Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-10
Clio SEAPORTs COME
TO LIFE VERY RAPIDLY
Revival in Shipping Brings Prosper
ity to American Seaboard
Towns.
ONCE BUSY MARTs OF TRADE
Same Spirit That Made Old Salem
Rich Now Seen i'm Merchant Ma
rine's Development - New Ports
Springing Up.

WASHINGTON, February o.-Onc cf-
feet OF tho present rapid expansion Of
tho American merchant marine is a
sudden and unprecedented revival OF
business at certain American ports
which Il few years ago were thought
10 have passed their zenith.
Bath, Slc., Is cited as AN example In
tho prosperous nincteenth century days
OF sailing ships Bath was the coun-
try's leading shipbuidimE port. II de-
ciincd steadily after the Introduction
Of steel as n building material.
Now Bath. building both steel and
wood vessels. is 50 prosperous that the
housing of the wcrkmcn taking jobs
there is n pressing problem. Tho same
Is true Of several other North Atlantic
ports while in other sections ports
hro sprinGinG Up where none existed
before.
Close observers Of tho present revival
in shipping say that before the United
states Shipping Boards present con-
htruction plan is complctcd--a plan by
which Il vast new merchant fleet is to
he brought into bcing-the develop
mont OF American ports Will parallel on
q larger scale that which took place
in tho good old day of the square
riEScrs."
In earlier times. as at present. every
body in port touched b. the pros
rcrity Of scagoinS WAS Eccnly inter
about contrasts sailings and dividends
had its prototype in the secrecy that
cnTeloped such matters more than 100
years ago. in score of American
ports, notably in Salem. Mass.
In those days, We arc told rival
merchants sometimes drove tho work
of preparation for voyages night and
day. Ships which set out for foreign
ports were watched when they slipped
their cables and sailed away By night"
H. At.
sonal touch in voyages than now, as
every man making Il voyage was AL
lowed certain space in the hold for
goods Of his own. People in the home
port OF ship outward bound in;rustcd
their savings to their scafarinS neigh
boris for ventures in far countries.
COMMERCIAL ADVENTURE
Is FINDING EXPRESSION
This spirit of commercial adventure
is finding expression to-day on larger
and less personal scale, say tho experts
of tho Shipping Board: ard these stu
dents OF conditions trace the present
enthusiasm Of tho nation for scafarinS
20 beginnings In definite periods in
which our old time ports were at the
height 81 their prosperity. In so do
ms. they cite 81 lem as "A good example
Of what a vcnturcsomo people may gain
upcn IN csca.
salem n, one time stood at tho head
OF tho cities OF tho United States ia
tho value of it's imports.
In 1872 It had 10 ships in tho deep
water trade, and Of these. !ifiy-oight
were East lndiamcn. These vessels
brought homo cargocs OF fabulous rich
ness-silks, indigo, spices. ivory and
other products OF tho Far East. They
also traded 20 European ports with
great profit.
There arc old people living in Salem
who remember when tho ci'y's ancient
warehouses were full Of hemp from
Luzon. pepper from Sumatra. coffee
from Arabia. palm oil from tho west
coast OF Africa, cotton from bombay.
duck and iron from tho Baltic. tailow
from Madagascar, salt from Cadiz.
wine from Portugal and the Madeiras.
figs. raisins and almonds from the
Mediterranean. teas and silks from
China; rum, sugar and molasses from
the West Indies: ivory and gum -copal
from Zanzibar; rubber. hides and wool
from South America; whale oil from the
Arctic and An,arctic. and the sperm
from the South Seas
Salem ships were pioneers in OPEN
ing new routes Of commerce. Salem
merchants were the first TO bring pep
per from Sumatra. rubber from South
America and coffee from Mocha. The
Salem ship Recovery. Captain John
Ropes. was the coffee pioneer. and be-
tween the landing OF her first cargo OF
the fragrant berry in 1925 and 1905,
Salem imported not less than 1000
600 pounds of Mocha coffee.
Salem men were perhaps no moro
active than other American decp-water
sailors OF the period. but their records
were better kept.
Examining tho causes Of Salcms
great fame won upon the sea. a recent
historian OF the merchant marine found
that il was mot in her harbor nor in
her store OF shipbuldinE timber.
II was Salem men. Americans
OF the Americans who built up the ro-
mantle commerce that left no sea I'M
visited, no land uncSplorcd.
Their business required iron will and
iron nerve. noble Imagination. belief
In themselves and in their fcllow-man."
The case OF old Salem. and OF the
newer ports now nourishinG under the
impetus Of the country's present COM
mercial expansion. convinccs the mari
time specialists that the qualify which
won in both cases is Il constant one.
being nothing less than American en-