New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-23
AGAINST TIE FITHI1N BILL.

BATH SliPBliI.DEES FEAR FOR THE FUTURE OF
THEIR INDUSTRY
Bath. Ne. Jan. % (speciaD.-rhe collection dis
trict of Bath has the prestige @. having had built
within the limits of It's territory the first American
ship in this country. which by the famous
Sagadahoc colony at the mouth Of the kennobec
River ~ l6J1-0S The business this river became
established permanently at Bath in IE, as the CEN
tire of shipbuding in this section, which has become
the leading poin. for this industry for this country
in the production of wooden ships The size has
risen from the thrty-ton ship the Virginia Of
Sagadahoc to the Bath steel ship DirGo OF $50
tons Dating from 1851 1892. there built III
this district SCI ships. SIS barks and barkentines.
6S brgs 13o schooners. l66 soops. !6 steamers and
other smaller vessels comprising total Of l33)lS
tons. with the cost OF construction estimated at
sl5SIjsOs This does not take into account the iron
and steel vessels o. later years, for the construc-
ton of which there are TWO plants. that of the
Bath iron Works having capacity and equipment
sufficient 10 build the largest vessel that may b.
required by the general Government
Since the decadence Of the value Of deep sea-
going tonnage of recent years. the building OF
sohooners for coastwse employment has been the
chief work in the Bath yards and the result OF
the operation Of a free ship bill will, 1t is be-
leved by Bath builders. compass the total ruin OF
that branch of vessel building industry.
In view OF the Introduction OF free ship bill
in Congress. a largely attended meeting OF Bath
shpbuilders and business recently held
al which protest against the passage OF the bill
was unanimously adopted. II states that Amcr-
can shipbuildng had It's birth in Bath and his city
has built sailing vessels Than any other place
in the country its experience of a century and
half in ship5uild!ES and shipownng entities ii "a
speak with some authority in these matters: the
industry hourshed under those same navigation
laws which The President now declares relic of
barbarism, and ii did not decline until iron began
to supersede wood and the Civil War and British
privateers sailing under Confederate co!ors nearly
swept our commerce from the seas and gave Eng
land the lead which she has since maintained.
Thomas W. Hyde thus expresses his views upon
the Free Ship bill: Il am opposed to The socalled
Free Ship bill. primarily because II aims to destroy
a calling that has been the pride and the sds-
tenance OF Bath. and because that calling does
more 10 employ American labor In widely extended
spheres than any other For instance. every dollar
that was received for the City OF lowell went
to American labor More than 600 different Ameri
can trades took :helr benefit. When send
ship or steamer out on the seas Of the world. the
foreign hands; her payroll Is mainly spent away.
and while foreign trade Is no doubt benefit to
this country. the proportion OF benefit Is nothing
near that received from the shipyard or the
away this part Of the business. as proposed by the
Free Ship bill. but how shall We keep it? - dong
has always done what was necessary 10 keep her
control OF the seas and to vitslze her ship
sides where they not needed. but she never
let's business larcuish unto death. France, italy
and Austria pay bounty per ton for their home
built ships 70 equal The market elsewhcre And
what has all this commercial development cost
France? About $4,000 for nine years. And yet
free-ship advocates tell us France. Italy ana
Austria have abandoned will abandon this
policy But a broader. deeper reason for building
our own ships is that the National power and glory
and, perhaps some day. existence. too depend upon
II. do believe "A great merchant marine can be
created for this country in foreign shpyarGs. with
simply the interests o. brokers and agents In
large seaports 10 back It. II needs the great
manufacturing and mechanical interests OF The
country behind It, too. We would be giving up the
life OF the business. Our steamers should be
American from stack to keelson., and should be
sustained by n generous people FOR IN" prestige
they Will bring US abroad and The protection they
will surely afford in time OF war"
Arthur Sewall says: THE Fithan bill. IT, passed
Will surely kin what little We Rave IN the foreign
trade. but that is only the beginning. our coast
wise carrying trade will be attacked ~ The
policy outlined by the President 10 carried out
Then the last thing to have done Is 20 have YES
sells for Navy bought In foreign countries.
Under these conditions wha: vii. become OF our
shipyarGs?'