The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-11
OUR DOMESTIC WATER COMMERCE.

The shrinking OF the foreign carrying trade
OF the United States merchant marine during
the last forty years has often been made the
subject OF we-founded national regret. In
1886 the aggregate values OF our imports and
exports on foreign vessels were but $3.50 $780,
6I0. while on American vessels they were
three times as great. or 1882. 288274. Ten
years later. in 1886. the former had increased
fourfold. to s0S5. ,891. while the latter had
shrunk to 1926. III 1851. Another ten years
went by. and then. In 1875. the foreign flags
covered SS12354.987 In carrying trade values.
while our own share in this foreign commerce
had further diminished to S311. 076.171. Still
another decade showed the gap further widen
ing. so that in 1886 the foreign aggregate had
reached S1.O73911.113. while the American
had dwirdled to $197. 349.503. Put In another
form. American vessels in 1855 carried rs per
cent. Of our exports and imports. whereas in
1886 they carried only about Is per cent
What the figures will be for 1896 we can only
surmise, but the census year OF 1890 showed
that the gap had grown still greater. Tho
American vessels then carried S202. 451. O86.
and the foreign. S1.371. 116.744. our percent
age thus shrinking to about ID. In the year
1860 our carvings had amounted to S507.2
657. that the loss had been fully three flfths
Of that amount or nearly S305. OO0. 900 in thirty
years. despite the enormous increase in our
total exports and imports.
For once. however. these and similar figures
were produced last month at the Water Com
merce Congress at Chicago. In its sixth session.
by Mr.. T. J. Vivian. for a hopeful rather than
a depressing purpose He sought to show
that this heavy loss in our foreign merchant
marine had been largely Offset by an ex-
traordinary increase in our domestic trade.
ana arsat sRts srsef pSn SeS
that some OF the trips on our inland waters
correspond in distance to many of Englands
foreign voyages.
show that built i.7t7 ships and barfs SIS barses
sSSGPs sns s'sss .
n:sas sl Of al
s an
ing trade.
ns os5 steam and sHns sra, ior rum
essential to the water, Transportation equip
ment OF the United States as freight cars are
to a railr9Si. and the figures swell enor::
canal boats, number iO.50l. with an average
Tonnage 81 $50 and total carrying capacity
The average is 555 tons and on the great lafes
structing lake and river barges. and they are
Increasing IN value and capacity; These add:
tons s make nal the entire carrying fleet 25545. of
up c b. q n 81 thu.
o srs a and n Of p.t
On s s n a q
.ossi smSan. q $40 oso So es %s,s The
teresta
al The nfsses
s census ysss vi az 20 2s$ VIZ wages sssrs
a sssEn ana the
the mat eapa OF
S1 tho Ss1s ana rs
making neiuded 1855 tons se o. coal 's and
44l52aa2 cords Of wood. with a total value Of
pilot boats. fishing vessels. aud yachts. which
ducted from tie forecoins figures. p we find the
Te N insluding 2tS79 9, vessels Of 7'bSt
Of d en n sqe dfs
ss Bsrrss or os T0 numbe
Ths Of ther
was rem ark able. the, freight moved being 1861
W. "a @ GS tSs
paaS s3Sss sss q 6 s9R
tons OF net addition between 1860 and 1850, a
total Of l. 172.4l6 tons was built on the Missis-
boil ss Is. or Ss
land fol. the losses in the foreign carrying
S$q tt there 1a By S as
spssctlyely l25.6s2 and, 60,osl. t is worth
tho same In 1890 as in 1860. the growth being
wholly inland: The Mississippi shipbuildinE
ures: but that Is because the registry Of the
nnrgGed tonnage Is T optional and the Official
tat Of sssy
from shipbuilding Of only little over 5000
tons In 1872 s there vas Gr%Tth to aOs 526
Summing I'D the dgures,, We find, that. TIC
eTeaf soPnssfS f ten @ q S
rivers q the Mssissinpi Valley 29405 o49
toms q, ' that Of the fasie sfii37s tons
rsf Il Of ssn and sTsh
ass that IN only sos OF f S
States ports under the stars and Stripes.
The figures of comparison with Great Britain
rate. on account of tho difficulty OF finding n |
standard OF classification. However. here
they ARE:
we that while in the census year Great Britain had
with tonnage Of q 5s544b tons we only listed $50.
S. Is ~ ;.n
exclusively In domestic trade Great Britains account
was lns2d, with tonnage Of 800 1873 tons while ours
was 1871. with tonnage Of 7OL674 tons lsut
no Tar have dealt only with the steamers ana sailing
vessels " both nations and here again my contention
'ur domestic mercantile feet With this addition
raft, Win tonnage Of a. 7ioP2i tons while tho to.
ais 0f the TWO eets stand f0llowH Great Britain
Bod craft the United States "a 57g Great Brtains
onnage, Ta4ll54 the United states tonnage. 1884
llGess than 10000 tons behind Great Britain IN the
onnage account. and 1925 craft ahead.
Uncle Sam, therefore. is decidedly alive in
he carryl Ing trade and II he has lost a good
part Of the foreign trailr. he has a dom este
:om merco OF vast proportions.
The Board or Trade Convention In wash
lnEtOn.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 10.-The meeting OF dol
,Gates from the ,345 Boards OF Trade through
,ut tho country, called by the New York Board