The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-02
our Foreign Trade.

Congressman Dingley in his speech to the
Boston Chamber OF Commerce Thursday
evening corrected some prevalent errors con-
corning the decline Of our foreign CARRYING
trade and with it the decline OF shipbuild.
ing. A common idea is that our foreign
carrying trade did not begin to decline until
the passage Of the Morrill, tariff bill, and the
beginning Of the war. But Mr.. Dingley shows
that it began five years before either of these
events. In 1855 751 per cent Of our exports
were carried In American built ships. But
from that date to 1861, though our exports
increased very rapidly our tonnage in The
foreign carrying trade just barely held its
own. The tide had begun to turn against
us. Each year after 1855 to 1861 we built
fewer ships for the foreign trade than the
year preceding. Thus while In 1854 we built
507 ships for this trade. in 1859 the number
was only III. In 1861 the per cent. Of our
exports carried in our own vessels had fallen
to 66A as against 75a In 1855.
Another prevalent netion Is that our pro-
tectiye tariff has so reduced our exports that
1t has diminished cargoes to be carried and
in consequence reduced the demand for
ships. Mr.. Dingley showed that this idea
was erroneous. Our exports and imports
never increased so rapidly as they have since
the war and under protective tariff. In the
decade between 1851 and 1861 our pforeign
commerce averaged annually only S2O.6 per
inhabitant, but in the decade between 1871
and 1881 1t increased to S28.43 per inhabi
tant So that If our shipping in the foreign
trade had increased In proportion to cargoes
to be carried, we should now have tonnage
In that trade more than four times as large
as In 1861. instead Of less than half as large
The causes of the decline Of our foreign
carrying trade and its failure to revive are.
In MIR. Dingley's opinion, these:
First-There has been revolution from wood
70 IRON and steel In materials, and from sails TO
steam In means OF propulsion Of vessels. y
neeonu-Ihe advantage secured BY Great Brit
by the aid extended by the British government 10
her steamship lines BY means of the so-caed pos
a anG 70 n, ner shPyaras BY means Of
Third-sSreat advantages were secured by Great
Britain Immediately after she had. in 1850 obtain.
ed from the United states reciprocal legislation
on allowing British vessels 70 particpate in The
business Of carrying our exports and imports on
the same terms as American vessels.
eratons Of the Confederate cruisers Rastened the
decline Of our shipping in the foreign trade, not
only by destroying our vessels, but also by COM
peIling owners to dispose q them to foreigners
Fifth-After the successful issue of the war and
the solution of the problems OF reconstruction
might have admitted Of earnest efforts TO over.
come the difficulties OF the situation OF our foreign
carrying trade, so many Of our old ship owners
and captains had been diverted from their former
business into new and more profitable channels
opened by the development of the new West, and
by the construction OF railroads, that IL has been
found Impossible to bring about the adoption OF
measures necessary TO secure revival Of our ship
ping In the foreign trade.
Mr.. Dingley expressed the opinion that
even If foreign built ships were admitted free
they would not be purchased by Americans.
ana run under the American flag, because
tney cannot be run so cheaply under our
nag as rnder the British. when" he said
the citizen is willing to 20 to the CLYDE and
lyme 70 have his ship built on foreign soil
to save little, he will be likely to take
another step and put his ship under foreign
flag to save more" s'sn
HMr Dingiey is right then the onlv hona
OF the revival of shipbuildin gin tbi, countrv
for the foreign trade lies in the direction =,
government aid. Either direct bounties "