COMPARATIVE TONNAGE, UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN.
It will be remarked that from 1814 to 1832, there is a decrease in the British tonnage and a small increase in the American. This arises from the fact that in the former country in 1827, and in this in 1829, a complete revision was made of the registers, And lost and condemned vessels struck off the lists. Since that time, the account has been regular. In the case of steam tonnage, the quantity owned in the United States apparently exceeds that of Great Britain and Ireland, but it is the English custom not to include in the register the room occupied by machinery. This makes a difference of SO per cent.; that is, including engine room, the tonnage of 1848 Would be 415,814, or nearly that of the United States. As it stands, however, the fact is apparent, that the mercantile tonnage of the United States has overtakea that of Great Britain. While that of Great Britain, has increased 1,888,000 tons since the formation of the United States Government, our own has increased 2,920,479, or 60 per cent. more. In all that period, the United States hare constantly striven for freedom of the seas, and Great Britain has constantly resisted the inevitable tendency in that direction. She now throws up her futile policy, abandons opposition to American enterprise, permits her merchants to avail themselves of our great resources and skill in ship building, invites the agriculture of the world to supply her in food, and the ships of all nations to biing it to her, as well at the raw materials of manufacture. There have been in operation several elements to prevent the extention of the influence of the shipping interests in all countries, in a ratio proportioned to thac of opposing interests. Thus, improvements in shipping, with the aid of steam, have enabled the same amount of tonnage, by more rapid passages, to perform a greater amount of work, and the magnitude of vessels has greatly increased. Thus, but a few years since, a vsssel of 500 tons was a first cliss: 1,200 to 1,500 ton ships are now quite as frequently to be met will). This has had a tendency to restrict the interest in fewer hands, although perhaps wealthier ones.— Polynesian, March 16.
California Steam-packet Company.— We made mention, many weeks since, of the unqualified feelingof approbation with which the project of an indepen^ dent steamship line from this port to Panama has been received by the citizens of California. It gives us great pleasure to announce that this company has been organised, over which our energetic fellow-citizen T. O. Larkin, Esq., presides ; and that already a mm little short of .8700,000 has been subscribed. The books have been opened only two weeks, and the subscriptions by citizens of Franciico and Sacramento amount to about #500,000, the remainder of the sum. before stated having been subscribed by parties in New York city. It ii the design of Mr. Larkin, iCconded by Mr. Priest, a prominent stockholder, to return to the United States immediately, and either effect the purchase) or proceed to the construction of four steam-ships of 2,000 tons each. So soon as practicable these will be placed on the line on this aide, to connect with the Crescent City Company on the other, and of which J. Howard & Son are principal proprietors. This will form an independent through line to the United States. The capital of the com- • pany is placed at one million of dollars. We again bid the enterprise God speed — for if aught were necessary to attest the energy and capibility of California/is, we rerily believe it to be the success of the California Steam Packet Company.— lbid.
Great Britain. United States. " i Sailing. Steam. Tons. Tons. .788, 1,278,051 — 814, 2,504,297 69 832, 2,224,350 35,228 848, 3,166,913 231,008 Sailing. Steam. Tons. Tons. 201,5fi2 — . 1,368,127 20,632 1,439,450 90,632 3,154,041 427,890
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New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 422, 1 May 1850, Page 3
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654COMPARATIVE TONNAGE, UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN. New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 422, 1 May 1850, Page 3
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