The Protectionist Volume 3 (Paperback)

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. 1892 Excerpt: ...as follows: --It may be interesting to you to know something of the contrast of the foreign commerce of Boston. When I speak of foreign commerce, I know that is only a small percentage of the interest of Boston--not 10 per cent, even. There is a single line doing business between New York and Boston that does more business annually than that. The foreign commerce is but a small item in the business of Boston. In 1830 the imports of Boston were $8,674,976. We have many a house to-day doing a bigger business than that. The exports were $2,500,000. In 1840 the entire commerce was $21,000,000. In i860 it was $54,000,000. In 1855 the entire commerce of Boston was $5 7,618,872. In 1890, $134,090,000. In the fiscal year 1891, $141,222,000. In the calendar year 1891 the foreign commerce of Boston was $152,564,307. When we talk in Boston about our losses we are apt to forget the advantage that Boston possesses. When at a ship owners' convention here in Boston I was conversing with a gentleman from Philadelphia largely interested, he said to me, " You don't realize the advantage you have in your nearness to Europe. For Philadelphia to have a weekly line of steamers would take six steamers, while you in Boston can have a weekly line of steamers from Boston with five steamers, making a difference of twenty per cent." See what a difference that makes in the ocean transportation, as between Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Boston, and Europe. I don't think our business men have waked up to the facts. When they do, there will be some action taken. Now we have various ways of remedy. If we want the ocean carrying trade--if we want to rebuild the merchant marine of America, in accordance with the modern system of doing business, our government must do what other govern...