Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-06-05
sHrp B0l1DINa IN ENGLAND.
Their own Government shuts ont
Jtse AulRrtcans.

tne AutHrbcanN.
y. Y. Evening Telegraph, Rep.
By the ships tina. England annually
builds information ia given not only If
the condition of her commerce, but Of
that of all other countries, as she not
only builds ships for her own use, but
for that OF all commercial nations. She
even builds ahips for the United States,
but those for whom she builds them
acquire by purchase no real ownership In
them. They are the products of Ameri-
can enterprise and capital, but they re-
main British ships. They not only sail
under British registry, but under a
British flag, hoisted by British crew in
pursuance of the orders of o British
commander, All this is the result OF and
in accordance with the laws of the
United States, which decree that no
American cit zen stall enjoy the light or
tho privilege of owning or sailing q ship
unless he buy it whore to buy it renders
Its suoceBsfui voyagng impossible be-
cause OF the higher price he would be
obliged to pay for it-a price SO high az
to preclude him entering the foreign
chipping trade III profitable competition
with alions who, no matter OF what
country they may be, are permitted to
buy their ships wherever they please, in
the market whore they can be bought
upon the best and lowest terms. An
American cannot own ship at all, or
sail her under his oountry's flag, unless
he buys her in the worlds dearest market
upon the worst and highest terms.
That ia why America has no foreign
commerce to speak of, and why her
people pay to foreign shippers couple
OF hundred milliona OF dollars every year
Tor freight and passage. The curious
part of it ell ia that the law which is re.
sponsible for it ia retained amid the
wreck of American commerce and the
great prosperity OF foreign commerce
upUn the plea tina. ii is necessary to pro-
teot an American industry, to wit, ship.
building. It is quite useless to point to
the fact that there is no snsh industry az
that Of building ships for the European
trade in existence that for Is years no.
o single ship has been built fog that
trade, and that under the prohibition
which the government enforces there will
probably never be the keel OF one laid.
While the American ship-building trade
has thus been protected out OF existence,
there is no such absolute free trade il
anything 90 there il allowed our foreign
rivals in American shipping. We spend
millions yearly in improving our har
bors, in lighting and buoying them, il
maintaining o life-Baving service, not fol
American trans Atlantic, but for foreign
ships ami ship-oWners, who have looted
our commerce until our own citizenl
have only little more than IA per cen
of all that is carried on by the world. A
fnFafpFN- htIilt ul,s,N 50 nj
ated even by the government Of tn,
United States only upon condition tina
it is not owned, commanded or manned
by Americans, OF that it has no American
registry or flies no American flag CT II
peak. IL It is foreien-ovned, com
manded and manned ship, with foreigi
registry and foreign flag, it is mad
wholly welcome, aud accorded ever,
possible privilege to take from American
their commerce. We practices the frsaa
sort of free trade in shipping, but max
the trade OF ship-huilding prohibitory.
England has different policy and. q
appears from report OF English ship
building recently made by Mr. Jones, tn
United States consul at Cardiff, and pub
lished by the state department. yer
much better or at least u very much NOR
profitable one. According to Consu
Jones report, the greatest chip. buiidin
year England ever enjoyed up to tina
time wGs 1883. The next most successfu
year was 1888, but the measure Of success
was not 30 full as that Of 1889. The las
year has Cutdone all others in the way o
bodybuilding in British yards. This in
cresse was 400, 900 tons ov6r 1888, an,
76, 600 oTor the extraordinary year 1888
The tonnage of 1889, constructed in 1885
was 1,S0O, 00e, aud the number OF Ia
vessels launched YVES 705. This 10 bi
showing, especially in view of the fac
that this country did not build sipsl
ship for the European trade, but tn
consul al Gard # says that during 1890 |
will DO surpassed. His estimate Of til
new tonnage TO bs launched from BsitiB
shjpyards this year will be not less thsi
1870, 900. II 10 one Of the most remark
abls of thiugs that tho people OF thi
country, who are noted oil the worl
over for their enterprise in every sort o
brsiness, who have built land tTanspo1
tation systems equa! in extent TO those o
the combined world, are not In the bnsi
ness Of building OF sailing ocean ships
But jugtioo should ba done them. IL i
nut their fsnlt. Their own government
prohibits them being either shipbuilder
or shippers.
Clsra's mother (calling)-Clara, Nj