Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-11-29
TRIUMPH OF FREE SHIPS.
Striking Evidences of the Commercial
Supremacy of Great Britain Since

Striking Evidences of ths Commercial
Supremacy of Grsst Britain Since
Adopting This fOiiry.
Phllndnlphla Record, Nov. 81.
There is nothing SO striking in COM
mercial history MS the supremacy OF
Great Britain on tho high seas since
her policy OF free ships was adopted.
Thorold Rogers, tho late distinguished
economist, says tho English were dull
people, and extremely slow in industrial
progress. In tho Middle Ages they were
outstripped in commerce and manu-
features by the Dutch, Venetians,
French and Spaniards. But their sys'
tenn OF navigation laws was fastened
upon them by their Norman con-
querors This system for "the encour-
aging aud increasing of shipping and
navigation" was maintained with the
utmost jealousy and rigor for hundreds
Of years. At last, when the commercial
and manufacturing towns of England
secured due representation In Pertinent,
they proceeded 10 sweep away tho
whole code of navigation laws, with all
the other protective cnactmonts.
When the navigation laws were
finally abolished, Ia 1910, dreadful cry
VI Gdluultl uID5G lIlul tuS WIlOlc lnlY
camp. The Protectionist orators and
newspaper organs dolefully predicted
that. as tho inevitable results of this in
sane measure, the British merchant
marine would languish and expire; that
its ships would rot ut their wharves, and
that the commerce of tho high sens
would pass over to the French and
Dutch. 1t was said that "pauper labor"
in the shipyards Of Amsterdam, Toulon,
Marseilles and other seaboard cities OF
the Continent would drive the ship
builders of England out of business.
The outcries against free ships in this
country are merely faint echoes of the
arguments against abrogaton of the
British navigation law across the gulf
of half century.
But since the Tree ship policy of Eng
land went INTO effect her mercantile
marine has increased by leaps and
bounds. From 1850 to 1880 her tonnage
| grew in ocean. going commerce from
1865, 1873 tons to G,5T4,5l3 tons. In 1898
her tonnage amounted to 1914 ,0C0 tons,
the flag Of the United Kingdom cover.
ing nearly halt of the worlds merchant
shipping on the high seas. Such is the
triumph of the policy of free ships.
Under the opposite policy the merchant
marine Of the United States within this
period has not only relatively but abso
lutely declined. In 1860 the tonnage
owned by American citizens in foreign
commerce amounted TO $3.50 1896 tons,
and in 1893 to ,403 900 tons. In 1856
the American share in the ocean carry
ing trade OF the country was n per cent.
IL has now fallen to 90 per cent, in spite
of navigation laws and grants of steam
ship subsidy.
If 1t be pretended that the wages OF
labor and other conditions in this
country do not justify a comparison
with England in regard 10 shipping,
France will serve the present argument
quite as well. The French have many
commodious seaports ON the Atlantic
and Mediterranean. scientific ship
builders, skilful mechanics, and abun
dance OF cheap labor. Yet under thu
combined influence Of their navigation
laws, protective tariffs and ship sub
sides the merchant marine of France |!
actually declining. Since 1883 thu
French steamship tonnage on the ocear
has decreased, while the sailing fleet ha'
made no growth. Germany, ON the othe
hand, possesses few soaports, has com
merce dating from but yesterday com
pared with the ancient commercia
interests OF France, and pays no shiI
bounties. Yet within five years the ton
mage of Germany on the ocean has nearly
doubled. In steamship tonnage in thu
foreign carrying trade Germany rank
next to England; and neither is blessed
with u system of prohibitory navigation
laws "for the encouraging and increas
ing Of shipping" #
The two great maritime nations, Eng
land and Germany, whose ocean carry
ing trade increases apace, allow thei
merchants to buy ships in the hes
markets. The two maritime nation
which practically prohibit their mer
chants from buying foreign vessels, AM
which pay ship bountles, find thei
ocean transportation stationary or dc
, clining. viii the enemies of free ship
explain, if they can, phenomenal in trad
that are utterly ut war with thci
theories?