The Portland daily press., 1880-10-09
OUR COMMERCE.
Closing Session Of the CONNER
cial Convention.
FREE TRADE IN SHIPS CON-
DEMNED.
Congress Asked to Give a Bounty
81 to American Shipowners.

Congress Asked to Give Bounty
81 to American Shipowners.
Boston, Oct. S.-The National Commercial
Convention was called to order at 10 O'Clock.
Discussion on the free ship resolution was re-
sumed, each delegate being limited to ten
MINUTES.
John FL. Boynton, of the New York Mari
time Association, argued in favor of the en-
actment of navigation laws which would af-
ford all the protection needed If such laws
need of subsidies. With such laws American
ships would be built and would control the
carrying trade of the world. Protection has
increased the balance of trade against us S72,-
0OO,000, while legislation in the direction OF re-
moving such tariff would give us an export
trade that would add S144 ,000, 900 to our wealth
annually.
w. W. Bates, of the Buffalo Dry Dock AS
ISOLATION, favored the passage of an act by
Congress providing for duties to be paid by ali
vessels not built or owned in the United States
when they shall apply for clearance, the as
sessment of such dues to be at a rate to be
fixed by law.
Nathan Crowell. of the Boston Board of
Trade, spoke in favor of allowing foreign built
steamers to run under the American flag;
be entirely lost. Hitherto he had been opposed
to free ships, but having come to realize the
present alarming state OF our commercial ma
rne he had changed his views.
John p. Wetherell of Philadelphia, spoke
earnestly in favor of subsidies and against
town and State taxes on shipping. He was of
the opinion that navigation laws could rot ad-
vance or hinder the progress of American
commerce to such an extent as has been
claimed. 1t was his belief that the payment
e oh, k..l a., 1T
Government during the last fiscal year had a
greal deal to do with the success of England
! IA securing the carrying trade of the world
Sailing expenses vary fully 500 month be-
/ tween English and American ships, the differ
ence being in favor of England, and affording
in this single item profit to English capital
lists. With all his anxiety for American ship
ping, he favored a repeal of home taxation on
shipping capital rather than subsidy from
thegeneral government. He did not believe
America1 capital could find profit in foreign
shipping, nor did he believe that agitation for
national aid to this interest came from those at
present engaged in this branch OF trade.
j. P. Townsend of the New York Produce
Exchange, favored asking the Government to
pay bounty of 10 per cent. on the cost of con-
struction, or such sum per ton as shall be
equal thereto, to shipbulders, on all vessels
built by them in the United States, and that
citizens of this country may be permitted to
buy vessels of foreign construction to be used
in foreign trade and place them under the
American flag on payment of duty of 10 per
cent.
Henry Winsor, of Philadelphia, opposed
free ships. He thought it would not be COM
plimentary to American shipbuilders to allow
foreign built iships to be engaged in foreign
trade under the American flag.
William FL. Webb, of the New York Cham
Der OF Commerce, reviewed the existing situa-
ton and progressed as a remedy the removal Of
taxation on shipping, bounty of five dollars
per ton on American built ships engaged in
foreign trade, subsidies to American ships en-
gagged in the mail service, remittance of du-
ties on materials entering into the construction
of American vessels, naval contracts by Gov
eminent to native shipbuilders using navy
yards merely as rendezvous for ships, and en-
actment Of laws for the protection of Ameri-
can ships and shipping.
John A. Ordway, OF the Boston Merchants
Association, favored Substituting American
ships for foreign trade.
H. X. Miller, of the New York American
Exchange, favored free ships.
Seth Low, of A. A. Low & Bro, New York,
said the real question was the substitution of
steam for sail, and what we must do was to
put steam vessels upon the ocean. The histo-
ny of sailing ships had been already written.
One of Epgland's great advantages was her
banking institutions which dotted the world
while hardly b, anch of an American bank
could be found outside the limits of the United
States. He paid hearty compliment to John
Roach, saying it was his fathers opinion as
we'll as his own that there was no man in this
whole country to whom the shipbuilding and
commercial class owed SO much as to that man
who, single handed and alone, was determ-
med that he would have an American steam.
ship line upon the ocean no matter what it
cost him.
This statement called forth loud applause,
and Frank fl. Thayer proposed three cheers
for Mr. Roach which were given Mr. Low,
90 caj1 hat xvh wa had fon Lob
Reaches i'll this country we would have an
ocean commerce. The speaker stated that he
was opposed to the purchase Of ships abroad.
The cheapnesS of money, navigation of ships,
their original cost and their use were elements
that entered into the shipping business.
Cheapness of money was now doing
much for us. We used to think
seven per cent. was low rate of interest, bu
we are more accustomed to talk now of three
per cent. There were many Determinations
against us in the navigation of our ships. We
are compelled to carry a life saving apparat
costing double what the English carried. We
certainly ought to compel English ships to
come up to our laws, or if we were unneces-
sarily stringent we ought to relax and give our
merchants the same privileges with them. A
gentleman connected with Philadelphia line
had told him that their vessels were inspected
by a board on every trip before leaving an
English port, and even the slightest defect
had to be repaired, and vessels were put to all
possible OelayS anu aHuOydnC0S, anu YET
White Star line steamer could leave New
York with only one blade in her screw and no
one in the United States could interfere. He
was not in favor of repeal of the navigation
laws nor yet of the proposition to ask for
bounty of so much ton. They had got to
they could work effectively. He was in favor
of the compromise substitute which proposed a
tax of ten per cent on foreign built vessels.
That was difference of twenty per cent in
favor of American built vessels, and the differ
ence of cost, as Mr.. Roach himself said, was
only ten per cent. He believed the day for the
revival of our ocean marine was nearer than
was thought.
Several amemdments were offered to the
resolution, but all We're voted down, and the
resolution as reported by the committee was
adopted, which is as follows:
Results have clearly and forcibly shown that u1-
der the present condition of affairs our shipping
cannot prosper or even maintain itself in competi
ton with the navigation of 9th MAJ thine peoples.
therefore we call upon the Government to aid the
restoration of our commerce by granting bounty
of - per ton for sail tonnage and - per ton for
the passage of this act this to apply only vessels
engaged in the foreign trade and not exceeding if
teen years of age. s.
The members of the convention went on
trip down the harbor in the afternoon.
The delegates returned from the excursion
down the harbor at 5 o'clock and the session
was resumed at o'clock. ss Is
The convention having expressed its decided
opinion in opposition to free ships and against
advising the repeal of the navigation laws,
proceeded to the consideration of other mat
tiers.
A resolution offered by Washington Ryan
of Portland, was adopted in the following
form:
That as foundation for all measures proposed
relating to ocean commerce and general navigation
interests of the country this convention petition
Congress to establish a department of commerce to
be presided over by separate cabinet officer, and
that Congress assume and exercise the powers
granted by the constitution to regulate commerce
through that department.
The resolution Off. Edward Burt of Bos-
ton, in effect that Congress be petitioned to
amend the law relating to admeasurement of
vessels so that accommodations for officers and
men shall be exempt from measurement or
only such space as is available for cargo be
measured and that the English laws for adj
measurement of both steam and sailing vessels
be adopted so that American vessels will be
placed upon an equal footing with vessels of
that nation, was amended by W. W. Bates of