Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-06-30
Well Meant Plafitndes.

wen meant Ilhtktuutes
Mr.. Secretary Hunt recently addressed
the naval cadets at Annapolis, and among
other things took occasion to say: cit
will be your Office to protect In foreign
countries our own commerce and all
who may gratefully thank God they are
American citizens"
Time was when the expressions above
quoted w,uld have possessed dignity
and significance that would be appre-
ciated at home and abroad. Now,
though coming from the lips of the hon.
Orable Secretary of our Navy, they are
robbed of any import they possess by the
stern logic of fact. For, of truth,
American commerce is more mythical
than actual, and whatever dignity once
inhered in American citizenship it is by
no means in our day passport to safety
in foreign lands.
The moral effect of the wholesome
lesson taught by Ingraham in the memoir
able case of KoZta has been entirely lost
in the supreme indifference with which
the State Department has viewed the
numerous encroachments made upon the
rights of German-American citizens who
have ventured to set foot in Fatherland.
Stronger evidences of this disuse of the
old time vigilance might be derived from
the history of our diplomatic relations
with Great Britain during the past
fifteen years. Moreover the high-handed
proceedings of certain Spanish officials,
which went practically unrebuked, ire
spective of other evidences, establish
that the Secretary's reference to Ameri-
can citizenship is a well meant but mean
ingless platitude
Now as to his remarks in reference to
protecting American commerce. Our
Consul General in Egypt tells story
that shows the utter uselessness of the
American flag as protecting agency in
that quarter, when he reports that out
of all the tonnage that passes through
the Suez canal not single vessel flies
the American ensign. From China,
South America and elsewhere the few
appearances of the stars and stripes are
the exceptions that prove the rule of its
absence.
From 1851 to 1860 the annual average
of ships and barks built for our foreign
commerce was 233. From 1871 to 1880
the average fell to Sc. During 1880
% ships were built The tonnage of
iron vessels built in this country in the
past five years amounted to but 101, 1928
tons, for the coastwise trade mainly,
where foreigners cannot compete. Great
Britain in the same time built 1900, 1893
tons. The report of the Chief of the
Bureau of Statistics, from which these
figures are taken, states that the iron
steamers now building in Great Britain
for the trans Atlantic trade would, if
placed in line, extend mile.
The total tonnage of the United States
engaged in the foreign trade in 1860 was
ass, 1896. In 1880 it was 1914. 4O2.
Since 1856 there has been an increase of
tonnage of every nationality, except
American, engaged in our foreign trade.
Every one of them, from British to Rus
sian, increased; American decreased.
In 1856 American constituted II per
cent. of the total tonnage entered in our
port; in 1880 but 81 per cent. was
American. In 1880 the total value of
products carried IN American vessels was
only little more than half as great as
in 1850; that in foreign vessels was
nearly six times as great. The value of
the goods transported was more than
double that of the goods of 1860.
These figures are eloquent in attests-
ton of the stupidity, unwisdom. or
whatever else it may be styled, that has
marked the course of the National As
sembly towards our commerce under
Radical auspices. The years go by and
nothing is done to call halt to the de-
cadence of American commerce, and
there seems little likelihood that any
thing will be done in this generation.
The young cadet was, doubtless, fired
at the Secretary's outburst, but by the
time be comes to tread the quarter deck,
as things are going, he will not put him
self out of his way to look for an Ameri-
can ship that may need the protection of
his guns Our noble tars have soft
berths now and they are likely to grow
/ softer with time.