The Portland daily press., 1880-10-08
OUR COMMERCE.
Second Day Of the Commercial
Convention.
CAUSE OF THE DECLINE OF
THE CARRYING TRADE
DISCUSSED.
Free Ships Strongly Advocated and
Opposed.

Boston, Oct. I'm the Shipping Conven-
tion this morning Mr. w. H. H. Lincoln, from
the committee to which was referred the reso-
luton relating to the shipment and discharge
of seamen, reported, recommending the pas
sage of the Clatiin bill with an amendment
providing that first ard second officers as well
as captains OF American ships should be
Americans. A technical change is made also
i'll the clause relative to the discharge of sea-
men in foreign ports, and an amendment add
ed favorng the employment OF apprentices on
American ships
Joel Cook of Philadelphia suggested that
while the convention was waiting for the re-
poIt from the general committee on resolutions
John Roach of Chester, Pa, might utili re the
time by giving his views upon the present con-
dition of the carrying trade of the country.
Mr.. Roach expressed the opinion that prac-
tical suggestions from the convention would
find ready acceptance in the halls OF Congress,
and after reviewing the history of the rise and
fall of American commerce proceeded to
speak of the replacement of American ship
ping by that of England, estimating that 600-
900 tons of American shipping had been thus
displaced. He opposed the movement for free
ships saying that the effort in this direction
originated in Great Britain during period
when greenbackS were at discount and
claiming that the buying of ships in England
at that time would have been disastrous
speculation for Americans. Mr.. Roach
touched upon the resolution offered by Mr.
Lincoln OF Boston, proposing a law restrict
ing the use of ships bought abroad to foreign
trade and said that in his belief such provis-
ion of law would be pronounced unconstitu-
tional by the Supreme Court at. first sight.
He defended the position taken by himself
during the discussion of the matter Of free
trade in ships, denying that it was at odd with
the great interests of American ships. He We
bemautlv onpoSpd the GRANTING nj uhsi6ips nv
the general government and said that lack of
confidence in shipping interests on the part of
capitalists was, in his belief, the bottom cause
of all complaints in regard to American COM
merce. He believed that active competition in
this line of business would prove quite as
profitable as in any other business operation.
American shippers had neglected to keep
abreast OF their foreign competitors in supply
ing facilities for foreign trade. He instanced
the trade with Brazil to illustrate the lack of
facilities furnished by American shippers as
compared with those Finished by shippers of
England He was in favor of a system of sub
sidieS in advancing postal facilities by giving
chance for equal competition in foreign mail
service He spoke of the misrepresentation
of his business transactions that were eontinu-
ally appearing in print1and denied the truth
of large proportion of them. He claimed
that other matters than the mere cost of mate
rails entered into the expense OF shipbuilding,
credit of capitalists proposing such ventures
being one notable event. He claimed that fire.
quent application was made to him for esti-
mates for ships in such indefinite terms as to
make close figures impracticable, and then these
very estimates were produced i'll print as an
argument to show the excessive cost of ship
building in this country. When definite plans
were furnished him he rarely failed to meet
the demand of capitalists in shipbulding in
terests. In regard to the disappearance of
American tonnage from the seas the tonnage
of the world was stated at 49, 554 ships of A.
379.439 tons; 5462 of these being steamships of
5,554,797 tons burden. The wooden ships
which America can build cheapest is the class
of ships for which; there is the greatest
use. Three times more steamships are owned
in America to-day than before the war not
withstanding their expense. The system of
taxation on the commerce of the country was
in his belief the root of the difficulty now be-
ing experienced by American shippers. The
difficulty of concentrating capital in this
country was, in his belief, another serious OBJ
stacle in the way of recess in American ship
ping operations and English capitalists while
willing to invest in shipping operations under
the English law, very naturally hesitate about
risking their means under the almost prohibit
tive taxation laws of this country. He estimated
the difference in cost of shipbuilding
in this and foreign countries at from
to 10 per cent while the rates
of taxation on ships in foreign trade was
y per cent. per year, rate quickly exceeding
the slight difference in cost of construction.
He made comparison of the amount of cap
ital invested in the rolling stock of the rail-
roads OF this country as compared with the
amount invested in shipping OF other countries,
his argument going to show that the great ex-
cess OF the former over the latter paoved that
the hue and cry about expensive labor was
without reason, the same materials entering
into the construction of ships and locomotives
and cars.
In estimating the value of the export trade
to the country the speaker contended that but
one tenth OF American products went out of
the country so that the balance of interest was
III favor OF such national action as shall SuS-
tain the workingman of this country and ell
able him to pay for nine-tenths of the con-
sumption OF these products. The speaker
claimed that the same policy that built loco
motives for America built ships for England
The fight for supremacy on the seas now en-
ioyed by England should not be entered upon
without close examination of the opposition
liable to be encountered. The necessity which
has compelled England to gain this supremacy
will lead the English people to defend their
interests at all hazards, the sea being its high
way between it's manufactures and the con-
suiners of these manufactures. In closing Mr..
Roach gave an account of the difficulties which
now exist in relation to this ountry and Bra
I'll and gave an account of his personal expert
enccS In this line of operation. The protection
OF the shpbuilding interest by the present law
was in his belief necessary to enable the coun-
try to provide itself with navy. The conclu-
sion OF Mr.. Roachs speech was greeted with
prolonged applause.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Roachs speech the
committee of nine reported, and upon their
recommendation the following resolutions
were adopted:
That permission should be granted to take goods
of foreign production or manufacture our of bond
nee OF dutywhen such goods are to be taken as
stores on board any ship bound from port in the
United States to foreign port or to any United
States port on the Pacific ocean.
mat as property invested in shipping derives its
from government of the United States
and as said property is subject to taxation by the
government it should be exempt from all local and
unclpal taxation by special act of Congress leay-
ing the net income only subject to such taxation
That the government assist in the establishment
and maintenance of American lines of steamships
built and owned in the United States, from our own
ports 10 important foreign ports, by the payment of
proper sums of money for the trans portation of
mails to such lines will render the most efficient
service and without which such substantial aid such
lines SO important to the progress and prosperity of
me nation cannot exist in competition with sub
'ldles to the steam fleets of other countries.
The discussion of the day was upon the ad-
disability of free ships and William H. Lin
,oln OF Thayer & Lincoln opened with a
engthy speech, in which he took strong
grounds IN favor of putting our shipping upon
Va equai Iootlng, both as regards original cost,
expense OF equipment and support at sea, with
nat OF foreign nations. In support of his ar
sument he said that it was fact that must
not be overlooked that England and France
nave caused to be established and maintained
important lines of ocean steamships by a well
arranged system of subsidies, included in
which is provision for the transportation of
nails. During this period our country has
been taking rapid strides in other directions.
10 illustrate the decline and the time it has
occupied, he gave the following statement of
our exports and imports taken in American
md foreign vessels in the years enumerated:
Years. In American Vessels. In Foreign Vessels.
l850......... $39, 100000 $4,000 90
1850. ........ 507, 900 900 255 600 DOC
ST.. Boz, 900 900 638OOO,oOO
-oT9...... .272, 600, 900 Oil 100000
Continuing he said that while these figures
prove the serious decay of our shipping inter
sts they show the increase in trade of the
country. The latter is as gratifying as the
ormer is humliating. 1t will be noticed that
n 1850 there was carried in American vessels
nearly three fold the amount that was taken
" foreign vessels, and that in 1879 this was re-
'ersed so that our vessels only carried less than
ne-third as much as was taken by foreign
hippng. At thu present time 50 per cent. of
he tonnage OF the country is employed in
oastwise trade. The coastwise and inland
nffb a l,no