The Portland daily press., 1880-09-08
BOARD OF TRADE.
Delegates Chosen to the New Eng.
land Convention.
THE sHIPBu1LD1NG OF MAINE.

An adjourned meeting of the Board of Trade
was held yesterday morning, at IL O'clock to
see about sending two delegates to Boston to
attend the National Convention of Shipbuild-
ers and Shipmasters in that city on October
9th, to be held in aid of our ocean commerce.
There was very small attendance at the
meeting. President Anderson called the meet
ing to order and Secretary Rich read the CALL
Capt Charles Merrill was elected q member
Of the Board
Mr.. I. G. Hersey said Maine was in favor of
doing all it could to aid shipbuilding, and was
opposed to free ships. Such was the case as
evidenced at the meeting of the National
Steam Navigation Company, and at the last
meeting of the National Board of Trade.
Mr.. Rogers, of Bath, came to hear rather
than speak. He was disappointed at the SLIM
ness of the meeting.
Capt j. S. Winslow was opposed to free
ships but said we want to unite on some meas
ure that will benefit our shipping. He hoped
Maine would send delegation to Boston to at
tend the National Convention.
Gen. Anderson had thought our people
would take some action of a positive nature,
even it were in opposition to free ships. Some
action should be taken in Congress for the relief
of our shipbuilding interests in reference to
tonnage dues, compulsory pilotage and the
tariff, and our representatives should urge
these things in Congress, and Names influ-
ence should be exerted in these matters in the
Boston Convention. These are vital questions
to American commerce.
Capt. Winslow said one important matter
that had been brought up i'll the New England
Association was that requiring three months
pay should be left with the consul in a foreign
country when seaman was discharged on ac-
count of the liability of crews to desert. That
is law we want repealed, because most of our
crews are foreigners and it is an extortion.
Then there is the wire rope matter now be-
fore the New England Shipowners Association,
and the tonnage Dues
Mr.. Rich said the measures for the relief of
American shipping will probably have to come
up in some other way before the convention.
The principal matter in the convention will be
the question of admittance of foreign ships to
our registry. There are two views held ON this
subject even in Maine; one that it will ruin
our coasting trade. 1t seemed as if the dele
gates to the convention should be fairly repre-
sented from both sides, and they should pre-
pare the details of the argument to be present.
ed there. Our business here is simply to select
two delegates to represent the Board in that
convention.
Capt. Ryan was glad to see this cry of relief
from distress coming up. Every other inter-
est keeps up an agitation until Congress helps
it. With shipbuilders, no. 1t is every one for
himself and the devil take the hindmost. At
meeting at Bath some time ago Mr.. Patten
said movement took place at Kennebunk
and the people there got meeting at Portland
on the subject of relief but little was done un-
til the New England Association of shipbuild-
ers and ship owners was formed in Boston
There is great deal of talk about shipbuild-
ing depression. look back to the United
States and Hanseatic treaty when the carrying
trade of this country was open to the ships of
Hamburg, Lubec and Bremen and they recip-
rocated with the trade of their individual cit
les. Then Norway and Denmark and the Ital-
ian states, all sought such treaty because they
saw the advantages it held out to them. What
was the result. We enriched the shipbuilding
ports of those countries. This was the begin
AAiiA5 VI Jul ooiAoWo. ~ was uOt tuc TcSulb Vi
the war that caused it. Then again hose for
eign ships are managed differently from ours.
Our mercantile laws are managed differently.
Capt. ,Winslow thought the shipping com
missioner act great injury and should be re-
pealed.
Capt. Rogers thought differently, and that if
the commissioner demanded blood money of
$50 man in San Francisco, according to Capt.
Winslow's statement, he should be removed.
If the act was carried tout in good faith he
thought it would result favorably, but it was
not.
Mr.. Hersey moved a committee of three to
select two delegates to attend the convention
at Boston. T. G. Hersey, Capt. Washing ton
Ryan and Mr.. James f. Farmer were ap-
pointed said committee They reported the
names of J. S. Winslow and Washington
Ryan as delegates, to represent this board.
Any vacancy the delegates will FILL
Mr.. Farley from the committee in reference
to successor to Gen. Myer as head of the Sig
nal Service, offered the following resolution
which was adopted
Resolued, That in the opinion of the Port
land Board of Trade the selection of sue
cessor to the late Chief Signal officer Gen.
Myer should be made on the ground of fitness
alone without regard to seniority of service or
military position.