New-York tribune., 1884-12-29
AMERICAN SHIP BUILDING
CONDITION OF THE INDUSTRY.
REPORT or TnE COMMISSIONER OF NAvfdArioN--
CONSTRUCTION OF WOODEN VESSELS.


CONSTRUCTION OF WOODEN VESSELS.
WAsnrNGroN Dec, 2S.-Mr. Jarvis Patten,
Commissioner OF Navigation has Just completed his rst
annia report The commissioner gives sketch OF the
history of American and English shipping and NJ the
conclusion OF II says The American merchant marine
OF the present time although n has not IN later years
kept pace with that 81 Great Btaib, s second otiy 70
hets Ott wooien sips arc ptobably tic Best md
satest tesssis af5at ana tie comparatively new t5h
shib btiids *8t8 ~ ths c8thtty ate bshle ~ iHtt
BHt steAiibs ht Bittt tBH cHs ~ tett hlsh ciass
Nheh tte sHtH3 ttUis. Nich f4te tHNi5tHitht W
Afvs Nlbtt W sNHs f8t tttiBi W tNeNly tbati sBi
iA-sA NlIh lAR Blelk ~ l'lg feFHl1ii RHf BHf tes
sei8 Nen ht8 NV tfAH HAAS tN4l NAl Nfsh sptiHkNs
w Netnign pnr aeinq pglle AnA tnrQpp Ihla ilhlh
ahl hal ainee grgWn fg gpal lnppflsnee pnpigya ne
lnrspa anl best eanpped Nept 0f N99aon ap7 ~ lhe
WprAN
letters With ialos eumpllol nnoalclaly arc anneSed
tO the loput showing Tho irANu performance and Ilsk
by vessels " different milonnllllos "Ih0 hgroa given
appear tho commissioner eayH 10 prove that tho
American wooden ship, do their work tho most success.
fully of any vessels ongagod IN the particular trade
mentioned Tho wood sailing ships of this country are
thought tn srpass any other, aoal IN point of safety
and II n manko TO accept the opinion that tho day of
wooden ships II entirely past Twothrs Of the tonnage
OF tho world Ia probably atm composed Of wooden
aela. while thor numerical propondcranco IL much
grcator notwithstanding tho fact that for scrow steam
nnd many other kinds ofcra iron poasoSsca certain
ad, anlngca In round numbers the total Of our hoa
going marine was on Juno 30 1884, vessels O.6i6 tom,
$500 i0i OF this number l92 ~ COL lsG tons were
steamers aud the rost sailing vessels. lut
the oniiro number of vessels Of a
kinds undor tho nag June 30. 1894.
was 2iJs2. measuring i,27l .223ss tons II we adopt
tho rule heretofore made Of IN estimating tho yauo
of tho tonnage OF Great Britain, allowing 10 per cent
for the difference between wooden and iron works, the
yaluo of the total tonnage Of the United States Is at
present s0OO0OO0 Tho value Of the seagolng fleet Is
Sl22 5OO0 900. Compared with the preceding year the
total tonnage of the country exhibits AN increase OF
1914 tons the enrolled and licensed tonnage having
increased 6l6 tons, while the registered tonnage has
increased ., | 20 tons.
at the time of tho last in Europe Qssl) sta
tsca inquiries made in respect to the yearly value
Of the oycrsea commerce Of the globe As the result Of
these researches found to approximate the sum of
Sl OOoOOO and to be increasing at tho rate % -
per cent each decade OF this commerce Great Britain
estimated to control nearly 0nemlf, while the toll
trade was thought To be- equal to nearly per cent o the
value Of The rarths products. The prosperity OF our
railroads may be- traced 10 the fostering hnd assist
anco NJ the Government, while The interests that eN
tend beyond the shore have heon eft 10 struggle
unhldeG against the wealth ana hhtlnl hN hhlhgoH 81
c0mprtliOis whose prosperity represents ~ great phll
the actual LOSSES sustained by the American merchant
marine II II claimed that WIZ the hfllllr. lhty now
rpy aud the experience acquired our hlp builders are
able to construct wooden yeNses as ceaply "s tho mari
time architects Of any other founiiA'
The commNsioncf recommends tho onotlnR of noun
tiri sufficiently largo 10 encourage INC ny
private enterprise of lrct of nfrtclsH powerful mh
arnmofH which could hc used with good rnort ~ tim" of
war nt light armed cruisers and tnnhpofiA strong
argument f. also mndo In fnyor Of having American SEA
men for American Hhpa the crows OF which arc now
composed mainly ~ tOrrlgncra
Referring TO the frequency of collisions nt prh the com
missioner says that the losses to life aud property iton
this cnsc show the necessity for international code
Of rules 90 govern the approach OF vessels to each othrr
ai lie also says that If system of courts o inquiry
were Instituted I'm this country with power 10 PUNISH
officers and scamcn found guilty Of corclessncss or IN
competency the number OF collisions might be greatly
reduced.