The Portland daily press., 1889-01-14
AMERICAN sHIPBuiLpINe
Discussed In the Course Of the Tariff
Debate.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-After the usual
routine morning business the Senate resumed
consideration of the tariff bill at section 2491.
the first of the administrative sections. In
the course of the reading Mr.. Morgan sent
to the clerks desk an amendment which he
proposes to offer to the bill at the proper
time. 1t reads; All laws and parts of laws
which exempt from the payment of duties
any articles of commerce upon which duties
are imposed in this act, when in transit
through the United States, to or from the
Dominion of Canada,or any province thereof,
are hereby declared to be imperative.
There were but few changes, and those
only as to phraseology, made In the admins
tratiye sections, and tn the reading 81 the bill
back to sec. 9 (as TO methylated spirits for
use in arts) and had several changes made in
the phraseUlogy, so as to include other sub
stances for methylating spirits besides wood
naphtha.
Mr.. Gray called attention to sec. 251o.
which permits the importation, in bond, free
of duty, of lumber, timber, ETC., necessary
for the construction and equipment Of vessels
built in the United States for foreign account
or ownership, or for employment in the for
eign trades, and he offered an amendment so
as to include plates, deck beams, forgings,
composition metal and all structural shapes,
including machinery and parts of machinery
The existing law, he said, as well as Sec
2510, was intended to encourage shipbuilding
in the United States, but only affected wood
en- vessels, while his amendment would en-
courage the building of iron and steel YES
sells.
Mr.. Sherman objected to the including of
machinery and parts OF machinery, as that
would interfere with American machine
shops.
Mr. Gray argued that the omission of ma
chinery for ships from the section would be
inconsistent and illogical. He iDstanced a
case, within his knowledge, where duty of
$1,000 had been paid on a propeller wheel for
a ship OF 1l50 tons, the wheel being made of
a composition OF manganese and brass, un-
known in the United States. Under the
policy hitherto pursued, the American flag
had disappeared from the ocean and would
become as unknown as that of the republic
of Hayti. Why, he asked, should American
shipbuilders be allowed to build iron and
steel ships for foreign owners, and to receive
a drawback of duties paid ON materials and
not be allowed to do the same thing for
American shipowners? Or, how could it
were no forgings made here for ships to be
used in the foreign commerce, as no such
ships were built?
Mr.. Chace asked Mr.. Gray whether he
would go step further and admit foreign
built ships free of duty.
question.
Mr.. Chace-If you admit engines and boil
ers free, why should not the same reason 8
apply to the whole ships
Mr.. Gray-Much protection learning has
certainly made the SENATOR fiom Rhode
Mr.. Stewart-Would 1t be possible for
American pullt ships. under existing laws,
to engage In foreign commerce In competi-
tion with foreign ships, subsidized as they
tion were admitted free?
Mr.. Gray-That question Is somewhat ir-
relevant, TOO, because, If the experiment
should not result in floating the United
States flag ona single American built ship
in foreign waters, we would be none the
worse of by making the experiment. But 1t
is believed by those who are familiar with
the subject that the experiment Is worth
making, because there is a high probability
of success In it ~ " ~
Mr. Frye argued that, even if all the ma
terials entering INTO an iron or steel ship
were admltted Tree Of duty, the cost of
freight ans the delays and difficulties in the
way OF drawings would make it impossible
for American shipbuilders TO avail them
selves of the right.
Mr.. Gray conceded that point, but argued
that 1t would be necessary to use In the laws
such comprehensive terms as he proposed so
that shlpDullder might import Just such
parts as be required.
Mr., Frye asked Mr.. Gray whether the VIII
mington shlpbuilding Company had not,
under existing law, built several ships for
the South American and Central American
trade. 'at
Mr. Gray-Yes.
Mr.. Frye-We are building a great many
mote vessels for that trade than England OF
Germany is building for It.
In the course Of bis remarks Mr.. Frye in.
timated that he favored ali Of Mr.. Gray's
amendments, excent "a IN machinary a,,d
parts Of machinery
Without disposing Of Mr.. Gray's amend