OUR DECAYING SHIPPING.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2178, 17 February 1881, Page 3

OUR DECAYING SHIPPING.

(" Alta California.")

_ For eomo years post this journal has occasionally, and it might be said, often, drawn attention of the reader to the plain facts that our country, twenty years ago, if not tho first nation i>b to its shipping possessions and trade, wns nearly, if not quite, equal in it» tonnago to that of Great Britain, the tonnage of each mounting up to four or five millions. That our domestio troubles from 1860 to 1865 should cause to us a great diminishing of our mercantile marine was natural and unavoidable. Much of our tonnage passed into the possession of other nations, and although the ships remained, they sailed under foreign flags. When the war was over, they could not return, bocause our unwise laws upon the subject prevented their registration. A ship must be American built, or she cannot obtain an American register. We cannot build iron ships in competition with Great Britain, for many and obvious reasons, and wooden ones are at a discount. But British merchants and shipowners aro at liberty to purchase, to build and to sell, as business and profits dictate. The result is so palpable that no one short of an idiot can fail to see the folly of

our law-makers. Our shipyards for building wooden ships are now little more than dreams of the past, showing instead of ships "on the stocks," a few relios of former prosperity in the shape of rotten or rotting ohips.idleness and decay. Our merchant marine is a thing of the past, and Congressional comprehension of the question of shipping is also a thing of the past. There does not appear to be among the two hundred and ninety-three members of tho Lower House, and the ninety-six Senators, one man who rises in conception to the level of this most important question. Almost numberless obstructions to American shipping are allowed to exist on our statute books j and apparently with the purpose to force our shipping men to construct wooden ships, for we cannot, except In a small degree, produce iron ones. Our old and obsolete opinions still prevail, and Congress says virtually to the country, build wooden ships or you shall have

none ; a condition to which we are fast floating. Scarcely any, except the British flag, floats from the masts in otn harbor. The Stars and Stripes are fast disappearing. It is so every where. We are fast abandoning the ocean to the " Meteor Flag " of England, and the Tri-color of France. Is this statesmanship ? Every one would deb'ght to see the old style of shipbuilders of New England, busy at turning out ships as formerly. But under our present laws that is impossible, and so they are out of employment, and our mer-

chants and ship-men are out of ships. We cannot produce iron ships in competition with those fellows by the Clyde, and our stupid members of Congress Bay we shall sot replenish our navy by mirohase of foreign bottoms. So we abanddSthe sea. Sir Rutherford Alcocpms recently made a statement, which shows very clearly and very sadly for us, the fatal effects of our Congressional action and inaction. According to his report daring the year 1872, five thousand one hundred and seventy-four Ameiioan vessels entered and cleared ia Chinese ports, having a tonnage of three millions, four hundred and seventy-one thousand two hundred and ninety-three tons. But in 1879, only seven years later, only nine hundred and thirty-one vessels, with a tonnage of two hundred and ninety-nine thousand six hundred and thirty-two tons of American shipping entered and oleared Chinese ports. This is surely a most disheartening showing for all who have felt a pride in the past, in the magnificence and success of our merohant marine. And this, too, almost in the presence of the vast commerce which one, if not two, interocean canals and one or two trans-continental railroads are sure to invigorate and increase on the ocean lying at our very doors. Are we to lose what little there is yet left to us of the great and grand ocean fortunes formerly earned by our American ships P Are we to outdo the Chinese in our subservienoy to former ideas and customs P In order to prevent the purchase, registering and employment of foreign-built ships, are we to see no American flag floating on the ocean ? Is there no sense and sagacity in Congress ?