OCEAN STEAM NAVIGATION.

GREAT BRITAIN VS. THE UNITED STATES.

THE subject of ocean steam communication between the United States and the countries of the world is at present attracting great attention. A memorial of the New York Chamber of Commerce has recently been presented to Congress on this subject, representing and showing the importance of some legislation on its part in aid of steamship lines. Special legislation to promote any particular class or trade at the expense of any other, most certainly should not be thought of; but where the benefit is so evident, not to a class but to the country, it clearly demands the serious attention of all interested in the country's welfare. For instance, if it can be proved that the establishment of a line of steam vessels between Brazil and the United States will develop the resources and add to the .wealth of the nation, and at the same time increase the revenue of the Government, clearly any reasonable compensation the Government might pay for the conveyance of the mails, would be a safe and wise investment. Some may think that the present is not the time to incur new obligations that when our debt is increasing so fast our means should be husbanded. This is true as a general proposition, and yet is not this saving policy sometimes foolish-in saving the penny may we not sometimes loose the pound? Thus, in this case, we think we are loosing much by our inaction, and propose to prove it, by instituting a comparison between the commerce of the United States and Great Britain, and showing that the growth of the commerce of each country is the effect of ocean steam communication. Wherever we have established a line of steamers increased trade is at once the result, and the gradual but steady increase in the commerce of Great Britain over our own, even with nations which are our neighbors and natural allies, is tracable directly to the greater inducements she has held out for the establishment of steamship lines. STEVENS, in his report, well says that the power and wealth of nations is, in this century, subjected to a new measure, the measure of steam, and the commerce of nations has increased or diminished as they have availed themselves of or neglected this great agency of civilization.

Mr.

To show the difference in the encouragement given by these two nations, and the effect it has had, we propose, first, briefly to examine the American and English legislation on the subject, and then to show what lines have been established, and finally to give the trade with Great Britain and the United States, of some of the American nations to which lines have been established; and in doing this we have availed ourselves of much of the material so well prepared by Mr. STEVENS, Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce in his very excellent report.

THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF STEAM NAVIGATION-CONGRESSIONAL LEGIS

LATION.

The American system of ocean steam navigation dates from the year 1846.

For some years prior to this period, efforts had been made to establish lines of steamers, with the aid of Congress.

In 1841, Mr. T. BUTLER KING, of Georgia, at the extra session, made a report from the Committee on Naval Affairs, urging the passage of a bill for the establishment of a home squadron, which was passed, and appended to it was a resolution directing the Secretary of the Navy to advertise for proposals for the establishment of lines of mail steamers similar to the British lines, to run to some European ports, and also for a line from some of the Northern to some of the Southern ports of the United States. By the act of Congress passed 3d of March, 1845, the policy was inaugurated of contracting for the transportation of mails to foreign countries, under the direction of the Postmaster-General; all such contracts were required to be made with citizens of the United States, and the service to be performed by American vessels. In pursuance of this authority, the Postmaster-General advertised for proposals to carry the mails on various

routes.

A contract was made with Mr. EDWARD MILLS, of New York, to run a line of steamers from New York to Bremen twice a month, touching at Cowes, with the privilege of going alternately to Havre, the compensation to be $400,000 per annum, and if to Havre, $350,000.

About the same period, Mr. E. K. COLLINS made his first proposition to run a line to Liverpool twice a month for eight months, and once for the other four, for $385,000.

In May, 1846, the subject was again brought forward by Mr. KING, in a report from the Committee on Naval Affairs, and in June of the same year a contract was made for the conveyance of the mails from New York to Bremen in four first-class steamers.

In June, 1846, Mr. NILES, of Connecticut, introduced into the Senate the following resolution:

The Postmaster General is hereby authorized to apply twenty five thousand dollars of the money appropriated for mail transportation for a line of mail steamers from the United States to Bremen, and a further sum of twenty five thousand dollars for a line of mail steamers from the United States to Liverpool in England; but no further sums shall be diverted to any other objects than the transportation of the mail within the United States."

It was at this time that it was proposed in England to duplicate the Cunard line, and it was thought that the establishment of an American line would perhaps arrest the project, so little was the fixed policy of the British government understood at that period.

In March, 1847, an act was passed requiring the Secretary of the Navy to enter into three contracts:

First. For five ships to carry mails from New York to Liverpool. Second. For conveyance of mails from New York to New Orleans, to touch at Charleston, Savannah and Havana, with a branch line from Havana to Chagres.

Third. To contract for the transmission of the mail from Panama to Oregon, touching at the intermediate points in California. On this line three large steamers were to be employed.

This was called at the time, the American System, and was the first practical and intelligent effort to aid American commerce to hold its own in the rapid race for the mastery of the seas, and the sharp struggle for the carrying trade of the world, which the United States had undertaken with Great Britain. The American System, therefore, dates from

1846.

