Morning journal and courier., 1894-04-10

more largely derived from foreign scouross of supply than now, and their importa- lions were often direct, upon their own or ders to their forcing correspondents, either by shipment to this port or to New York and thence here by packet. The larasr concerns (numbsring twenty nine in | 1911. and probably not less than half that I number In 17e4) had their own vessels in l which they exported provisions and brought back what the customs of the I place demanded from foreign markets. By l packet also the csrgoss of foreign produce I that came here were largely xeshipped and transported over the sound in all diree- tions.
 Judge Baldwin's pspsr ct this point sl- ludes to the making of New London as well ss New Haven . free port in 17s4. and of New London's growth and prosperity In foreign trade in those days. Foreign trade was then the only standard of prosperity of any ssabound place. He then spoke of the kinds of merchandise imported here In mage in those days compared with other places. New Haven soon outstripped New London in extent Of commercial tonnage. Proceeding, Professor Bsldw spoke of the decadence of foreign commerce of this port due to various causes, the introduction of steam sailing vessels and steam railroads among them. The real foreign trade of New Haven is gone, he added, never to re. turn unless the railroads centering here mako this distributing port. On the other hand, our coasting trade has greatly vessels were enrolled in our custom house January 1, 1894, with Q gross tonnage of over 5,0O0 tons. Six pleasure yachts also hail from this port.
 Professor Baldwin then rehearsed the history of the chambers annual dinners, and then spoke of valuable work done by the chamber for New Haven's interests, enumerating some of the many notable steps in this direction taken by the cham Judge Baldwin concluded as follows:
 ''It is an impressive event in the history of any association of men. when it rounds off period of hundred years of centin- ued existence. The association has achieved its century. but not one of those under whose lead 1t set out upon its course, remains to celebrate It's close. It Is @ sad thought, and yet in Q truer sense, 1t is triumphant one. This passing life of man he has found @ way to prolong, we might almost say forever. By such organ nations as this what 1t best of the activity and aspiration of one generation eau be AAASSSoAAAAy gathering new strength in the general up- ward progress of the race, may advance continually toward a fuller attainment. The record written in the rocks and buried in caves that modern science has brought to light of ths law of evolu. tion, if one were to think only of | the history of individuals, would make | us tremble for the future of mankind. The lower animals. still true to the ancient rules of natural selection and the struggle | for existence, are maintaining in theil progeny the best characteristics of thei1 kind. Man, who raises to maturity the puny and feeble of his offspring, only, per haps, to perpetuste their weaknesses ir | another generation. transgressss in thii ! the laws of his physical being, and pro lorgs, or reproduces, types of constitution l which, in the original order of nature would have been early borne down and
 swept away by something stronger. Bu
 that heaven-born mind that has made mar the master of the earth has taught him
 nothing better than the law of corporate vitality.
 The sickly child, who, in rougher ages
 if not exposed to perish in infancy, would
 have fallen early in the struggle for exist
 enee, may now bs tenderly reared to man
 hood. The races of civilized men may be
 and are, of fsebler form than their bar
 barian ancestors, or the savsges of our owl
 day; but by associations formed for per
 petual succession, to prosecute the sam
 object steadily and always, as one man ! they have, in effect, bsnfehed death ant l time from the domain of human achieve | ment.
 Of the twenty-six founders of this cham
 Der there is but one, I believe, who has lief ! descendent of his name who is now il
 active business in New Haven, and mem
 Der of this chamber. A hundred year
 from now we know not but the same thin)
 may be true of us.
 But they did something better than tn
 psrpetuation of any family. They founded
 an institution of that kind than whicl
 human history knows nothing nobler, tn
 kind formed only for the public good, snt
 supported only by. public spirit.
 ! Oar selfish ends die with us, and de
 serves to die It is when we seretch for
 ward, out of ourselves, to do some good t,
 others, to the country, the state, the cit,
 of our love and home, to the men witl
 whom we dwell and to those who are t.
 come after us, that we begin to achiey,
 what can be called success.
 Such @ success on the part of . few O
 the leading spirits of the New Haven of
 hundIed years ago, we commemorate to
 night.
 The special objects which they had il
 view in founding this chamber, are thing
 of the past; but their general object-t,
 promote the prosperity of New Haven
 appeals as strongly to us, as 1t did to them
 Let us endeavor to do our part toward iti
 attainment, as heartily and as wisely a
 they did theirs.