Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-12
me sou,b and shipbuiIding.


The resolution Of Senator Cameron, Of
PENNSYLVANIA. relative to American ship
ping. which he discussed at considerable
length in the Senate last Monday, is at
tracing attention in various parts OF the
country. The resolution simply inquiries
whether it would not be wise TO spend
part Of our surplus revenue to encourage
shipbuilding by allowing a rebate from
tariff duties on goods imported in ships
built and owned in the United States, and
BY allowing a premium on American
grown products and American manufac-
lures exported in American vessels. The
purpose Of Mr.. Cameron was not so much
to secure the adoption Of the resolution
as TO direct the attention Of the countT!
to the Importance Of doing our own car
rying trade, in our own vessels, bullt oS
our own WOrkmen.
The importance OF encouraging our
shipbuiIding interests does not appear TO
be appreciated. The annual earnings oil
the carrying trade Of the world amount
IN more than 500. 100000. OF this sum
% per cent. is received by Great Britain,
and less than % per cent. by this country.
In 1910 nearly S3 per cent. Of our CON-
merce was carried in vessels built and
owned in this country and only l. per
cent. in foreign vessels. Now S41z per
cent. is carried in foreign vessels and
only 151z per cent. in American vessels.
In view Of the resources Of this country
for shipbuilding such a state Of things
ought to be regarded with feelings akin
to shame by Americans. We lead the
world IN railroad building and in manu-
featuring, and we ought to lead it in ship
building. We could add hundreds Of mil
lions Of dollars annually to our wealth by
doing our own carrying trade.
1t is the opinion OF Maine shipbuilders
/ that If Congress had pursued liberal
I policy Immediately after the close Of the
war-such policy, for instance, as that
/ which is now being pursued by France
we would now have the largest and
/ finest merchant marine in the world.
/ Ii is not too late to begin the work
( which ought TO have been begun twenty
/ years ago. At that time the advantages
/ OF iron over wood for shipbuilding was
] lust beginning to be understood. 1t Is
\ evident now that the days Of wooden ships
/ are numbered. There are only three
/ wooden vessels on the stocks in this coun-
4 try, and the number that viii be built in
the future viii be very few.
/ With tie substitution of iron for wood
/ Maine will no longer be a shipbuilding
/ State. The ships must be built nearer
/ the iron region.
/ THIS being the case why should not the
/ South become the shipbuilding section
Iron can be produced cheaper in Alabama
than in Pennsylvania. Thousands Of tons
/ Of Alabama iron are now being sent every
year TO points in the North by way Of
\ Savannah and Pensacola. Why should
not these two cities become great ship
building points: They are close to
| cheap coal and to cheap timber.
/ Taev both have all the advantages
needed to make shipbuilding success.
/ Maine shipbuIlders say that it would be
/ cheaper 70 ship the iron to them, because
I they have practical knowledge Of ship
\ building and because men can do from
to 10 per cent. more work fday in their
/ climate than in a Southern climate. The
answer TO the Maine shIpbuilders is that
the men who have practical knowledge
| of shipbuilding would soon lind their
wav to where the industry was estab-
lished. 1t is probable that they could dc
| about as much work in the South as in
the North. It was said not many years
ago that white men could not work in
the cotton field. Fully half Of the cotton
crop is now made By white Ia Dor. 1t is
not improbable that when the shipbuild-
ing industry IS revived It will find lodg-
ment in the South. and that the South
vii. build the ships that Will carry the
/ commerce Of the country.