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Art. IV.-AMERICAN ATLANTIC MAIL STEAMERS:

WITH REFERENCE TO THE INCREASE OF COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE BETWEEN THE AMERICAN AND THE GERMAN STATES.

WHATEVER importance a practical view of the establishment of mail steamers between the United States and the continent of Europe may possess, its value will be materially increased, on considering its influence on civilization. Since the application of steam to purposes of navigation and locomotion affords greater facilities for the enlargement of our knowledge, by personal observation in distant lands, it becomes more and more evident, that the human mind gains clearness and variety of perception as it becomes familiar with different impressions of the world, and particularly of the genius and institutions of foreign nations. The history of civilization proves this assertion, and shows that intellectual progress was the most rapid and brilliant wherever intercouse with other countries was the most easy, as in the history of Greece. The aid of steam will extend the advantages of that intercourse to all parts of the world, and will, together with the improvements in education, accelerate the cause of civilization in a manner unknown in all past ages; for an acquaintance with the people, arts, and literature of a foreign country, excite the mind to a degree beyond calculation. We, doubtless, arrive at truth most readily, by an accurate perception of contrasts, and contrasts are necessarily great in the life and history of different nations. Upon the advancement of civilization, are depending the interests of industry, whose direction, to be profitable, must go hand in hand with the intelligence and taste of the most civilized people. No nation can be successful, in the market of the world, who is not acquainted with the peculiar wants and tastes of the different nations. Thus we find the mentally and materially useful united in one cyclus; and both equally favored by the aid of direct steam navigation. Every nation is bound, in justice, to acknowledge the importance and liberality of this measure. The establishment of the Atlantic Mail Steamers, on the part of the United States, will totally free them from the injurious effects of a monopolizing system of any other nation; and will prove a new practical declaration of independence.

Steam-power applied to navigation, has, like a Hercules, even from its infancy, performed marvellous deeds. By it, the United States will be brought in so close a contact with the continent of Europe, that the statesmen and capitalists of both will soon become better acquainted, by personal observation, with those advantages which must flow from a more extended and friendly commercial intercourse, and from an assimilation of their commercial policy.

By the documents before us, the administration at Washington has decided on the route, from New York, via Cowes, to Bremen, for the American Mail Steamer Line, to be established between this country and Europe. Congress has made the necessary appropriation of four hundred thousand dollars* per annum; and the Legislature of New York has passed, on the 8th of May, 1846, by a two-third vote, an act incorporating the Ocean Steam Navigation Company, for this purpose. They decided upon a route which is sure to realize the hopes of an extended commercial

* The contract between the government and Mr. Edward Mills, has been accepted by the Postmaster-General.

intercourse with the nations of Europe, without restricting such an advantage to a single country.

There can be no doubt in regard to the judicious choice of Cowes, as a port to touch at; steamboats being constantly plying from there to the several ports of France, Belgium, &c. Whatever may be said in respect to Liverpool, and very justly, as the great commercial emporium of England, it is evident that it cannot compare with Cowes as a connecting link with the continental ports; and this is a consideration which must range foremost, as promoting the interests of the United States and of Europe, by giving the utmost facility to the conveyance of passengers, mails, and merchandise.

The free port of Bremen, as a terminating point, offers greater advantages for the forwarding of the mails, passengers, and merchandise, to all the German States, Austria included, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, etc., than any other harbor on the continent.

Bremen, as a glance at the map will show, is situated in the centre of commercial Europe, connecting the north with the south, and the east with the west, and is to be considered as one of the principal importing and exporting harbors for the German Zollverein. Railroads, (finished and in progress,) to the extent of about six thousand English miles, are spreading in all directions; steamboats are plying from the ports of the North Sea, Bremen, Hamburg, and Lubec, to the principal seaports of England, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, etc. Thus the Baltic, Scandinavia, and Russia, as well as the Adriatic Sea and the Mediterranean, are connected with the North Sea by steamboats and railroads. In this respect, Havre, (besides being too far west of the European continent,) is in a less favorable position; for up to this day, railroads are very rare in France, and quite limited in number and extent.

