The National tribune., 1881-09-03
American Shipping Interests.


time, and in fact, ever since the first years of
the Late war, its condition has been such as to
cause those who have the National interests at
heart to feel the deepest solicitude for its future
That we have no merchant navy worthy of
the name OF our greatness will doubtless be
admitted. In fact, the official records and the
debates in Congress since 1865 will show as much.
Our commerce. driven from the seas by the rebel
cruisers and ether incdentals of state of war,
has never regained the losses incurred during the
Rebellion, nor in fact has any decided effort been
put forth by the Government to build up and re-
establish it. 1t is true that from time to time
feeble attempts have been made to induce private
corporations and individuals 10 engage in ship
building; but while there has been a vast amount
of talking done by our National Legislators, no
substantial assistance worthy of note has been
rendered Therefore it is that to-day we find
our ocean carrying trade is being conducted
mostly in foreign bottoms and that even a con-
siderable portion of the shipments between dis
tant points upon our own coasts, and those of
contiguous countries, is made in foreign vessels.
This is a condition of affairs that ought not to
Ike permitted to exist for longer period than
that required in which to discover and apply a
remedy. The experience of the last ten years has
taught that private enterprise alone cannot
successfully, and therefore will not attempt to
compete with the established and prosperous
shipping nterests-the merchant navies of other
countries.
The teachings Of the past accepted, and the ap
propriate remedy suggests itself: the Govern
ment should offer such inducements as would
warrant American builders in undertaking the
construction of ships.
There can be no dispute TO what the effect
of Government aid would be- There is, however,
a difference of opinion to the policy or expe-
diency of subsidiary legislation. But subsidies,
in one shape or another have been granted rail-
roads, in which the General Government and the
American people, as u Nation have not a tthe of
the interest that would attach to tiIst-class
chant marine Then why not grant subsidies to
assist in building up the latter? Ry doing so,
we should not only secure a first-class fleet of
steam and sailing vessels for the carrying of our
exports abroad, and the bringing back in ex-
change the imports from other countries but, of
more importance still, We would have a magnii-
cent training school for the navy.
Our ships Of war. instead of being manned, as
now, by Turk and Russian, Pole, Fin, Norwegian,
e Il,
every nationality upon the globe, would draw
their crews from the merchant seryice-the hardy
men OF New England and Of our extended coast
line upon both sides of the continent; and in
case of a foreign war, in addition 10 cur regular
Navy, we could easily fit out multitude Of
cruisers from among the merchant vessels
upon short notice and at little cost What
ever glory we gained upon the during
our first contest with Great Britain gained
by men and vessels belonging properly to or
taken from the merchant service and the same
service contributed materially towards the bril-
liant achievements of our Navy during the war
of 1812-15 when We fairly covered the oceans
with swift sailing cruisers, although Of YES
sells proper we had scarcely score
In this connection, speaking OF our Navy as it
existed in 1914 and OF the British war navy of
to-day, writer in an English weekly says:
Suppose we went to var with America |
strongly suspect that those naval disasters we
experienced in 1914 through the Obstnacy and
stupidity of the English admiralty would be re-
peated At that time We had hundreds of ships
of war, while the Americans had about dozen.
OF course no one do ubted but that We should
soon sweep this miserable insignificant navy
from the surface Of the ocean; but when the
news reached home that the American frigate
Constitution had captured after short and
smart action, the English frigate Guerrero people
in England could hardly believe the report, and
when confirmed solaccd themselves with con-
sidering it a mere haphazard mischance that
could not be repeated. But tidings rapidly ar
rived of the defeat and capture of the British
ship of war FrOlic by the American Wasp; Of
the Macedonian by the United States OF the
Java by the Constitution; of the Peacock by the
Hornet and of other similar disasters. Thes;
could not all be ascribed 10 chance, but to some
cause that rendered American ships superiortO
our own. And this proved TO be the case. The
dozen vessels of war belonging to the United
States were constructed on an improved and
more modern principle than those with which
! they came in contact.
! And the writer might nave added Nithmore