DECLINE OF AMERICAN SHIPPING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 109, 10 March 1870, Page 6

DECLINE OF AMERICAN SHIPPING.

SHIPBUILDING ON THE CLYDE.

Captain John Codman, an American shipmaster, has lately been on a tour of inspection over the shipbuilding yards of the Clyde, at the request of the New York Board of underwriters. The results of his investigations are contained in a letter to the Hon. John Lynch, chairman of the Special Congressional Committee of the United States Senate, advocating the expediency of purchasing iron ships and steamers in Scotland. Captain Coclman's letter is dated Dumbarton, Nov. 15 last, from which we take the following extracts : — If we examine the statistics of English and American vessels engaged in foreign trade, we shall find that in the year 1858 they were about equal, being in round numbers 5,500,000 each. After that time the British tonnage gradually increased, and the American tonnage slowly decreased in comparison, till the year 1860, when the war put the finishing stroke to our commercial marine, and in 1867-68, the English tonnage had run up to nearly 8,000,000, and ours had fallen off to 4,300,000, This includes inland, river, and lake navigation. So nearly as can be estimated, the tonnage engaged in foreign trade was less than 1,300,000.

By some this will be accounted for in two ways — first, "by the transfer of many of our ships to the British flag, as a security against the rebel cruisers ; and secondly, by the raids of the Alabama and her consorts. Doubtless both these causes have something to do with the matter ; but the first is not of its supposed importance, and the Utter is almost infinitesimal. For a better judgment of fact, let any one who has eyes survey our deserted shipyards, and then come over here and look at the business doing upon the Clyde alone.

I have been lately spending some months in Scotland, and more particularly at Dumbarton on the Clyde, where I have had ample opportunities for observing the immense amount of work going on in Shipbuilding upon that river, and of making the acquaintances of gentlemen engaged in it at Glasgow, Greenock, and Dumbarton.

The object of this essay is to convince my countrymen by argument — which, I hope, has already been done — that our present navigation laws are onerous and useless, and then to show by authentic statistics that the Clyde is the natural ship-producing district of the world. It is as much so as the valley of the Mississippi is intended by nature for the supply of grain. That it is the region for such production is allowed by Great Britain. Therefore, she wisely admits all cereals duty free, because she cannot produce them herself in sufficient quantity for her own consumption. Let us imitate her policy in supplying ourselves with a necessity equally imperative. I shall now proceed to show that the capacity of this locality to supply the world with ships at the cheapest rates has not been over-estimated. The advantages of the Clyde consist in its location, its well organized system of labour, the cheapness of iron and coal, which are both abundant upon its banks ; the economical habits of the workmen, whose requirements are so small that they are satisfied with moderate wages ; and in the de-

termination and the ability also to underbid the whole world in contracts for shipbuilding. It is not many years since the Clyde was an insignificant stream, insignificant at least as regarded everything but its history, and the beauty of its surrounding scenery. In those days of wooden shipbuilding, Greenock at its mouth was a place of some commercial importance, while the shallow water opposite Dumbarton and Glasgow excluded these towns from any participation in the prosperity of their more fortunate neighbour But of late years the whole river has been dredged, so that at this day vessels drawing 21 feet can reach the wharves of Glasgow with ease. If you would observe the work that is going on you should take a steamer at the bridge in Glasgow, and after passing the quays crowded with shipping you will see upon either bank for miles steamers and sailing vessels in process of construction, and your ears will be almost deafended with din of hammers and machinery. There are but intervals of quiet between Glasgow, Renfrew, Dumbarton, Port-Glasgow, and Greenock, all of which places are alive with this one industry.

Upon an average there are about twenty thousand workmen employed, and when the prolific nature of this population is considered, it may be computed that their families count eighty thousand more. Besides these a large number are dependent upon their, labour in various ways. This strong force cannot be easly conquered. They are a well-educated people, and they understand their combined interests so will that they will submit without murmuring, to any necessary reduction of profits or wages, rather than to see the industry, upon which their existence depends, departing from their hands.

Let those economists prate of the "encouragement of foreign paupers" consider that these stalwart labourers and their families are consumers of our produce. The profits on the shipbuilding insures to them, the profit on the raising of grain to us, and then there is the profit on the transportation.

This, we stupidly insist shall be theirs likewise. On the whole business we we modestly claim but one-third, voluntarily surrendering the freight to England ! Upon the banks of the Clyde there are about thirty shipbuilding firms, all doing a flourishing business, but the giants among them are — John Elder, Barclay & Curie, A. J. Inglis, Eobert Napier & Sons, J. & G. Thompson, and Tod & M'Gregor, Glasgow; John Reid and Duncan & Co., Port-Glasgow; Henderson & Co., Renfrew; William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton; Caird & Co., Scott & Co., aad Steele & Co., Greenock.

By either one or the other of these firms steamships have been, and are being continually turned out for the Cunard Line, Inman's Line, Allan's Line, Royal Mail West Indian Line, Panama Line, French Transatlantic Line, Spanish and West India Mail Line, Hamburg and United States Line, Bremen and United states Line, Peninsula and Oriental Company's Line, British India Company's Line, Austrian Lloyd's Line, Brazilian, Chinese, and Japanese coast lines, and others too numerous to mention.

This list will show not only that these great companies select this locality as their best and cheapest building place, but it will show that all maritime nations, including the Chinese, avail themselves of the Clyde for their own advantage. All nations, excepting free and enlightened America! France, Spain, Italy, Germany — even Brazil, China and Japan — are in advance of us m this branch of political economy !

Add to the above list the hundreds of sailing ships, and numerous steamers, besides those for British and Foreign navies here built by contract, and some idea may be formed of the business done upon the Clyde." — " Glasgow Herald," Dec. 25.