The cheap rate of postage to be adopted by the American line of steamers, will concentrate almost the whole correspondence between this country and the continent of Europe, in these steamers, and will probably yield a liberal profit to the Post-Office Department, as well as to the "Ocean Steam Navigation Company." It is a well known fact, that all persons who have not a commercial business connection, are compelled to pay a dollar upon a single letter for the continent of Europe, through the express companies and British steamers. Thus, all but the rich are excluded from the British steamers.

Here, allusion may be made to the fact that there are about four millions of Germans in this country, who, in consequence of the German system of education, can almost all read and write. Their whole correspondence with their friends and business connections in the German States being now excluded, as shown above, from the use of the British steamers, will naturally seek the channel opened by the American steamers.

The enormously high postage charged by the British steamers, upon American and European newspapers and more weighty monthly periodicals, if forwarded from continent to continent, works practically as a prohibition of sale. The English press monopolizes the news from both continents, communicates to both as much as it finds convenient, and obliges them to look at each other through English eyes. This is, of course, not the best and most impartial way to become well acquainted with each other, and with their peculiar interests. If American journals are now sent by a cheaper, but slower conveyance, they arrive at a time when they

have lost the attractions of novelty and interest. The whole American press, as well as that of all the countries of the continent of Europe, is, therefore, deeply interested in the success of the American mail steamers. To secure these advantages, the press should exercise its influence in favor of the enterprise. It will be necessary to admit the periodicals in both continents free of duty. As soon, then, as the American steamers connect New York with Bremen, thousands of copies of the best American periodicals will be subscribed for on the continent of Europe, as the forwarding there is very cheap; and numerous French and German journals will regularly come to this country; which will lead to a speedy communication of the progress of science and literature, art and industry.

Bremen and Cowes can be reached most conveniently, and with much less expense, than Liverpool, by travellers from all parts of Europe. The entrance into the port of New York is safer and more accessible than either Halifax or Boston, which will induce travellers to prefer the direct route to the former port; and the number of cabin passengers by the American steamers will therefore be very considerable; the more so, since travelling itself increases with the improvement, speed, and cheapness of facilities. A sufficient number of steerage passengers, besides, will constantly embark at Bremen in those steamers, because that port is the principal place of embarkation of the German emigrants, among whom are a great number of respectable and wealthy farmers and mechanics. How able they are to pay as steerage passengers, appears from the fact, that the German emigrants carry with them to the United States, according to a printed circular dated October, 1844, which has been promulgated in Germany, at the least, a capital of five millions of dollars annually. Although the emigration of great numbers of valuable citizens is a serious loss to Germany, still the basis for friendly intercourse between the United States and that country is thereby more strengthened every year, which must result in closer commercial relations. For it is manifest, that the increasing millions of Germans in the United States would naturally be inclined to favor, by their political influence, such commercial policy as would insure equal advantages to their adopted, as well as to their mother country.

The consideration which ranges foremost, is, that American steamers will promote the industry of both continents, by giving the utmost extension to their commercial interests, and by securing markets for an extended sale of their produce. In so far as the commerce of the German States is concerned, we merely allude to a few known facts of the many which may claim consideration. The German States, including the great Zollverein, have the most liberal commercial system of all European countries. This, in particular, operates favorably in regard to the United States, since Germany takes all their produce, without any exception, at lower rates of duty than all the other nations of Europe. Bread-stuff's pay there only a nominal duty, if compared with England, and several other American raw materials are admitted free. Germany is already an extensive consumer of American articles, and it is unquestionable, that she will take a still greater amount of our produce, if we will take more goods from her; or, in other words, the more goods she can sell in direct commerce to the United States, the greater quantity of American produce she will be enabled to take in return; which cannot be done by those countries who are obliged to favor their colonies. In her commercial policy towards the

United States, Germany now, and in all time to come, is able to act more liberally than other European nations, since she is not encumbered with any colonies, and can therefore give those advantages to the United States which other countries are compelled to extend merely to their colonies.

