With respect to foreign tonnage entering British ports, we have before us a Table, shewing the entries of foreign vessels, into those ports, from 1819 to 1832; and by this it appears, that on an average of the years 1820 and 1821, the tonnage of foreign entries, was six hundred and ninety three thousand eight hundred and twenty two; and on an average of 1827 and 1828, it was one million thirty four thousand three hundred and ninety two; making an increase of foreign tonnage, to the amount of three hundred and forty thousand five hundred and seventy. And with respect to British tonnage, Marshall, after a full investigation of the subject, differs, very materially, from the committee, as to its augmentation, since 1814. In his Digest, before alluded to, he says: "Although the following pages exhibit a great increase in the movement of British shipping; according to the statement below, the decay since the termination of the war in 1814, appears greatly to have exceeded the build, particularly in England, which shews a diminution of three hundred and seventy two thousand seven hundred and sixteen tons, in 1831, as compared with 1816; other parts of the empire, however, shew an increase, so that the total decrease of the empire, is only two hundred and one thousand nine hundred and sixty nine."* Marshall, no doubt, here refers to a Table of the tonnage owned and registered in the several ports of the British empire, from 1814 to 1831; and which will be found among the Tables annexed to this chapter, and numbered V. The diminution of the tonnage in England and Wales, in 1831, compared with 1816, referred to by Marshall, may be, and probably was, in some degree, occasioned, by a correction of the registered tonnage, made, in that country, as Marshall elsewhere says, in 1827; and probably, in the same manner as that made in the United States, two years after. For, in 1827, the registered tonnage in England and Wales, was, as appears by the same Table, about two hundred and forty eight thousand tons less than in 1826; a decrease too large to take place in a single year. We here subjoin the tonnage of several ports in the United States, in 1832, and in England in 1829—having no official account of the tonnage of the particular ports in the latter, subsequent to that year. * Marshall's Digest of the Commerce, &c. of the British empire, 1833, page 226. It will be perceived, that the tonnage of the ten largest ports in the United States, exceeds that of the ten largest ports in England, (with the exception of the port of London,) about sixty four thousand tons; and it should be borne in mind, that among the English ports, those of Newcastle, Sunderland, and White Haven are included, whose tonnage is almost entirely employed in the coal trade. If, indeed, the tonnage in the English coal trade is deducted, the actual tonnage of the United States, in 1832, exceeded the remaining actual tonnage of England and Wales in 1829. And we do not hesitate to say, that the whole commercial tonnage of the United States, in proportion to their population, is considerably larger than that of the united kingdom of Great Britain. The American navy, intimately connected as it is, with the commercial prosperity of this country, should not pass unnoticed. In 1833, the number of vessels of war, of the United States, amounted to fifty three; and consisted of twelve seventy fours, fourteen frigates of the first class, carrying forty four guns each, and three of the second class, carrying thirty six guns each, and fifteen sloops of war, from twenty four to eighteen guns, and nine other vessels of smaller size. The encouragement of a navy, although recommended by Washington and the elder Adams, did not become the settled policy of the general government, until since the late war between the United States and Great Britain. For some years prior to this war, few members of the national councils, comparatively speaking, were in favor of a navy; and fewer still, were bold enough to advocate its increase, particularly in frigates and seventy fours. Gun boats were then the favorites of the administration. During the war to which we have alluded, frigates, as the administration paper of that period justly declared,* literally "fought themselves into favor;" and since that period, seventy fours and frigates, have been the favorites of the public, as well as the government. In April, 1816, Congress appropriated one million of dollars annually, for eight years, for the gradual increase of the navy; and the President was authorized to cause to be built, nine ships, to rate not less than seventy four guns each, and twelve ships, to rate not less than forty four guns, each, as soon as the timber and other materials could be procured and prepared for that purpose; and was also empowered, to procure steam engines, and other imperishable materials necessary for building three steam batteries. And the next year, in order to ensure a sufficient supply of ship timber, in future, the Secretary of the navy, was directed to cause the vacant lands of the United States to be explored, and to select and survey such tracts as should be found to produce live oak and red cedar; and which were to be reserved from future sales, and appropriated for the sole purpose of supplying timber for the navy. This policy has been ever since pursued; and the reader need not now be informed, how much it has contributed, not only to the protection of the commerce, but to the advancement of the national character of this country abroad. * National Intelligencer. |