The Portland daily press., 1888-03-30
OUR SHIPS AND sHiPBuiLDINc.
Figures From the Annual Report Of
Commissioner Morton.

WASHINGTON, March 29.-The report OF
Charles b. Morton, commissioner Of the bu-
reau Of navigation, has been issued. 1t
shows that the government received reve-
nue. of S562, ,187.45 in tonnage taxes during the
last fiscal year. This is an increase of $685.
SS295. Great Britain contributed more than
half Of this tax, her vessels paying total of
S318, ,355.61, a gain Of S3S, ,903.38. In collect
ing this tax, which is a reliable indicator OF
the relative shipping business Of the several
ports, New York outranked all others in
amount, Philadelphia was second, Boston
third. San Francisco fourth. Baltimore fifth,
and New Orleans sixth. Boston collected
S4S. .7s7. rs; Portland, S7,495.95; Gloucester.
81 ,277.s Eastport, SS2S; Edgartown, $685.
15, and Waldoboro $631.7. While Great
Britain stood first in this respect, America
was second, Germany third. Norway fourth,
Italy fifth, Spain sixth, and Belgium
seventh.
The total tonnage Of the world is 20,943,-
$50, and the British flag waves above 10,539,-
1866 of this tonnage. The United States have
a ff as much, yet we are second In the
list. Norway is third, Germany fourth,
France fifth and Italy sixth. Our tonnage Is
2,043, ,167, and we have 2S27 vessels. Great
Britain and her dependencies have 1922
vessels, China has 2S vessels, Japan 2lO and
Mexico "a.
In steam navigation the United States are
fourth. There are only 1872 wooden steamers
in the world, while those constructed OF iron
number S198. OF the 25,155 sailing vessels
p, 1853 are made OF wood.
In 1877 we had 542 seagoing steamers,
while Great Britain had 3144. In 1886 we
had only 339 of such craft, but Great Britain
had increasee her number to 4oO6. AS Tor
tonnage, she had little more than doubled
her total in those years, while America fell
from 674, ,036 to 506,668. The British sailing
fleet, however, fell from 17,765 to 14,54 in
that period, while we fell from 1907 to 6,lO2.
A fair exhibit of the share Of each nation
in its carrying trade will be made by con-
sidering only the import and export trade
conducted in sea-going vessels, and exclud-
ing imports and exports by land carriage.
This comparison shows the following result ::
Per cent of imports and exports of Per cent.
Great Britain and Ireland carried In BRUSH
Spain carried in Spanish vessels. 70
France carried in French vessels. %
Italy, carried In Italian vessels
United States, carried in American vessels. .15.5
In 1856 American vessels carried IS per
cent of our exports and imports In 1864
only q per cent, and in 1886 only 10. The
amount of shipping constructed In the
United States during the past year was o.
907 tons more than the amount constructed
last year.
just 40 per cent of the tonnage Of the
country during the past year was built on
the Atlantic seaboard. 6per cent on the IA
cific coast, 38 per cent on the northern lakes.
and per cent on the western rivers. Dur
ing the past year the iron and steel vessels
built in the United States amounted to 34,353
tons.
Our shipbuilding industry was at its height
in 1855, when we built 2027 vessels, aggre-
eating tonnage Of 5S3, 450.04 Last year we
L.tI& q a al IN n fnfo .
450.03. Maine built 48 of these vessels, with
a gross tonnage of 16,5e9.52 and Massaehu-
setts, 25, with tonnage Of 4963.2O.
The tonnage of the fishing vessels has de-
creased from ITO, 1925 In 1884 70 lOo,69o IN
1887. OF the total tonnage of 79,547 engaged
in the cod and mackerel fisheries last year,
Massachusetts, led with 47,573. Maine follow :
ed with 25,715, and New York came next
with 1865. The cod fisheries were at their
best in 1860. when the tonnage was l37 7,S46
and 1919, Immediately after the famous
treaty, the tonnage engaged in these fisheries
was 76,07S.
From Gloucester there are Sc vessels sail
ing from to 20 tons each; 3S1 from 20 to 100
tons; 81 from 100 to 200; only OF from zoo 10
800; of from 800 to 400, and Of from 400 to
500 tons. In the Gloucester fishing trade so
lives were lost last year, number 90 smaller
than in the previous year.
OF the total tonnage Of 26,150 engaged In
whaling, New Bedford had x, ,SS3.
The Commissioner pats the yachtsmen on
the back in this way: ''Y Yachting is growing
in favor as a means of pleasure for wealthy
men and of men also not wealthy. who COM
bine together, or who are satisfied with
small craft. The vessels used for yachting
range from those suitable for naval purposes,
manned, like Mr.. Vanderbilt's steam yacht
Alva, by so men, down to the catboat man
ned by one person, and he the owner; and
from slow sailbosts up to steam vessels like
the stiletto, capable of the speed of an ordi-
binary railroad train. The sport is healthy
and manly one. creates interest in seafaring
matters, makes sailors, gives employment di-
rectly to large number of men, and indirect
ly to many more; tends to build up ship
yards and improve marine architecture. 1t
should not be considered as a mere pastime
for sporting men, but as matter of national
interest worthy Of serious attention. Like
the fisheries, itconstitutes nautical school,"