New-York tribune., 1885-02-10
AMERICAN sHIP-BUILDINa
CONDITION AND PROSPECTS OF THE rRAnr

ship In the United States In 16v7o since that ea1
date has grown to position Of reominsnee in the o
strncon OF woodenihips shs has led the world for ~
last half century In both the amount and quality Of ~
tonnage that has come from her yards She has but u{
largely owned shipping valued at over ISL 600 oo.a
Tho great decline in this industry has induced
your correspondent to obtain interviews with ANNA =
the most prominent builders and owners as to ts
and the outlook for tho future, with the following resu
Mr. L. Warren Houghton says: III think the time,fes
wooden ships ts over We shall hnyo to come 70 iron
nave said that thcre would not be another wooden shin
built after tho completion Of those upon the ways
There is too great difference between iron and wooden
sailing vessels IN tho Pacific Coast trade In favor Of the
former Iron ships command eight shiIngs Der ton
moro than wooden for grain fregts think Il will be
cheaper to build In Penns vanIa than here iron and coal
being nearer together My individual opinion Is the
Spanish treaty would be poor thing for u like THAI
with England the fishery industries The DIngley bill
has worked disastrousy for In shipping Sailors ana
think 1t will be fully as bad in the future and should
| be changed"
Mr. John Mcdonald said: " do not think the prospect
for wooden ships altogether done, and seems to mo
that they will be built long this generation lasts
anyway This winter an building only one large
schooner for the purpose Of clearing up my yards and
giving employment to my men. Al tho present time
there only three wooden ships on the stocks the
United States-one each ut Bath, Camden and Bruns-
wick. Maine. There is immediate prospect Of others
being put up and frames being in this country
this winter AS for iron ships II do not think Bath the
proper place to buid them, being too far from centre
Of iron production and the winters too long and cold
Iron taking the place of wood to considerable ex.
tent and the mistake made in this country was in NOT
going into the construction OF iron ships at the Of
the war"
Captain Guy @. Goss head of the New-England Ship
Building Company, said; "There is little doubt
about the Iron steamer supersedng the wooden sailing
vessel and 1t is only question Of time when shall
her fnl In fPon urQdo ffpaA
plant and organized company to build iron steamers
but low freights and business Iresson discouraged
capitalists when all but $4,000 Of the amount necessary
to begin work had been subscribed The Goss Marine
Iron Works designed to build engines for these
tempated steamers but other work has kept the shops
tusy while waiting for the advent Of iron ship-building
Bath has often been depressed In the past but she has
failed to her activity With return of good
times in the country at large. The that make
staguaon In all kinds of business have like effect on
shipping comes first and tardy legsla-
ton next While We have been handicapped, England
has got the start OF US; had our Government taken
prompt at the close Of the to place
shipping level with that Of England we should be
better able TO compete with her to-day. The Spanish
treaty would help the OF small tonnage engaged
In the West India trade while would be OF no benefit to
OF large tonnage engaged In the Philippine Island
trade unless those islands included in its benefits.
Also clause TO exclude all but American and Spanish
built vessels will have to be inserted prevent England
from whitewashing her ships with Spanish captains
under Spanish colors. The San Domingo treaty.
TO which there be objection, would be of great
benefit to The Dingley bill helps in man
ming ships, but Is measure too long delayed It's
too late to build Nicaraguan Cana France has got the
start OF us. and don't think 1t would be profitable II
our Government would pay just and fair compensation
for mail service, it would enable US to establish
and maintain steamship lines TO foreign ports II We
particular objection to having other nations do
carrying trade for u.s. be correct, there be
particular to object to England doing manu-
featuring for we'll" Captain Goss also deplores
the inability Of the Government to do anything for ship
ping in the last twenty years bu, seesnohing to delay
ing commerce. Ship owners and builders not united,
The Hon William % Rosers said: EngiaRS has out
stripped this country by having the material wherewith
also by the judicous aid of the Government They have
2loat ana at WORK vast amount oi nrselass tonnage
and they perform This work well There other reasons
why she and other nations have made such rapid strides
Europe Is the consumer OF surplus products she
establishes her branch houses in every city OF proml-
they are the purchasing agents OF our goods and
having the commerce they desire TO foster shipping Il
correctly informed commerce is not owned In that
Gs as @ a nS oysr e a
holdings as small as IS in value Thi, makes the people
themselves. You perceive tly are Interested in every
part Of Ds the shipping nSur Ss tSSr
favor the employment OF their own commerce sin
%ocpo1s 90 with commerce IL cO@pees With that q
all nations While depore the fact that during the
yet we are not far behind that IN few years may
not be again well toward the 'front.' not the leader in
snterprsng we have pushed so into por-
fsf tire saa
ing resources. that We have for the moment for
people pause aud look carefully after their interests
We have now bureau OF navigation. Congress has
and much interest has been awakened in the subject
that no doubt remains in my mind that the incoming
fpnfnf ~ will Tan m
restoration OF our commercial supremacy ! do nos
Thoash rsns WITH
have produced some q the finest specimens OF marine
wooden ships for the transportation Of heavy cargce
boldly asserting they can perform their work today
vessels Of any other nation H. '"'
That shall build iron ships of equal sizeand fitness
TO be convinced has only to turn his eyes TO the
9Gdu1ss of 9 Sn sSa aSa s
they have an % example Of skill and ability worihy q
snse wi s people OF
during the last decade will not allow itself to neglect
merchant marine Our navy should be provided for in
times Of peace and prosperity That more ships have
more railroads have been built than needed moro
for transportation or more sugar imported than We
tonnage than by any other Investment On the contrary
only ed the wake corporations where shipping
has been controlled by agents With high salaries and
owned IN small shares as is largely the case In foreign
General r W. Hyde said: Iron ships have got to be
built in the future Inevitably because wood becoming
dearer and iron chsaper II Is only question q cost
aware because days work is worth from 70 10 per
cent more here than in warmer climate which very
much more than overcomes the difference in cost OF
transportation material here Then our people thor
olighly understand building ship, and only neeh TO
learn the manipulation OF q different material iron.
which Is very much the simpler half OF the business
Mt Arthur sewal. prominent builder. said: Ship.
ping depends upon the contingencies Of egsa'on ana
hIl "a an advantage as would be the spanish and san
Domingo treaties The United states should stand upon
It's dignity and build the Nicaragua Canal under s OWL