Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-07-11
QUE oosas MARINE.



From ths Face of the Deep.
Editor Gdystte d Journal: "Prote,t'on"
has killed ship binding in this country
And now our Protection" friends pro.
pose to remedy It by subsidy, and such .
remedy reminds me Of man trying to
raise water with O sieve. What is tho
use of talking about subsidizing com.
merce until we have ships to Gerry on
commerce in, az commerce on the seas
can only be conducted in ships? Our
navigation law prevents us from buying
ships built anywhere else, and "Proteo.
tion" prevents us from building them
ourselves. Now what Is the real cause Of
the decline of our shipping? Some
"Proteotioniets" tell You it was the
Alabama, and other Confederate cruisers,
that destroyed our commerce. But the
real decline Of American shipping began
before the war the turning point being
about 1857. Our shipping began to
decline before the Alabama was thought
OF and has continued with more rspidity
to decline long after the war was over
and long after every Confederate cruise.
had been DESTROYED. Tue real reason is
easily found. Up to 1855 nearly every
ship efont was q wooden ship. A few
iron ships had been built, but 1t was not
until about 1866 that they became an
assured success. In 1854 England, see
ing the necessity OF II, repealed the last
shred CT her navigation laws and opened
her ports to unrestricted competition in
commerce. Before that time America
was possessed of the largest and best
supply Of Bhipbuilding timber of any
country In the world, while England had
practically none ut all and had to rely
exclusively upon imported timber fer
her ships. When this great change in
shipbuilding occurred Great Britain was
possessed OF the largest aud cheapest
supply Of iron OF any country in the
world and admitted free of duty every
kind OF material used In the oonstruc-
ton Of ships. America had not for
many years made sufficient iron for
its own consumption, aud never has to
this day. Down to 1857 we imposed a
tax OF 80 per cent al valorem, on all
foreign iron. From 1857 to 1861 we i'm
posed similar tax of "a per mt. Ever
since 1851 we have imposed taxes Of
various amounts, according to the pur
poses for which different classes OF iron
were used, ranging practically between
go aud 100 per cent. In round numhsrs,
1t may be said safely that from 1867 to
1861 the materials OF an iron ship cost
one.fifth more in this country than in
Great Britain. and that at the present
time they are fully one.third more.
Therefore, IL the materials necessary for
the construction Of an iron steamship
would cost in Great Britain 81, 900, 900,
they would in America cost about
81 800, 200.
After iron steamships had been In use
about 20 years, such improvements were
made In the manufac ure OF steel, that II
became cheaper to buili ships Of steel
than OF iron; while they were very much
lighter, would carry very much more
cargo and were much safer and much
more speedy than iron ships. But the
tariff taxes on steel are heavier even thar
on iron, and our manufacturers are more
able to keep up the price on steel thar
on iron. A steel vessel, therefore, costs
more In America than an iron vessel In
Great Britain. In the cost OF eonstruc
tion Of these vessels what Is called the
price Of labor, that is wages paid &c
workmen actually engaged In the con
struction of ships, Ia an Smmaterisl item
American shipwrights no doubt receive
larger daily wages than British ship
wrights, but they work longer hours and
do much more effective In each hour
The consequence Is that the actnsl labor
cost In an American ships ia less'thsn in /
British ship. But the cost of American
materials is so much greater, that tn,
American shipbu,lder Is "proteoted'
from building ocean ships. In the cast
Of ocean steam ships, II we allow six pei
cent per annum for interest on the invest
ment aud four per cent for repairs ant
depreciation, which Is none too much til,
British ships could afford to underbiC
the American ships 10 freight rates, etc.
to the amount of $50 600 per snn1m, snt
still make as much money, allowing tel
round voyages year. The British shiI
could underbid the American ships b,
over $3, 900 in each voyage and still maxi
a larger profit for its owners. Oompeti-
ton under such circumstances Ia hopeless
and no longer exists. The protectiv,
tariff has strangled ship building in thi
country, as we now only build river boats
and pleasure yachts. Now, II the friend
Of American commerce, really wish to d.
anything to restore our commerce on tn
seas, let them demand OF Congress to pur
sue the wise and statesman like policy
laid down by that statesman, Grove
Cleveland, instead of asking publ,
charity and in six months time the ship
yards OF this country will resound will
the hammer Of the American shipwriRht
building the most handsome and Zee
ships In the world, that with Yinke
captains and Yankee crews will be queen
OF the ocean and bring again those day
of pride for the Yankee tar. And thos
or many of them that we're marching an,
shouting for Harrison aud protection
will have become so ashamed OF them
selves that they will ask to be consiene
to the Infants Asylum or the shelttrin
Armu JAnFs r. WRInu