New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-07

sA.' .a,e,tv-hve wears tas the SeNaM private
pee white IS" on a blue ground. auttered
So ~ roain.op OF some OF the stanehest, finest.
ron vessels n The America, merchant marine.
s'.rc the stars and S.-lNss into every foreign
ca" From the first ship. built entirely from
p~.,,car material. cut on the banks Of the Ken
A - that now being built entirely Of Amer
~ . material from the mines and iorges Of Penn
- ne Sewaus have been pioneers IN ship
'u'r,,,r snd shipping matters
- sevam the present head Of the yard and
A., ,s,,,lv. Is best known TO the American pub
.be recent candidate with Mr.. Bryan or the
S..-o.io Presidential ticket. but 10 every person
,.s given the American marine the least at
Wv - Is known % the leading shipping ner-
r. go, sns ship-buider Of New-England.
cas- ,ss been shown by his political course. Mr.
- = IN all things a radical, but more sue
ST. 50 in shipping than in politics. When he
- h,,rd.rg the grea: wooden ships which
% their class and the pride OF the Amer
" w r,,-ine-the Rappahannook. the Shenandoah.
- s,s,rehanra AID the Roanoke-he was laughed
y ID his bankruptcy was pred!cted. We: it IS
H. =. .b4se ships have been the only ones that
s'n. os,a well during the recent depression In
A,s The Rappahannock was burned as the
80 =. spontaneous combustion in its cargo. bat
-" .,s- three have tecn steady money-winners.
- NJ Sewal. was laughed a. ami considered
80 = steel sailing ship at Bath. But the
- - ass tons burden. which was launched In
---,-- q 1884 has proved his wisdom. Al
- h,,n or the Kennebec by American work
- ~. p.rigo contains considerable foreign ma
-, hs, angle irons. plates. frames and s,rokes
- hen imported from the clyde under the act
- r0,r-sss admitting them duty free. But this
,,.,o,isesd NJ SewaN, and he obtained estimates
tyr The Carnegie anc oiher stec! works Win such
-ss,,.s that ne says to-day;
~ ,,n put down material FOR steel ships
-. or ,bs Kennebec after three years expert
- ~, he famous Scotch builders can on the
80. a.,a- thirty We have to-day the cheapest
- ~ he world. Last year We produced almost
a. ,,uch steel as Great Britain. and believe thai
hss,,s this year has closed We shall have become
~ Arst s,eel-produciag country in the world This
!, TIE result @: the Government encouraging the
s,ssi ministry. and believe the same results can
b produced in our merchant marine by pursuing
Ire same policy.
i aave one ship on the ways now, almost framed
- which vi. he built from bow TO stern from
American steel put together by American work
rsn ucde- The American Aag and within very
sAcr, time Will begin work on another and larger
sin Neither has been named yet The one now
I, he ward IS practically duplicate OF the Dirlgo
.xcspt that her lines have been made little finer.
especi2uy in that she is sharper ait She will be
sso-; three thousand tons. and much faster than
he D!-!go TIE one which WI, be built soon Will
be abou; twenty feet longer and on similar lines.
an with carrying capacity ot over five thousand
t,us Bon OF these ships will be sailing vessels"
Then you 90 not believe that the Cay for sailing
,sps has sse3 as seems 20 Be the opinion OF the
Lasl.shf
ALWAYS WORK FOR SAILING SHIPS.
AS lens as re wind blows and the trees STOW
-. ami nd bf1S \
keep tAer1 busy. There viii always be chance for
iasu. 70 compete against sean II traflc where
tine is TOT factor. or where delay l. actually
good thing Fer instance there IS the wheat crop.
u July o. August Il begins 20 be ready for de-
livery and II q short tine the whole years supply
IS ready io- shipment. But the consumption Of
crop stretches over tho whole year. Shipping
wheat in sailing vessels consumes several months
rhfch wcuI1 otherwise require the storing Of
,ae whea, Sailing freights are actually less than
sie--. f-eights plus storage charges so. you see.
here IS business which sailing ships hold.
TAsn. again. take railroad materials. especially
-a1s which are manufactured faster than they can
be used and where the delay OF sails steam is
better than storage.
of course II all o;her business. II is case Of
he survival Of the fttest. and - aler ships
relatively more expensive than large ones. small
SIPS cannot make money. ana Will have 70 make
way .or Iarse ones For instance the only ships OF
Or Arm which have paid Of late have been the
tree b.g wooden ones and the big Dirgo. We are
actually building more steel sailing tonnage to-day
pa tne Kenaebec than the Scotch are on the Clyde
TIE significance q This may be read in two ways.
I MAJ BE- that We are more or & NAV be We are
.ss progressive than the Scotch Outside Of this
question mink that the explanation may De that.
hanks 70 our wise coas;ing laws, the New-York-
ssn Francisco trace. which gives the oes- business
io sailing ships IS confined 10 American bottoms.
The advantage O; steel over wood is great.
While the first is more the expense Of ma.nte-
nance is muca ,ess. and even after years Of usage
70. Sill have q good stee snip for steel is pTac;i-
ealy indestrucriole and costs little 10 keep going
Two things have prevented our turning 70 steel
sooner. First TIE fact tina, We could build the
besi ard cheapest wooden ships in the world. and
kaew aow 20 handle them from the first design 70
the rs; days aAoat on the other hand. steel was
expensive AID we cid not have the plants nor the
szoar51oe1 wo-kmeu. b, the experience Il my
yar- has shown that can obtain rateria!
cheaper o. re Eenaebec than the Scotch can OF
The Clyde. an: can equip or short notice better
i..at At .ess expense than cur competitors across
nc wafer. Our only handicaqs are the greater
Coz, 0. .aoo- acd the lack OF established business
'os or ships. Il We can only receive temporary
ehcoufase-en, 70 oGv shipping from tie Govern
m-tt see ssiP yarcs VII spring ~ everywhere.
= '.t-t 10. DIX Nf-tit a. t.~F 'N+' t+N ~N-N
WI see, conle'.,.c. Will reduce lie cost so that
We car bgao more cheaply than any ether country
y tss world
"s ae.'t ask - anything abnormal 10Y pern2-
he'i We rarely Ges.rc 70 receive some encorrase-
e"' ron Tie g 7vcrnr1ert 70 help Is over TIC
.'s' '"N hard Yeas Of the hus.ness A. II Is no"
''e Is Go disposition on the part q capital 10 50
'Ao shipping. b1t with such erco1re cement i
r 100 hoi 5e oas before capital would enter ne
-''-- AND ol,e so established. the business wou'4
so0a r2ir,aia Itself and draw fresh capital as
-'7oea Tiihou. further aid from. the Government
COMPETITION MUST BE MET
u, instead q this encouragement. AZ the pres
'n' me there disposition among some shipping
~ea 10 avoid o@endlrg our British friends and 30
'acolFagerent is refused Us. Eut We must siafE
:" CUR orr bottom. We arc a big enough. brave
s'''sn strong enough country 70 20 4 alone IN me
ace Of me whole world. 4 Only we VIII recognize
VA o"n strength. To-day our SHIPS and the car
e~s sent In hem are discrininated against win
ere i,.s Itch