But the enterprise of our people was not measured by this legislation. In the fall of 1846, the first of our ocean steamers-the Southerner-was launched. She was the pioneer in a series of successful and profitable lines, which, while the domestic relations of the country were peaceful, largely contributed to its wealth, comfort and prosperity; and when war rudely broke up the accustomed course of trade, at once enabled the Government to undertake and enforce a blockade of unparalleled extent But for the fleet of ocean steamers which commerce placed at the disposal of the Government, the course, and, perhaps, the result of the struggle might have been changed. The Charleston line, which has included some of the best steamers ever built in any country, was quickly followed by one to Savannah. These coast lines were independent of Government aid, except so far as they receive regular postage from the Post-Office Department for conveying the mails.

On the 6th December, 1847, Hon. J. Y. MASON, Secretary of the Navy, stated in his report:

"By the same act (3d March, 1847.) contracts were authorized for the transportation of the mail in steamers between New York and Liverpool, between New York and New Orleans, and from Havana to Chagres.

"The contracts require the vessels to be ready for sea in October and November of the year 1848, and the right of pay will commence with the commencement of the performance of the mail service. The annual compensation under these agreements will be: To E. K. COLLINS, $385,000; A. G. SLOO, $290,000; ARNOLD HARRIS, $199000.

"I have cordially co-operated in the establishment of the several lines of steamers stipulated for by those contracts. Thirteen new vessels will be constructed in the most skillful manner, which may be used as war steamers, and will be available for national purposes in any emergency. The contracts stipulate that a mail agent, to be appointed by the Postmaster-General, shall be placed and maintained on board."

On the 4th of May, 1848, the Committee on Naval Affairs, by Mr. KING, proposed the establishment of steam communication from one of our ports in California to Shanghai and Canton in China, by the employment of four Government war steamers.

On the 19th of July, 1848, Mr. T. BUTLER KING reported to Congress a joint resolution, proposing:

1st. "To direct the Secretary of the Navy to advertise for proposals for carrying the United States mail from either of the ports therein named, that shall be ascer tained to be most eligible, to those in France, for a period of ten years, in five firstclass steamers, capable, in all respects, of being readily converted into ships of-war, and to be placed on the line during the first five years of the contract.

2d. "To establish a similar line, for similar purposes, from one of the ports named in the United States to Antwerp. in Belgium, to extend to Gluichstadt, at the mouth of the Elbe, during such part of the year as the navigation of the North Sea may be considered safe. The two lines to consist ultimately of ten ships of the largest class. These proposals to be returned to this House, at its next session, for its consideration." The last resolution proposes to employ temporarily the steamer United States.

The reason given by Mr. KING for these proposals was, that our intercourse with the Continent, so far as letters and passengers are concerned, was then conducted across the Island of Great Britain, the English Channel, and the North Sea. There had been established twelve lines of steamers between Gluichstadt, at the mouth of the Elbe, Bremen-haven, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ostend, Calais, and Havre, on the Continent; and Southampton,

Dover, London, Hull, and Edinburgh, in the Island of Great Britain, through which lines our intercourse was maintained, and it was, therefore, important for us to avail of that communication to support our own tonnage.

Under this and similar legislation the several lines contemplated were wholly or partially undertaken, and so far put in progress, that in 1852 seven lines had been established, and were in successful operation.

This closes the account of American congressional legislation to protect the commerce of the United States.

The following table will show the foreign mail service of the United States in the fall of that year:

Of these lines, Nos. 3, 4, and 7 are now in operation-all the ocean lines being withdrawn. The Collins line went into operation in 1850 and was withdrawn in 1858. The Havre line was withdrawn in December, 1861, on the breaking out of the rebellion. The owners of the Bremen line discontinued it on the expiration of their contract in 1858, the compensation granted by the Government being too small. Mr. VANDERBILT undertook the service with three of his unemployed steamers, but it was finally abandoned. The subsidy granted the Charleston line was sufficient to maintain it in continued and prosperous operation, and it was thriving when the rebellion broke out. The following table shows the American steam lines January 1, 1864:

THE BRITISH SYSTEM OF STEAM NAVIGATION-PARLIAMENTARY LEGISLATION.

Thus we have seen what the legislation of the United States has been, and what are the American steam lines at the present time. In turning, however, to the British system and examining its fruits, our own contracted, short-sighted policy is forcibly exhibited. Since the year 1839, when the English Government set itself to work to bind in its chains the commerce of the world, there has been no hesitation or drawback on the part of the authorities. Repeated investigations have been had; volumes of testimony have been published, and the system earnestly opposed by many, but in vain. The passages of the Sirius and Great Western, in 1838, from Liverpool to New York, plainly demonstrated the practicability of ocean steam navigation, and in the following year, 1839, a contract was made with Mr. CUNARD to convey the mails from Liverpool, via Halifax, to Boston, in five steamers of the first class, for the sum of £85,000, or $425,000 per annum. It was stipulated that these vessels should be capable of conversion into ships of war, and of carrying ordnance of the heaviest kind.

This line of steamers, famous as the Cunard line, was immediately established, and the results of the experiments were so favorable that the Government was, in 1846, induced to enlarge the contract of 1839, by add