The herald., 1894-04-11
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VII H.IWW
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL IL. 1894.
STEEL VS.. PINE.

Tie last number of the Scientific
American contained an illustrated arti
Gle upon the new clipper ship, Dirlgo
built at Camden, Maine, with a stee
hull, fully as strong as anything evel
built at Belfast or on the Clyde, The
picture represents q four-mssted shiI
without any flying jib or foretopgallant
staysail, having only two head sails
whereas the fast clippers of the Argo-
nautic era always had four and many oi
them as high as five. But those were
the days of $40 and even $50 per ton
freights from New York to California
and every mile sailed was so much
nearer to earning the freight money.
Now, when wheat is carried for $S from
San Francisco to Liverpool or Hull,
with an additional half dollar for deliv-
cry at the latter port. fast sailing in a
ship lie secondary consideration. The
great thing is TO have a ship that is
big carrier and to carry as few men as
possible.
Fifty years ago you could hardly give
away Maine built ship for the reason
that hull, cabins, masts, yards and
everything else were built from soft
pine wood, while the New York and
Boston built ships were all OF oak up to
the plankshear, their yards and mssts
alone being Of pine. The enormous
draft upon the oak forests for steamship
construction alone, from 1850 to 1875,
ticle, as proof of which we may men
ton that the eight big ships OF the Pa
ci6c Mail company-the Japan, Amer
lea, Colorado, Constitution, China,
Great Republic, Alaska and Arizona
sll we're condemned as rotten in eight
years, except the first two, which were
both destroyed by fire off the coast OF
japan, OF course, there was but one
solution of the problem-that in their
anxiety to get large feet of ships
afost and secure heavy subsidy from
our government, the Pacific Mail people
had built six million dollars OF steam
chips from unseasoned timber. 1t not
only ruined the prestige of the com
pany, but it also ruined the professional
prestige of Capt. Allan McLane, itl
president, who was one of the mos
amiable gentlemen that ever lived.
Since 1870, when the 100000 ship
above referred to were broken up ant
sold for firewood, the English have ha'
almost monopoly OF the high seas. A
English plate was cheaper than an
made in America, there WAS desire t
import that article into this country b
few men who did not want to see tn
old flag entirely swept from the sea
and replaced by the cross OF st. GeorRe
There are few old heads in Americ
who could recall the day when tn
British government chartered 1000 ton
OF American bottoms to carry thei
troops from Portsmouth to the Blac
sea. and who saw that the only way
regain the supremacy of the seas was
get cheap iron ships by leaeening tn
duty on plate so as to meet England @
equal terms.
Two men in congress were alway
to be found battling against this propc
nition and bowling about protection
American labor" Thoee two men we
James G. Blaine, of Maine, who WI
eternally "beefng" in the interest
Maine and her cheap pine-wood shi
yards; and Don Cameron, of Pennsy
vania, who was making his outcry
behalf OF his fellow ironmasters in tt
keystone State. And all the party lea
ers in congress. especially the Repul
licans, took up the shibboleth of the 3
called "Plumed Knight" and applaudt
il to the echo. From that day to Il
present writing, the English shipowne
have done the carrying trade OF T.
Englishspeaking world.
This abuse had become so shsmei
that the three states OF Wsshingto
Oregon and California alone had paid
English shibownera as much ireig
money on the grain produced by the
as was paid by all the United States
freight on grain to the United Kingdo
prior to 1850. II Blaine and Don Ca
eron could haye had their way indef
itely. the duty on iron plate would neN
have been lessened; and the sweat
the farmers brow, in Coluss or spokal
would have achieved nothing beyo
putting roast beef and champagne
the dinner table Of the average Liverp
shipowner.
The building of this steel ship il
Maine shipyArd shows that we are
he verge OF n new sra; and that
decline in the price Of steel plate
ships' hulls will cause q revival
American prestige on the high sc
That Americans do aurpass, and alw