The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-12
SOME FACTS ABOUT THE WORLDS
SHIPPING.

a lI1
SHIPPING.
When Senator Vest declared that our
merchant marine was driven from the
seas by our foolish navigation laws, he
stated truth, but not the whole truth.
Laws may accelerate or retard the
success of business enterprises but I'M
der fayorable conditions they seldom de-
stroy them totally.
Prior to 1860 the United States divided
equally with England the worlds carry
ing trade. In 1900 the proportion was
one to eight, in favor of England. This
remarkable change was brought about
by three factors working conformity:
First, the United States not having
been a party to the Geneva convention
abolishing privateering, our shipping
thus becoming for four years a constant
Prey to those pirates" of the Confed-
eracy, built armed and managed in neu-
trail ports; second, our navigation laws,
which prohibited the purchase of for
eign built vessels to replace those de-
strOyed during the war and the still
greater number sold to avoid capture by
the enemy; third, the change from
wooden to iron vessels which began
in 1865.
Had our navigation laws allowed the
American flag to float over foreign built
vessels owned and sailed by American
citizens, our merchant marine would
have recovered somewhat from the de-
vastation of the Civil war Those whose
business was the sea would have sought
ir the cheapest market vessels to
replace those captured or sold
during our distress and would have re-
entered the contest for the worlds car
rying trade. But a mistaken zeal in
favor of American ship building made
this impossible.
The United States had gained its po-
sition as a rival of England on the high
seas by reason Of our superior facilities
for building wooden vessels. The Allan
tic coast with it's timber and its in
genuity was able to built wood
en- sailing vessels which outlast-
ed and outsailed their British
rivals. To illustrate this point
it is only necessary to state that in 1927
the far-off Philippine islands were WIS.,
tied by nineteen American sailing vessels
while Great Britain was represented by
only seven.
Up to the time of the advent Of the
iron vessel driven by steam, the ad-
after that time until now the advantage
lay with England. It was in England
that iron ship building reached its
earliest perfection. From 1865 England
has been furnishing the world with
ships. She made her own and sold to the
other nations SO cheap that they could
not afford to build. We, however, by law
refused to buy, preferring rather to see
our flag disappear from the face of the
waters. There is no doubt about the dis
astrous effect of our navigation laws.
ships, the carrying trade of the United
States would today be pressing that Of
England closely. So far as this part Of
the problem is concerned Senator Vest
was right
The tables now are turned. With the
abdication of the iron in favor Of the
steel vessel, the advantage of construc-
ton has again crossed the Atlantic and
taken up it's abode with the Yankee. The
first steel vessel made in America was
constructed of steel plates imported from
Glasgow. Now Glasgow imports steel
plates from America The American
steel manufacturer is able to sell steel
plates to the Clyde ship builder So Ger
ton less than he can get them in Eng.
land. after paying the Sc duty-an actual
difference Of SO per ton in the cost of
production.
The result is inevitable. Within the
next decade the United States will be
the great ship building nation of the
globe The revival of our shipping will
come as a result of a change in natural
conditions.
AS long as steel is king, America will
rule the seas as England has done during
the age of iron.
TO illustrate the poverty Of our ocean
traffic, it is but necessary tn examine the
commercial report of the commercial me.
tropolis of any nation that has developeo
within the last half century. The Ar
gentine republic is a fair examnle
Here is nation with five million people
with progressive and liberal national
policy; the largest republic of our sister
continent, with which under ordinary
circumstances we should sustain Gloss
commercial relations. Entering the mort
of Euenos Ayres are ten regular steam
ship lines, two to Bremen, two to Liver.
pool, Two to Hamburg, one each to Bor-
deaux, Havre, Cadiz and Genoa. but
none to any port of the United States
This indicates what might be called
criminal neglect on the part of the
Americau9people in the management of
their foreign trade.
The present navigation law should be
repealed, not that 1t has any effect ON