The Republican journal., 1885-03-19
Sklllful Yankee Shipbuilders.

Ol lne UnlJeu states, a held winch mas
not hitherto been covered by special
agent Mr.. Hall was qualified for this
work by previous careful and extensive
study of the subject, and has performed
his work with marked thoroughness and
intelligence.
The report is largely historical, and
traces the growth of American shipbuid-
ing in it's several branches from the ear
liest colonial days to the present time
The first chapter Is devoted to fishing
boats, in whose construction the builders
of larger craft have developed much of
their art, and in whose use the hardest
navigators have been tutored. In this,
as in the succeeding portions of his work,
Mr. Hall not only gives extensive data
concerning the situation and product of
the yards, but also goes deeply into the
science of construction dealing with
models, materials and the theory of spe-
cial features and illustrating hisnarrative
with numerous drafts of typical and ia
nous vessels. 1t appears from the chap
ter on Merchant Sailing Vessels, even
more than from the preceding one, that
American builders have shown both great
originality and quickness in recognizing
the value of other inventors neglected
ideas No nation OF shipbuilders ever
matched them in the ready adaptation of
a vessels model to the special service
required of her, whether speed, capacity
or stability were wanted. The Yankees
were the first to bring into general use
the divided foretopsail of a square rugged
craft. The schooner. so largely used in
our coasting trade, is an American inven-
ton, many features of the best fishing
boats either originated or were perfected
on this side of the Atlantic, and nearly
two centuries ago we built ships for for
elgners. For forty years succeeding the
war of lSl2-l4 the superiority Of the
American packet ships, and of their off
GERS, was proven by the higher freights
which they earned, the lower insurance
rates they secured, the preference given
them by shippers over British, French
and German vessels, and the fact that in
that era twothirds of the carrying trade
across the Atlantic was conducted under
the stars and stripes. Moreover, in
beauty, speed and rig, the clipper Ship
purely American invention, was never
rivaed. These facts, together with other
evidences of the wit, skill and energy of
the American builders, are ST. omitted by
Mr. Hall without argument or comment ;
yet they provoke thrill of pride in the
patriotic readers breast, and lively
sense of grief at the subsequent decay of
the merchant marine.
Nor was it IN the construction aid use
of sailing craft alone that the Americans
showed their superior ingenuity and
spirit. 1t was Robert Fulton who, in
1907, first made steam navigation prac-
ticabe. 1t was a Yankee built ship,
commanded by Capt Moses Rogers
which, in 1919, first crossed the Atlantic
under steam, and startled the world by
initiating great revolution in ocean
traffic. 1t was the encouragement afford
ed by Francis h. Ogden, American Con-
sui at Liverpool, and Capt X. B. Stock
ton of the United States navy that first
brought Ericsson's screw propeller into
use, first for harbor tugs and then in 1S4l
for coasters. When, with the help of
large subsidies from the British Govern
ment, the Cunard line was founded, an
American company-the Collins-put on
another, which beat its rivals by an aver
age of one day on every trip, and nowhere
IN the world are such river boats as ours
for lghtnesS OF draft, speed or elegance.
Whoever scrutlnzes Mr.. Halls report
to find the turning point in the history of
American shipping will have no difficulty
in finding it. The Cunard line started
with a subsidy of 100000, which was
,,1I,
than four times that sum, others nearly
as large being given to other new British
lines to various parts OF the world. The
panic which struck the British shipping
interest at this time and the broad, tos-
tering policy of the British Government
are herein conspicuousy apparent. The
American Government for time similar
ly promoted the interests of our own
shipbuilders and shipowners. The Col
lnS line in 1916 received $3.50, 600 for
carrying the mails across the Atlantic,
and a contract for S4OO, 600 with the Mills
line was also authorized. Fares and
treights were now reduced, and in spite
OF various disasters at sea the Americans
held their own handsomely in competition
with the British, In eight years passen-
1913, when the Democrats succeeded the
Wings in power at Washington, and when
the Cunard line was receiving $500 700
in subsidies, the compensation for mail
service given the Collins line was reduced
from So5S, 600 to 3S5, 900; and two or
three years later the Americans had to
succumb. Other lines have since been
started, only to meet with the same fate
Even the PENNSYLVANIA line, sole survivor
among American transatlantic steamers,
| yielded few weeks ago. And to place
our shipbuilders at still greater disad-
vantage, an agitation for ''tree ships was
started in this country soon after 1850
Mr.. Hall says:
| The steam vessels of the United States were
confessedy superior for transatlantic service
| to those of European build, as much as the
| American sailing clippers were to their rivals
| Owing, however, to the artificial manner III
which the steam shipping of Europe wa
! brought into existence and maintained. and the
| want OF Government compensation. American
| owners of steam tonnage were forced to with
draw from the traffic to Europe, and our build
ers to rely entirely on the coasting trade fol
| business.
After describing the development of the
steam shipping in the coastiDg trade, the
lake commerce and on the rivers, anG
| giving data regarding the yards, Mr. Hal
considers Iron Ships. The British were
moved to make the experiment of build
ing vessels of iron by the disappearance
of their forests, and their inability to con
struct wooden ships as cheaply as the
| Americans. This new material has n(
other special advantage, however, except
in vessels OF great size. 1t is used main
ly for steamships. The majority of sail
ing vessels are still of wood, and two
thirds Of the transatlantic commerce is il
wooden bottoms. Although the idea o
building iron ships originated abroad, the
Yankees showed great skill and enter
prise in this branch of the industry. 1t
was only four years after the first Eng
| lish vessel of this class went into service
that the little Codorus in 1925, was
launched in Pennsylvania waters. Since
then over 600 iron vessels have been built
in American yards, mostly at Boston, New
York, Chester Philadelphia, Wilmington
Baltimore, Pittsburg, Buffalo and Wyan.
dotte, Mich. st. Louis, Cleveland anC
Cincinnati, however, have taken a share
in the business. Among these vessels
are the four steamers of the late Penn
sylvania line, as perfect specimens of the
art as there are ahoat. The City of To-
kio and City of Pekin, in the Pacific
| traHa ,ra tha onlv trapconaapio