Morning journal and courier., 1889-11-04
A GRAND DEmoNsrlsATIoN.


exercises and will continue three months, is
most deservedly attracting national atten-
ton. It's object is to still further awaken
interest and concentrate national attention,
upon the subject of revival of our ocean
maritime and commercial interests, and the
promotion of efforts to restore again their long
lost prosperity and prestige. Hon. N. D.
Sperry of our city occupies the prominent
position of chairman of the advisory board,
and will make an address at the opening ex-
ercises. Associated with him upon the board
are number Of prominent representative
men from different parts of the United
States. There are twenty members upon the
board. The citizens committee in connec-
ton with the exhibition is headed by 1t. Gov
ernor J.Q A. Brackett, of Massachusetts,, and
associated with him are Mayor Hart, of Bos-
ton, and Oommodores Smith, Hammond,
Proctor, Fuller and Ksndricken, of the United
States navy, Edward Burgess Of yacht build-
ing fame and others. Rev. Phillips Brooks,
of Boston, will offer prayer. Among the adj
Dresses 1os vi" s ss ono minister Sy s fsom
Venezuela to the United States. James
E. Murdoch, the celebrated elocutionist, will
recite "The Building of the Ship" The
Seventh regiment, N. Y, band will furnish
music, and chorus of 100 voices will sing
patriotic airs. The exercises open at IL
| o'clock noon. Admission to the opening day
exercises Is by complimentary invitation only.
handsome engraved pictures of Lieutenant
Governor Bracket and Mayor Hart upon the
title page and fac smiles of the autographs
/ OF Hon. N. d. Sperry and others of the most
prominent men connected with the exhibi-
ton. Our nations finest feet Of war ships
In recent years, which Ia soon to sail into the
Mediterranean, will visit Boston on the 18th
and 14th of this month and FIRE grand
salute in honor of the exhibition. Other
particulars concerning the exhibition and
concerning its object, the prosperity of our
national marine, were obtained by the CoUR-
Ter in an interview with Hon. N. D. Sperry,
who left &. Boston last night.
As Ia widely known, Mr.. SrccrTT has been
active and prominent for years in this pa
triotic movement tor winning back the once
proud position of our national maritime ser
vice. Mr.. Sperry's attention was first earn-
estly aroused to the Importance of the SUBJ
| jsct several years ago when at the postoHce,
In view Of the pitiful compensation allowed
the captains of vessels who brought letters
from foreign countries to our different sea
coast postoffices. Letters were thus brought
to the New Haven postoffice from the Medit-
erranean coast, from South American coun-
tries and from the West Indies Ali the COM
pensation the captains of the vessels were
allowed was two cents letter, and in some
cases only one cent. So meagre was the
compensation that oftentimes the captains
| would not wait to get the few cents change
due them, not having any time to spend to
bother over so pitiful an amount. The law
required the vessels to bring and deliver the
letters, and this was all the compensation al
lowed by great government like ours. ''In
comparing this method with that of foreign
nations the vast difference became all the
more strikingly apparent" said Mr.. Sperry
to COURIER representative Saturday after
noon. "Look at the large amounts paid for
subsidies by other nations for the carrying of
foreign mails. Look at the large SUBJ
sides paid by Great Britain, by
France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain and
| South American nations" continued Mr..
Sperry. All of these nations bestow large
payments for carrying the mails, under such
restrictions and provisions as they prescribe.
All this suggested to me how heavily Ameri-
can shipping ia handicapped in it's unequal
struggle for existence. How can American
shipping compete with foreign fleets, with
this great advantage In favor of the latter?
How can it compete unless the United States
does as other nations do in this matter of
carrying the mailsi We have brave sons and
hardy seamen. we have enterprise, push,
capital and wealth; but what an unequal
battle 1t isi
IT could see, as matter of fact, continued
Mr., Spsrry, EMO difference III principle be-
tween paying for carrying the mails on our
railroads and carrying our mails on the seas.
"This matter Of improving our national
marine has been the subject, as you are
| aware, of much consideration and investiga-
ton and discussion in the last seven years.
The nation is regarding the subject with re-
| awakened interest. At one time we had the
largest tonnage on the ocean of any nation.
To day we carry only about one-tenth of the
ocean trade.
The period at which we had the largest
amount of ocean trade was at the time when
wooden ships were exclusively made. We
lost ground from the time of the introduction
Of steam as q propelling power and of iron
ships in place of wooden ships. With the
introduction of iron ships and the invention
| Of the screw by Ericsson came q changed
state of affairs. One notable reason was that
other countries awaited themselves of this
change through the Intervention of their re.
spective governments, while our country did
nothing as nation. This inaction left us in
the lurch, and what remained of our COM
MERGE was In part destroyed by rebel cruisers
during the war of the rebellion, and many of
our own ships were obliged to sail under for
eign fags."
| TsThe time has come" continued Mr.. Sper-
ry, warming to the subject. 1.-THE time has
/ come IOT US TO call u ualb III butb mhLCeI.
And to this end those connected with the Ma
tional Shipping league have been holding
conventions in different parts of the country
for the purpose of calling the attention of
the people to this matter in order that our
national shipping may be again placed in a
prosperous condition"
Mr. Sperry's connection with the National
Shipping league, 1t may be here stated, began
about seven years ago, and he made a vigor-
an and falling addraaa the auhiact a
Washington before the national board of
trade, and later, about three years ago, he
delivered another very able address at the
fremont Temple In Boston before the ship
ping convention there. Mr.. Sperry was made
q member of the national executive commit
tee of the Shipping league, and more recently
was made chairman of the advisory board in
connection with the international maritime
exhibition.
Continuing, Mr.. Sperry said: "The pur-
pose of this exhibition at Boston Ia to
show to the people of this country that we
have the genius, skill and resources to carry
ON an ocean commerce on scale commen-
surate with our extent and power as a nation,
provided we receive suitable encouragement
for carrying the mails upon the high seas.
The exhibition is intended to promote and
give new impetus to every industry which
enters into the construction of ocean ship
ping, from peg to sail, from keel to topmast.
1t IL the First exhibition of the kind ever held
In America or In the world. Other exhibi.
tions have been held, but for different pur-
pose-in relation to shipping models and
machinery-but this one comprehends all in
dustries Identified with the business and art
Of building ocean ships and ocean steamers.
The exhibition Ia organized and conducted
under individual enterprise, but is under the
direction of the advisory board, of which I
am chairman, and which consists of men
who are active in the great question of pro-
noting the welfare Of American commerce,
and most of whom are connected with the
National Shipping League of America.
As you are aware the exhibition opens in |
Boston, Monday, November A, and will con-
tinue three months. It will be held In Me-
chanics Hall, a building which covers seven
acres of ground. 1t is intended as an educa-
tor and as an inspiration to renewed and
awakened interest in our shipping, which is
now languishing. We hope and have reason
to expect that 1t will have q widespread ma
tional influence to this end. The exhibition
will occupy al the floors of the vast build
ing and every available space is already
taken. From elk hundred to seven hundred
firms, representing all branches of our COM
mereial and shipping interests will be repre-
scented.
In the building canal has been construct
I'd and filled with water. II is Eve hundred
feet In length. In It small crafts can be
propelled and seen to advantage.
In this exhibition also will be a complete
model OF Burgess new Yacht "OuickstAp."