from four
10 hve voyages per year to those islands AS
the case now stands our government only al
lows space occupied by water closets and
galley exempt from admeasurement, measur-
ing everything else for the purpose of stimula-
ting the growth of our present small body OF
American seamen and to find employment for
many idle young men of our country.
Charles Lawrence of Philadelphia offered,
and the same was referred, a resolution that
the convention ask Congress to pass such laws
as will compel all masters of American vessels
to take apprentices on their respective vessels
in numbers in accordance with the tonnage of
their vessel.
Capt. Ambrose Swan, of New York, sub
mitted the following plan of change in the
laws of the United States:
Removal of all tax or duty materials entering
into the construction of vessels, and bonded ware
house system that will permit foreign trad
ing ships to, take their stores out Of bond;
permitting citizens of tbs United States to pur-
chase ships, both steam aud sail, and giving them
all he privileges OF ship built in this country
cept the right to navigate in the coasting trade;
bounty OF one dollar per ton per year for period of
ten years from the date of the passage of the law
on all ships, steam sail, engaged in the foreign
trade this bounty to apply only TO vessels built in
the United states; mail service to be the
special right of ships built and owned in the United
states, the compensation not to exceed the highest
price paid for like service by any other flag; such
modification of our laws governing consular charges
as shall not bind ship to pay a discharged seaman
in foreign port sum larger than the price of a
steerage passage to his own country if that country
is the United States.
John H. Boynton of New York offered the
following:
That we recommend to Congress the repeal of the
navigation laws as tar as they relate to Sregn
trade, and allow foreign built iron steam vessels to
be registered in the United States in bond and that
duty OF 90 per cent. be charged on all vessels of
foreign construction used in the coastwise trade
n inin ss1,o of low
respect to International trade is necessary and at
we recommend to Congress to revive the law of
1917 forbidding any foreign ship to bring cargo
to the United States except from a port of the
country to which it belongs.
This evening the Commercial and Merchants
clubs united in rendering to the delegates
banquet at Hotel Brunswick. The gathering
was noted for the number of representative
mems and the country at large including Capt
Ambrose Snow, Hon. Mr.. Stranahan, William
81. Webb, Seth Low, j. w. Ward, Stephen
Roach OF New York, John Roach and John
Price Wetherell of Philadelphia, E. c. Fitz,
John W. Gambler, Gen. A. P. Martin, Hon.
Royal NJ. Pulsifer, William H. Lincoln,
Frank N. Thayer, j. Henry Sears, A. L.
Coolidge. Previous to the banquet a reception
was held in the parlors where the merchants
and business men of the country met and ex-
changed cordial greetings
Seats for hundred and twenty-Six were
provided. each one of which had an occupant
Hon. E. c. Fitz called the company to order
and in few we'll chosen words extended a
most hearty and cordial greeting to the
visitors. BE was followed by Mr. Stranahan
who expressed the hope that the convention
would wisely look into the matters to come
before it and possibly bring from their deliber-
alton some plan by which the carving trade
might be restored to the country.
Henry Winsor of Philadelphia followed with
speech full of enterprise.
John w. Gambler, ex-President of the Com
mercial Club, spoke as a representative BUSH
ness man.
Capt. Ambrose Snow of New York follow red
in short speech deprecating the diminution
in importance of the shipping interests.
Short speeches of the same tenor were made
by H. A. Hill, Mr.. Adams of Cleveland, j.
2. Wetherell of Philadelphia, Mr.. Parsons of
Detroit and others.