Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-12-19
EASTERN NEWS.
,vrss DISPATCHES.


Bh1pps"S' :.
-. Dec. 17.-The majority
unmselos;c, ;c;rt committee to inquire
Sfof the Jon ;nn and wants OF Amer
%.S;nbniIding ana .a snips ,bs causes o,
teeX 70 investigate sr;c,n sls O" fors;or "
9 dseline, ,s,ss. I. was completed yestet' M
sring J .issp sary exhaustive on the suo !i
-, md : sIs yel. statements and Stats
q Valuau,. the report and furnish
8 scconpaautsa aautsatement of the condition
nsdequsse n merchant marine lr
~ tis,.;op and coast trade ,rn1o aMo 1s4o M '9 to
ttsnsss,adina ss 1882. The repoa, a,so
- inciGS;s inca;st;cs Of our foreign carrying
~ dss,s'n canses for its decline, ano
I'D, tne he overcome. In regard
6sa,nsM.s the report says: D..
~ lssse! ,r;ro what remedies foI
In cons'an condition Of our carrying
= p,s within the reach ieg OF ieg' 70 aS'l, ths
- .s.ous that the diiilcu,.y .ha Ha facs sue
rsb,sn n'spd y has had more than quar-
~ Ens..nrv's start of rs IN WORKING
Nd . an's~n,shensive and ingenious
ms ha o,II;iSino up her merchant
rdig o. dIovsd in the foreign trade,
80; ;,a and steel began 70 fev"aa,,un ,v;se nav
~ s,nortation. However w WISE snoonr. nms
= liam of relief and for its eucoui ''.;,,
hmy ~ y i "a obvious the revival VIII
9snsnAh INT the stake is so great IN its
hsos; ;.si v .spects, and SO vital 10 our
esoonna. n.osth and safety that no ei-
n6onh e,I..u snar rsd to accomplish the
II vhich Congress had aorSd ~ s.s The
n. investigation was 1iaefe% % o.. nro0 ne
- ..;sn ssrrying trade, unlike Tue p,v
ioI .f I.osstvise trade and all domesac
- ;.s r. on the great highway of
na.u no where competition ID open to
eti e~tois World. The nation which can
VET - this trade most efficiently and
~ y. - ,.sst cost TO shippers will control
! snd. n controlling it. 1t viii command
:. ocssn. By our ability TO build YES
x. - cheap az other nations. 80 long
nrcoS ~as the material of which they
-. - constructed. and by our ability to
- Ham "a economically as others, 80
~ e calling vessels engrOssed the
NJ, t,.de and the British Government
~ hsr merchant marine to take care
= itseIf as our Government always mas.
~ United States had a proud position
!. re ocean. We lost that position
ss.r these conditions passed away.
q are 70 revive our foreign carry
L. tyade and assume the place on the
Ian n vhich We are entitled, we nust
ssis Il possible 10 build the kind OF
80 required for the foreign trade,
3 that they will cost our ship owners no
noee than foreign owners.
Ths committee states: I'm endeavor-
10 70 devise policy which will build
n the iron ship building in the United
6;stss and supply our ship owners with
ueh vessels as they may want Tor the
ibreiQn trade, at a cost no greater than
ihe cost Of vessels run by their compet-
itors. your committee have found more
q Iees difference Of opinion among
ourselyes Al 10 what would be the wisest
apd most efficient plan. Feeling the
Importance OF earnest effort to provide
reatily for the decadence Of the Ameri-
can carrying trade, and recognizing that
there must bs some yielding of personal
views il anything is TO be done, yo1r
committee, without waving the indi-
vidual right OF members to favor addi-
tional remedies, have united in recon-
mendinq the adoption by Congress of
the following plan: When any vessel,
whether steam or sail, shall be con-
afucted and equipped In the United
States for the foreign trade, including
trade between Atlantic and Pacific coast
ports, in whole or in part Of materials of
PRODUCTION in the United States, the
owner or owners Of such vessel shall be
entitled to receive and collect from the
United States drawback or sum equal
b amoont 70 the duty which could have
been collected upon imported materials
u like description and Of equal quality
With American materials used In the
epustruction and equipment Of engines,
boilers and other appurtenances Of such
steam or sail vessels; provided that in
ascertaining such drawback, duties on
0ch iron or steel materials shall be
eomputed on iron or steel advanced in
manufacture not beyond the point of
plates, angles, bars and rods; and pro-
nisd further, that this section shall ap-
~ only TO vessels commencing after
tas passaRe Of this act.
For the purpose of illustrating what
eould b the practical working Of the
nfsRoing plan, We have obtained from
~ Delaware River Iron Ship Building
nd Engine Works a
SCHEDULE OF MATERIALS
Actually used in constructing two first
sAn passenger and freight steamships
iw tas Pacific trade, Of 2l3l tons each,
aAsing a speed Of Is knots. 1t appears
nM S,7O9, ,S45 pounds of iron, mainly in
y form Of plates, angles and bars, were
sesd In the construction Of the hull. Gu
Pc boilers, etc., Of each steamship.
- duty on iron, II imported in this
In, would average under the present
III about IL cents per pound, or
,oout xS for each ton of the steamship.
~ duty on other materials used in the
.eit equipment and furniture OF the
r, ,,eamship would carry mp the drawback
Ilossd from the treasury to about $3A.
- cost Of each one Of the steamships.
vhlch We have referred, WAS o6,3l7.
WA per ton. The net cost to the
s'einal owners Of similar steamships,
Aoer the foregoing plans, after deduct
9 the drawback, would be about $lOO
9son, which, from all information ob-
llned by your committse, would be
loetantially the cost Of q similar steam
llp built upon the Clyde. II q steam
~ we're intended only for freiHhting,
ia speed of seven or eight knots, u.s.
Ny found IN Euolish freightin2 steam
4 the quantity of iron used, and CON
qusntly she drawback and cost, would
considerably reduced. In the case ol
N sailing vessels, oaly one five-eighth.
ths iron used in first-class steamships
Z the hull, engines, ETC., 10 required
Z given tonnage, and the drawback
oo.d be about $l5 per ton. The pro
nd drawback, therefore, will practi.
w affect the increase in the cost of
iron steamship in the United States
" its cost on the Clyde. This il the
summons Judgment Of ship builders
q owners 80 far IA your committee
Aw heard from them. This is tho
.eement also Of the Board Of Trade
can Francisco, which proposed this
the Maritime Association OF New
~ and other commercial Boards. SO
Z = the original cost Of any kind Of
sl1sls Affects the question Of the res
1Asaon Of the American flay TO its pro-
Position on tho ocean, there is good
oo 70 believe that the policy pro-
9 Will solve the problem. As It IL
aoM for our iron and steel ship
- 70 place themselves in position to
H contracts for building themselves
~ - Tor South America, and perhaps
tsreien countries, your committee
mend that q drawback of 10 per
- % gwen on any imported mater
49, vessels constructed in the United
- Tor foreign account. The report
.Soef recommends attention to and
Ia - A. 4 4 -