Principles, practice, and history of commerce - Softcover

Reseña del editor

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1831 Excerpt: ...believed that ships built in the ports of the Baltic will not last the time, nor bear the wear and tear of British ships. It is certain, too, that Prussian ships are more heavily masted and rigged, and require larger crews than ours; and the rate of insurance here is much cheaper. The difference in the cost of provisions must be immaterial; for in all distant ports our ships procure provisions and stores of all sorts at the same rate as the foreigner. On the whole, therefore, it would appear that the alarm with respect to the supposed decay of our shipping is altogether imaginary. We believe that, generally speaking, British ships are sailed cheaper than those of any other nation; and while the late modifications in the navigation laws were imperiously required by a just regard to our manufacturing and commercial interests, there are no grounds whatever for believing that they will be injurious to our shipping. If, however, there be any real ground for believing that ships in the north of Europe may be built cheaper than in England, the remedy is not to be sought for in a revival of the prohibitive system. Whatever advantage the Prussian and Danish shipowners at present enjoy as compared with ours, is not owing to their peculiar skill or sagacity, but to our unexampled folly: to our loading the superior timber of the north of Europe with a discriminating duty of 45. a load, in order to force the consumption of the dearer and comparatively worthless timber of Canada! We speak advisedly, and from the best attainable information, when we express our conviction that a reduction of the duties on Baltic timber to the level of those charged on timber from Canada, would secure for us a new and important branch of industry,--the buildingof ships for exportation. Res...