Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-10-08
DOMESTIC.

DOMESTIC.
Convention OF shipOwners and Merchants.
Boston, October 7th.-At the Convention
of shipowners and merchants to-day, W. III.
Lincoln, from the committee to which was re-
| ferred the resolution and bill relating to the
shipment and discharge of seamen, reported,
recommending the passing of the bill with an
amendment providing that the first and sec
ond officers, as well as captains, of American
ships be Americans, making technical
change in the clause relative to the discharge
of seamen in foreign ports, and an amend
ment favoring the employment of apprentices
on ships of the United States.
John Roach, of Chester, Pa, gave his
views upon the present condition of the car
rying trade of the country, and the best way
to revive its former prosperity. After pay
ing his respects to Congress by saying it was
made up OF too many lawyers and not enough
merchants and business men, he came to the
question of subsidies, and said he hoped the
Government would never give cent to any
individual or private parties, but that sub
sides be broader, extending from Maine to
Texas, allowing all American shipowners to
share alike. He did not 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 the United
States Taxation and other burdens have
put it under foreign flags. Entering into the
discussion of ip-building in comparison with
that of locomotive building, he said every
thing that enters into the construction of
locomotives also enters into the construction
of ships. We build locomotives and send
them to all parts of the world.
H. Is IL d. L Il
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 out of bond free of duty.
when such goods are to be taken as stores on,
board any ship bound from a port in the
United States to foreign port, or to any
United States port on the Pacific ocean !;
that as property invested in shipping derives
its protection from the Government of the
United States, and as said property is SUBJ
iect to taxation by the Government, it should
be exempt from all local municipal taxation
by special act of Congress, deriving 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 to important for
eign ports, by the payment of proper sums
of money for the transportation of mails to
such lines as will render the most effective
service, and without such substantial aid such
lines, SO important to the progress and pros
perity of the nation, cannot exist in COMPETE
ton with the subsidized steam fleets of other
countries.
The discussion of the day was upon the
advisability of free ships, and William III.
Lincoln opened with long speech, in which
he took strong grounds in favor of putting
our shipping upon an equal footing, both as
regards original cost, expense of equipment
and support at sea, with that of foreign ma
tons. In 1850 there was carried in American
vessels near three-fold the amount taken by
foreign vessels, and in 1879 the position was
reversed. Ships and barks built in the United
States in 1855 numbered 3S1; in 1856, 800
in 1873, 81 in 1879, 81. 1t is most remark.
able that despite the boasts made that iron
ships can be built at the same price in this
country as upon the Clyde, that there is not
single iron sailing ship under our own flag.
While other nations are privileged to buy in
the cheapest market, we are excluded, and
for the purpose, we are told, of protect
ing American industry. The grain fleet
dispatched from New York last year mum m
bered 1881 vessels, carrying 102, 312 06S
bushels. OF the vessels, 1,075were steamers,
carrying AZ 426. 535 bushels, the remaining
1922 being sailing vessels, carrying 80, 891,-
033 bushels. ALI this tonnage included not
one American steamer, and only seven sail
ing vessels were American. 1t is estimated
that over 500 000, 600 per annum are paid to
foreign vessels for the transportation of our
produce. Give US ships as cheap as other
nations furnish them, and the same advan-
tages in regard to maintaining them,
persons fear that if any breach in
the wall of protection is effected
it will invite assault upon the whole tariff
system, but our shipping occupies different
position from all other interests of the coun-
try. Our vessels must be brought into COM
petition with those of every other nation, and
the desired changes relate only to our foreign
trade. The parties foremost in urging the
removal of restrictions upon navigation would
as earnestly oppose any measures that would
cause the great industries OF the nation to
suffer. Captain Osborn claimed that British
gold was largely used in this country for the
purpose of influencing and creating public
opinion favoring free trade in ships. He
charged that there is to-day foreign line of
steamers using the ports of the United States,
intending in case of o foreign war to put them
under the American flag.
Goss of Maine claimed that ne was the
largest wooden ship builder in the United
States, and expressed the opinion that this
was transition period, and that the present
laws, if left alone, would be all-sufiicient in
the future. He asked no favors of this or
any other country in the construction of
ships, and called attention to the circum-
stance that the agitation of the free ship
question was always most prominent when
England was threatened with foreign war.
H H. Adams of Cleveland defended the
protective tariff of the country, after which
the Convention ageeed to vote on the resolu-
ton tomorrow.
Indicted for illuminating a Witness.
RICHMOND Val October 7th.-The
Grand Jury of the United States Circuit
Court to-day brought in an Indictment
against VIM. II. Pond for corruptly en-
deavoring to intimidate j. p. Davis (colored)
in the discharge of his duty as witness in
the United States Court. Davis gave infor-
nation which led to the arrest of Pond on a
charge of selling whisky without license.
Pond then procured Davis arrest upon a
warrant in which he was charged with OBJ
tanning goods from colored man by false
pretenses. Davis was convicted, and sem
fenced to receive thirty nine lashes, and to
be imprisoned six months. The evidence
shows that Davis was whipped with very
great cruelty, his life for while |
being despaired of, and that he was
convicted by the magistrate without
hearing evidence of any kind, who declared |
to the prisoner at the time of his conviction |
that he would show him how to report gen. |
tlemen to the revenue officers. Davis, while |
in jail, was several times shot at, but by |
whom the evidence does not show. The party |
from whom it was charged that Davis stole |
says he never made any complaint, and that |
he always regarded Davis as a man of good |
character. Davis has been released, as petit |
larceny can only be punished by stripes by |
the law of Virginia, and the Grand Jury to- /
day indicted Pond for corruptly swearing out |
a warrant against Davis. with view to deter
him from testifying in the revenue case. 1t |
is expected that indictments will be found |
against other persons for completely with
Pond. The Grand Jury consisted of eighteen |
citizens. sixteen of whom are Democrats.
Bank Robbery In Colorado.
DENVER, October 7th.-The TriJane's Lake |
City special says: Barlow g. Sanderson's
coach, arriving here to night, was stopped |
zinh t rriles from town By two rnaskad man