The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-12-01
AMERICAN SHIP BUILDING.
No Reason Why We Should Pur-
chase Foreign Ships.

Since the cheapnesS of raw materials
andthe perfection of methods of trans
forming them into manufactured prod
ucts have so cheapened the cost Of steel
as to enable our manufacturers to pro-
ftably compete in foreign markets with
foreign steel makers, there has been a
growing conviction manifest through
out the country that American ship
building revival is at hand. 1t is we'll
IN evidence, now, that if we had enough
to build to keep our yards employed,
we could build ships as cheaply in
this country as they can be built
abroad. 1t is only a step from ability
to do thing to the actual doing of it.
But, nevertheless, we find number of
people still insistently demanding that
American citizens be permitted to buy
and register foreign built ships. The
wisdom of permitting or of doing this,
is what we now wish to critically con-
slider
Being able-under equal conditions
to build as cheaply in this country as in
any other, the only reason that an
American would look abroad for a ship
would be thatfit was already built But
should our people put their money into
ships more or less Anticipated, old
fashioned or partially worn out, in
order to compete with their rivals who
will have new ships. modern and more
economical with better classification
and less insurance rating on ship and
cargo? Will not the less modern and
more expensive ships our people will
buy, seriously, If not fatally, handicap
them in the struggle they will inaugur-
ate with people intrenched in the busi-
ness of running ships in the foreign
trade? Less modern ships will be more
expensive, because they will consume
more coal and require a higher insur-
ance rate, as will the cargoes they will
carry than the up-to-date new ships
What will induce the owner Of for
eign ship to sell her to an American?
Only good, or at least a fair, price.
That same price put into a new ship
will give the advantage in securing EN-
ployment to the owner of the new ship.
Why should the owner of the new ship
not be the American the one inexperi-
erced in shipowning in the foreign
trade, and therefore needing every pos
sible advantage to enable him to sue
cessfully compete with his experienced
IiFdl. IuiS Is d pIdCllCdl QueSlIOu- n OF
every foreign built ship sold to an
American, we may be sure new for
eign ship will be built to replace her.
So long, therefore, as we are assured
that there will be a new ship built, and
with enough to build, it can be builk
as cheaply in this country as in any
other, why not have 1t built here-why
not dissuade our own people from pur-
chasing more or less worn out foreign
ships and try and induce them to pur-
chase brand new up-to-date, more eco
nomical modern ships built by Ameri-
can shipbuilders?
Surely, If our ability to build ships as
cheaply as they can be built elsewhere
is likely to cause Americans to more
largely invest in ships for the foreign
trade, that is not an argument for them
to buy foreign-built and probably old
fashioned ships? The economics of in
dustry assure US, also that the more
ships our own builders construct, the
more cheaply they will be constructed.
If American demand for ships for the
foreign trade Is confined to newly built
American ships. by refusing to permit
our people to register foreign-buil
ships as American, just that much
sooner all the world will be coming to
us to buy our ships that will be cheaper
and probably better built than those of
any other nation.