The Portland daily press., 1890-01-03
Members Of the Portland Marine
Society Talk About Shipping.
Their Views on the Revival Of the
American Merchant Marine.
What Names coastvvise Steamers
Are Doing for the State.

- hlbtI tut CuuCtuolUu Va tuC uluu6t, Sdpts
Charles 81. Chase, the president of the
society, raped for order and spoke as fol-
lowss
Gentlemen and Friends of the Portland
Marine Society:
The time appointed for the second annual
dinner has arrived, and | congratulate you
we assemble. At our first annual dinner,
one year ago tonight | promised that upon
this occasion would give such information
rs could obtain as to the origin and develop,
ment of this society. Since that time have
made such an examination of its records, and
gathered from other sources such inform
alton as could, which would add to my own
knowledge and experience as member for
thilty-f0ur years, and hope as the result of
my efforts to briefly give such an account as
shall be cheering to the older members, bene.
our friends. Nearly 1OO;years ago, Portland
being then small village) John Thur
low and several others associated with him,
petitioned the General Court of. Massachu-
sets lin which State Portland was then in
cludedl for an act Of incorporation of
Society,"" which society, although all its
founders have long since passed away, has
continued unto this day.
OF John Thurlow, who. we presume, was
the leader in this movement, as his name is
TIC Hist On tno Hst VI MeupeIS, ana VINO
was the first. president of the society, we
can learn but little. He died In 1905, and
since his death none Of his name has ever
appeared in our list of members. All we
can learn of him is that he commanded
small vessel plying as a packet between
Portland and Boston. In those days steam
boats and railroads were unknown, and such
vessels were about the only means we had
of communicating with the outside world.
The names of most of those associated with
Capt. Thurlow in founding this society, are
familiar names in Portland, and reappear
again and again in the list of members until
a recent period, but on the death of our late
president, Capt. Jacob Mcclellan two years
ago, the last name borne by any of its found
ers was stricken from the list Of living mem.
bers.
We think the success of the society has
been all that its founders anticipated or
hoped for. The whole number that have
Joined the society from the commencement
in June, 1886, to this date, is 1886. OF this
number 80 were honorary members who
joined the society through benevolent mo-
tiyes. The funds Of the. society derived
members, though apparently trifiing. in
amount, having been carefully
husbanded and judiciously invested, have SO
increased in amount, that, Notwithstanding
nearly $S7, 900 has been bestowed upon needy
members, their widows and families, our in
come is such that we are now able to bestow
our bounty upon our benefciaries with a
more liberal hand than ever.
During the past year new interest in the
society seems TO have been awakened among
vicinity, and as the result there has been a
very gratifying addition of new members,
and we sincerely hope that this interest will
continue, so that the great objects which its
founders had In its organization, may be
realized and enjoyed by. still larger number
in INN IN 10 10 tnn nf.,l .sne,x
to let languish and die out so let US not lose
our interest in it; and would say to the
younger members, that the management will
soon pass into their hands, and hope you
will use every effort to keep. it alive and
prosperous, for the good it will do in the
past. would like to see others than ship
masters take an interest in this society and
become honorary members. In years past
our leading merchants were members and in
our list will be found the names of the
wealthiest merchants Of Portland of their
time.
With this brief account of its history I
hope we may now have the pleasure of hear
ing from some of its members, and as we
have nc particular programme to guide us.
are those present who haye long cherished
this grand association, and have no doubt
will speak of its benefits from their expert.
ence. : Our gathering Is for enjoyment and
the renewing Iof our acQuaintances, and !
trust it will result In being pleasant time
for those who have enjoyed its fellowship,
helpful to the more recent members. and OF
interest to eur invited guests whom we so
cordially welcome Oh this occasion.
COL. ADAMS.
Col. John M. Adams, editor of the Argus.
spoke of the decline of our merchant marine.
Regarding the cause there may be some diff
ference Of opinion but none about the fact.
A Co. r. Ant~x
interest. and for its. success we
can all labor. In 1850 when entering the
harbor of Liverpool, Col. Adams said he was
astonished to see SO many vessels.
Speaking to DISTINGUISHED Englishman of
the circumstance, he said, "Yes, but all the
hope in the near future the American flag
will be seen in all ports as of old. 1t cannot
be done all at once, but 1t can be done gradu-
ally. Something has been done but If we
can put our merchant marine on a paying
basis the work will DE done. With the re-
fered by our harbors, we should be able to
carry our commerce in our own bottoms.
and under our flag, but is it so? One of the
great ocean lines is owned by American
citizens, but their steamers fly the English
flag. This should not be, and it is our duty
to work together, for the common object OF
our desire, the restoration of our merchant
marine. s
Col. Adams said if we but had our old
supremacy on the ocean the repairing of our
vessels would give employment to more men
than are now employed in all our ship yards.
EX-MAYoR DEERING.
Ex-Mayor Deering followed Col. Adams.
He said:
There is money in the foreign trade under
proper circumstances. The steamer Oregon
left this port this week at state of the tide
that would have kept her in any other port
in the United States. She took with her $3.50
tons of freight, that will be landed with a
profit Of el7sO to her owners. That pays.
When the late war broke out, Maine, with
the single exception of the State of New
York, was ahead In the carrying trade of the
the world Is Of more Importance 60 the
American people than the ship-build.
ing interest. We ask for nothing
from Congress but for a limited term
of years to be allowed to build or buy
ships when we please.
Capt j. S. Wfnslow followed. He said he
had reason to believe that we shall receive
this year some kind of Congressional relief,
perhaps 30 cents ton for every thousand
miles sailed in the foreign trade. We need
this encouragement in order to build up a
foreign carrying, trade. Capt. Winsiow
idea Of free ships.
j. B. Coyle, the general manager of the
International Steamship Company, the Port
land Steam Packet Company and the Maine
Steamship Company, said he believed fully
In the necessity of reviving our merchant
marine service, but should speak only of the
coastwise steamer service. All the lines are
doing well. We have built some new steam
ers, and shall build more. The Steam Pack
ct Company will have the largest steamer
ever run In eastern waters this side of Cape
Cod. These lines will be Of the greatest
benefit to Maine. From Kennebunk to
PASSPORT the coast line has
been bought and bonded. and thousands
will come here In the summer season. The
inland railroad service is all that can be de-
sired, and the steamship companies will do
their best to give as good coastwise service
as can be found in this country. Build up
the interests of Maine. All our steamers
are built In Maine. The Portland will cost
S25O.OOO, and the Cottage City Sl50. 900, and
every. dollar will 60 to Maine. Go ahead
ana give US back our old time merchant ma
rlne service, and while you are doing 1t we
will look to it that the American flag floats
over as line vessels in the coastwise service
as can be found.
Hon. William G. Davis, Captain w. E
Dennison, Captain J. H. Humphrey, ]. E.
Liscomh, c. c. Couillard. A. b. Hall, E. S.
Osgood, Captain Richard Sheppard, and
Captain A. j. Pettingill spoke briefly. A
letter was read from Captain r. G. #, Cam
dage, president of the Boston Marine Socie-
ty, and Captain c. w. Ford proposed toast
in honor of the late Henry W. Grady.
A Quick Passage.
The steamer Winthrop, Captain Bragg, on