The Republican journal., 1884-02-21
NUMBER 8.
The Merchant Marine OF Europe

Consul Grain, of Milan, sends to the State
Department a very interesting report on the
economic conditions affecting the merchant
marine of Italy and other Continental States. 1t
is pretty much the same story of all of them,
the iron steamship has taken the place and is
doing the work of sailing craft and England
has the lions share of the carrying trade. Con-
sui Grain says the Italian Parliament is expect
ed to take definite action in aid of the merchant
marine at its approaching session. and with this
end in view the question has been carefully
studied and investigated. More than half the
merchandise landed at OF shipped from Italian
ports in 1882 was carried by steamships, mainly
British, and only l0.1 percent. was carried by the
Italian steam marine. The prepondcrance of
Great Britain, in the carrying trade says the
Consul, sis such as to encroach upon the pOr-
ton of every European State. The efforts of
the French Government have kept that of
France more intact, 50 that of the tOtal steam
movement in her ports in 1881 the French flag
covered 40 per cent. of tonnage. Belgium, on
the other hand, is an example of great disparity.
OF the steam movement in her ports in 1881,
the Belgium flag covered but 229 per cent. of
cargo; and in the total of steam and sail move
ment that flag covered l2.G per cent, of mer-
chandise entered ana I9.S per cent. of mcr-
ehandise cleared while the British flag covered
81 per cent of merchandise entered and DOL
per cent. of merchandise cleared
In the years 1879-S0-Sl-S3 there We're y steam
vessels built in Italy, making total Of only
about 5000 tons 1t Is asked, ''Why does not
Italy respond to the demand of the hour and
build up a steam marine TO do her share of the
carrying trade" MI. Grain then proceeds to
answer this question. He says investigation
has established that the rate of interest ON
capital for maritime Uses differs largely in the
several States 1t is shown to be about > per
cent in Great Britain and fully in Italy, these
countries representing very nearly the eX-
tremes. 1t is further shown that Great Britain
has an advantage over other States in the proX-
unity and cheapne>> of ship building materials.
1t is also shown that for the economical con-
>truction of ships there must b. sufficient work
to give continuous employment 10 the wards,
and that the advantages of Great Britain tend
to such employment, while heavy losses are
entaied by Interruptions in countries where
the industry is weak. A table from official
sources shows that the wages of sailors and
cost of food are much the same every where, 50
that the uulyorabc conditions relate almost
wholly to ship construction. The Consul next
takes up the free ship question He says:
"Foreign built ships, in which an interest of
III least two-thirds is owned by citizens of the
State, may be run Under the Italian flag.
Italians have been at liberty for more than
twenty years to buy steamship, on the Clyde or
elsewhere, but this privilege has done nothing
for the expansion of the steam marine. 1Ie
.aInl Qt t,ts shIs ta' Lai " tgJ '.,ai Il, Fln,r.,
6'uwo"a, Iusfa, a,d otls, r,Duti,s ,e;h no Le,h,,
r<'h. History affords no example of sea-
going people who We're not also It ,hip-buiIding
people" Consul Grain continues:
The industries Of >hjpbuihng and navigation
are 50 welded bv a community Of interests that
they cannot he divorced Wilho, mutual DIES
lruciOn. fiuuri>himg >hip-yarts levy tribute
upon the skill. labor, and resources of country.
and direct IFS attention and energies to SEA-
going enterprises Il nothing else can. Even if
This Were not 50, the difficulties of negotiating
tn" purchase on favorable terms of costly
steamships in distant countries, of arranging
credits. of securing the faithful construction of
types required for particular services. and
other apparent disadvantages, would be sure 10
bring disappointment to ANY people trusting to-
Iorel@n shlp-y yards for it> marine.
This Is the view universally taken il lta'',
and the aim will be to infu>c life ana Vigor iulo
>hiPbuiIjng establishments. 1t wa, to this
end INT me parliamentary commission recon-
mrnded that the Government should hereafter
have al war->hjp~ built by Italians and the
motive machinery made in the machine shops
of The country; that heavy premiums should be
granted in lialt for the construction Of iron