The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-10-12

American Commerce.
BOSTON, Oct. 7.-At the convention of
snip owners and merchants to-day W. 81.
Lincoln, from the committee to which was
IelerIea the resolution and bills relating to
the Shipment and discharge of seamen, re-
PoIsea recommending the passing of the bill
WIN an amendment providing that first and
second Officers, as well as captains, of Amer
can shlps, be Americans; making a change
IN the clause relative to the discharge of
seamen IN foreign ports, and an amendment
ships OF the United States.
John Roach, of Chester, Pa, gave his views
upon the present condition of the carrying
brade OF our country, and the best way to re-
YiVe us former prosperity. After paying his
respects TO congress by saying it was made up
OF TOO many lawyers and not enough mer-
chants and not enough business men, he
came to the question of subsidies, and SAID
ne hoped the government would never give a
cent TO any individual or private parties, but
that the subsidies would be broader, extend
ing from Maine to Texas, allowing all Amer
lean ship owners TO share alike. He didn't
want any subsidy himself, but the difficulty
was how to drive Great Britain out OF the
carrying trade. During the last ten years
$4,000 tons of shipping has disappeared from
United States taxation, and other burdens
have put it under foreign flags.
Entering into the discussion of ship build
ing in comparison with that of locomotive
building, he said that with everything that
enters into the construction of shipping, we
build Locomotives and send them to all parts
of the world.
At the conclusion of Roach's speech, a
committee of nine reported upon this rec
concentration, and the following resolutions
r were adopted:
: RESOLVED, That permission should be grant.
| ed to take goods of foreign production or
manufacture cut Of bond, free of duty, when
such goods are to be taken as shares on board
any ship bound from any port in the United
1 States to a foreign port, or to any United
i States port on the Pacific Ocean.
Resolued, That as property invested in
4 shipping derives its protection from the gov
ernment OF the United States, AMI as said
t property is subject to taxation by the govern
ment, it should be exempt from all local and
municipal taxation, by a special act of con-
gress. leaving the net income only subject to
such taxation.
the establishment and maintenance of Amer
lean lines of steamships built and owned in
The United States, from our W ports to I'M
portant foreign ports, by the payment Of
proper sums of money for the transportation
of mails, to such lines as will render most
effective service; for without such sub
~stantial aid such lines, so important to the
progress and prosperity of the nation, cannot
l. exist in competition with subsidized steam
fleets of other countries.
E. The discussion Of the day was upon th'
advisability of free ships, and William H
ID Lincoln opened with a long speech, in which
n he took strong grounds in favor of putting
E. our shipping upon an equal footing, both a
Is regards original cost, expense of equipmen
lie and support at sea, with, that of foreign ma
d. lions. In 1850 there was carried, in Ameri
at can vessels, nearly three-fourths of tn
amount carried by foreign vessels, and in tn
I'd year 1879 the position was reversed. Tn
IN number ofships and barks built in the Unite
ic States in 1866 was 3S1; in 1856, 306; in ls7s
81; in 1879, 81. 1t is most remarkable tina
despite the boasts made that iron ships ca
d. be built at the same price that they can o
ed the Clyde, there is not a single iron sailin
it. ship under our own flag. While other nation
nd are privileged to buy in the cheapest markt
90 we are excluded and for this purpose we al
ry, told of the protection of American industr.
on The grain fleet dispatched from New YnI
he last year numbered 2,9S7 vessels, carryir
lO2, 3l2, 56S bushels. Of these vessels, l.
were steamers, carrying 42,42G,535 bushel
nj the remainder being sailing vessels, carrylI
SO, S92, O33 bushels. All this tonnage include
not one American steamer, and only seve
ial sailing vessels were American. IL is esl
ed mated that one hundred million dollars p
for annuln are paid to foreign vessels for tt
Ter transportation of our produce. Give us shl
tut as cheap as other nations furnish them, al
ate the same advantages in regard to malntalnll
I'm them, and that is all we ask. Some tim
persons fear that if any breach in the wall
ne protection is effected it will invite assar
upon the whole tariff system; but, our shi
Cja rive oooupiae a diNprapt nDSitiOn from
other interests of the country. Our vesse
nel must be brought into competition with tho
en of every other nation, and the desired chang
relate only to our foreign trade. The partl
'ns who are foremost in urging the removal
Il. restrictions upon navigation would as ef
ar nestly oppose any measure that would eau
lal the great industries of the nation to suller.
:, a CAPTAIN Osborn claimed that British go
ler was largely used in this country for the pt
pose of influencing and creating public OPT
ad. ion tavoring free trade in ships. He Charg
ard that there is to-day a foreign line OF steame
50 using ports of the United States which a
op- building their steamers, intending, Ill case
.he foreign war, to put them under tie Americ
to flag. ,
EN- largest wooden ship builder in the init
the States, and he expressed the opinion that I
by is the transition period: and that the prese
ion laws, if lett alone, would be all-sulllcient
ght the future. liz asked no lavors OF This
del any other country in the construction
'ew ships. and he called attention to the clrcu
To- stance that the agitation OF the free-sh
question was always most prominent WI
England is threatened with Il foreign war.
Fl. Ii. Adams of Cleveland defended
protective tariff of the country, after WI
no. The convention agreed to vote on the ltso
mt, ton Tomorrow.
to
OnO Hancock Preferred by Lincoln.
10 New YORK, Oct. S.-The Er"niag E"rrI
Hi prints the Suhioincd interview with lian''
tes- to-day: 49,