The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-02-16
Shipping Interest.
A LUMBER PROPELLER.

A LUMBER PROPELLER.
Drew q Bucki, associated with Capt.
j. II. Woodhouse, are just finishing a
steam propeller in this city, to be en-
ployed in the southern lumber trade.
| The vessel is 80 feet keel, :}3 feet beam,
and II feet hold The hold is clear from
| bow to bulk head, where it is partitioned
| off for the boiler and engine room. The
| boiler and engines are placed in a re
| markedly compact manner, right at the
stern. The engines are lSlX20, and are
worked by either high or low pressure.
| In addition to this there is provided an
| auxiliary engine, double cylinder, to use
| for taking in cargo and raising anchor, or
| sails There are three masts. with full
| schooner rig, just the same as if there
| were no propeller about it. The cabins
are neatly and comfortably finished, SO
| that they can accommodate Il very few
| passengers. All the hauser- tanks, etc,
are on deck. The matches are large to
facilitate the reception or discharge of
lumber, and there are large bow ports,
so that, lying head on, timber can be
run rapidly in, and passed along ways
provided for its reception. They expect
to bring lumber from their mill to the
yard here, making the distance in five
days, six at the outside. This will ena-
Die them to fill special orders as agreed,
and promptly. They look upon it us an
experiment, and if successful, will soon
construct more of the same sort. This is
the first of the kind in this port. and for
ocean navigation. American Ship.
DECLINE OF AMERICAN SHIPPING
The rapid decline of our shipping is
strikingly shown by the maritime statis-
ties of the port Of Amsterdam, which are
given in a late publication of the State
Department. Consul Eckstein writing
from that city, says that up to the LIST Of
November last year only two American
vessels had arrived there, and it was eN-
tremely improbable that any more would
be entered. Referring to the records Of
his office he finds tina as far back as 1923
when we were in our infancy as Il nation,
the American flag was carried by one
hundred and tive ships to the same port.
During 1880 there were only ten vessels
entered, and in 1881, as we have said ,
barely two. This exhibit is all the more
humiliating when it is contrasted with
the magnificent showing of five hundred
and siXtY-siX British vessels entered in
the single year of 1880 The absurd leg
islatiOn of Congress is one of the principal
causes of the decay of our commerce. If
our lawmakers had planned to drive the
American flag from the ocean they could
not have succeeded more etfectuall,.
PORT CHARGES At SAN FRANCISCO.
1t costs moderate fortune to get a good
sized ship in and out Of the port Of san
Francisco. A steyeiore OF that city gives
the following schedule Of what is paid bv
the captain Of a ship Of 900 tons regis
ter: ToWage. in and out, : 300 pilot
age, ditto, 1913; stevedore, charges for
unloading ,. 100 tons, SS95 loading >,
100 tons. SS43: consigned commission,
l,S00: quarantine officials. 800: al
vance money to crew, 81 300; water
cent per gallon, SIS butcher bill, in
port, $500; wharfage, $500: Surveyors
fees, $50; clerks fees, $50: tonnage
dues, $500; lumber, for dunnage. stow
ing cargo, Get, $500; total, =. 1876 An
other stevedore furnishes almost the
same figures, and says a fair estimate Of
a ships expenses to come into san Fran
cisco, discharge, take in cargo and get
out, would be about s. per ton. Such
port charges are out of all reason. and it
is ashame that the eXtortion is permitted.
The charges for tonnage and pilotage
are particularly oppressive.
A FREE SHIP FALLACY.
The New York Herald wants Congress
to pass 1.-THE bill Of Representative Far
well, OF Illinois, allowing American capt
talists to purchase abroad steel or iron
steamships to be employed exclusively in
the foreign trade" 1t is beyond com
prehenson how this stupid biunder keeps
going the rounds. There is no law now
and none ever existed that was against
purchasing these articles abroad, or bring
ing them here. The little matter Of the
flag is what seems to trouble folks. But
what advantage would there be in
change to the stars and stripes While tax
alton in this country is to that abroad as
fifteen to one? And while this remains
nobody would buy foreign ship for reg
istry here if he could.