National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-27
More American-Less Foreign.

Mr.. Hewitt's proposition to purchase the
engines for one of our proposed new naval
vessels in England has been adopted by the
naval committee of the House by one ma
jority, Mr.. Lore, representing the iron
steamship building state OF Delaware, vot-
'ng in favor Of 1t.
As the English language utterly fails to
furnish words to fifty characterize Mr..
lIewitt's proposition, we will not attempt
It. The action OF the naval committee
simply shows the ignorance OF majority of
Its members, and the necessity for its i'm
mediate reorganization. Speaker Carlisle's
attention is called to this phase Of the con-
troversy.
The United States builds larger number
of steam engines than any other country
on the globe, and builds them better. The
report OF the bureau Of navigation OF the
Treasury Department contains a list of
steam and sail vessels belonging to our
commercial marine-2j, 5l3 in number-and
all American-built. To provide for the loss
by accident, wear and tear, and increase OF
the immense number OF vessels made neces-
sary by the growth Of our country requires
the construction Of about 1000 new Ameri-
can-built steam and sail vessels every year.
Besides all this, many of our steamship
builders are doing fair business for foreign
account. A Delaware company has bait
upward Of one hundred steel and iron
steam vessels for Seaith and Central Amer
lea, Mexico, and the West Indies. Thirty
seven Of the steamers on the Amazon and
all Of those In use on the Orinoco were
built by the same company, which also
sold, not long since, two ocean steamers to
an English firm in London.
Within the past seven years the same
Delaware shipbuildlng company has sold
gunboats and steam engines to the govern
ments of Brazil, United States of Colombia,
and Venezuela.
The gunboat Doyoca, built two years
ago for the United States of Colombia,
started from its builders yard at Whining
ton, Del, on trial trip of IA, 900 miles
down the Atlantic coast of North aud South
America, touching at Para and Rio de ia
metro, thence down through the Straits OF
Magellan and up the Pacific, touching at
| Valparaiso, and thence north to the port OF
puSHdNcuIulhi IL hLOlb ulsIdHCt DelOW ran
anna, where 1t was delivered to the govern.
ment authorities, as per contract.
A Philadelphia steamship builder has
sold number Of large and swift steamship;
TO the Russian government.
A Rhode Island builder has sold his tor.
pedo boats to the governments of England
France, Russia, and Spain. Their superior
ity was shown by repeated trials in English
waters, as the report Of the English adj
miralty attest.
The engines and boilers of the COLOMBIAN
gunboat Boyaca heretofore mentonedl
designed by its Delaware builder, weigh
about $50 pounds per indicated horse power
The engines and boilers Of the Chicago
copied from Eaglish designs, weigh Az
pounds per indicated horse power, Will,
the Atlanta and Boston machinery, also o
English origin, mounts up to AS pounds
| per indicated horse power.
The naval committee must learn that WI
have something too much Of thecumberom'
English type Of machinery in our nav,
already, We want something more o
American and proportionateIy less of for
eign type.