Manufactories of woollen cloths, linen, silks, and of many other articles which the United States do not produce in sufficient quantities, progress rapidly in Germany. German articles are as good, and, in most instances, cheaper, than those of her neighbors. It is therefore the interest of the United States to treat her, in the new tariff law, as favorably as any other country. From this treatment, depends, in a great measure, the success of the mail steamers in regard to the amount of correspondence, travelling and freight.

How large the importation of American produce into Germany is, may be concluded from the fact, that the amount of the direct and indirect importation into the Zollverein States alone, (the other States excluded,) was valued, in the year 1843, at $12,551,600, and in the year 1844, at $13,379,028. We may readily infer how far this amount could be increased, from the fact that Germany now pays, for the one article of cotton twist, eight millions of dollars, yearly, to England. The cotton manufacturers in Germany call for a protective duty on twist, in order to encourage the establishment of cotton spinneries in Germany. They refer to the splendid results which the protective duty on cotton manufactured goods has produced in the United States, who, on account of their competition at home, already manufacture so cheap as to undersell other nations in the market of the world. It is impossible to say what will be the decision on this question, but if the protective duty on twist should be laid, Germany would be able to take up to three hundred thousand bales of cotton, yearly, direct from the United States, who would gain by the increased competition of the different markets. Raw cotton is, and remains free of all duty in Germany.

How much more liberally American produce is treated in Germany, than in other European countries, may be seen in the example of tobacco, of which the subjoined report speaks so fully, that a few remarks, only, can be added. Tobacco pays, in Germany, a duty of two-thirds of one per cent in the Hanseatic towns, sixty-nine cents per one hundred and twelve pounds, or about one and two-thirds cents per pound, in the northern States, and three dollars and forty cents per one hundred and twelve pounds, or about three cents per pound, in the Zollverein States; the annual consumption in the Zollverein amounts to twenty-eight million pounds, and yields a revenue from the duties of merely $952,000; the consumption in the other northern German States, amounts to about twelve million pounds. Austria is not included in this calculation, because tobacco is there a monopoly of the government. In France, tobacco is prohibited from the trade by a monopoly of the government, which derives yearly, from the du ties it levies on this article, a revenue of about twenty millions of dollars. In England, tobacco pays a duty, for leaf, of seventy-two cents per pound, snuff, one dollar and fifty cents per pound, cigars, two dollars and twentyfive cents per pound. England derives, from the duty on tobacco, on her annual consumption, at a duty of seventy-two dollars per one hundred pounds, an annual revenue of about $19,500,000. The high impost on tobacco in

American Atlantic Mail Steamers.

France and England, limits, evidently, its consumption, and we hear of no proposed alteration in this and many other duties in England.

Although the proposed alterations in the English corn laws deserve due praise, we ought not to overlook that Sir Robert Peel retains the protective duties on all articles which he yet deems necessary, as well as the English navigation laws, which secure exclusively British interests. Sir Robert Peel's proposed alterations have the appearance of great liberality, but they will not realize as liberal a commercial policy as that already existing in the German Zollverein, and in the other German States. If ever navigation laws are enacted by the American or German States, their true interest for an increase of direct commerce must insure forever an equal treatment of their vessels in the harbors of each country. Since there are not, and never can exist, serious conflicting interests between the United States and Germany, they are likely to remain forever in peace, so that the German ports will be always open to American ships.

The central position of Germany, being in the heart of Europe, is highly favorable for commerce, and especially for transito trade. The German navigable rivers, the Rhine, Weser, Oder, Weixchsel, Danube, etc., and the net of railroads intercepting, connect the commerce of the North Sea and of the East Sea with the Adriatic, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean, and with the nations east and west of Germany. A country thus geographically situated, is formed by nature for the utmost extent of the transito trade. Nothing can be more clear, than that it is the interest of all the German States, Austria included, not to levy any duty on the transito trade; for thousands of persons can gain by this business, if free and unmolested; whilst the duty would only stand on the paper, and yield no revenue. Even the slightest transito duty would drive the goods from the German rivers and railroads, and those goods would be sent by sea, or through the neighboring countries, if the freight should be cheaper than the freight and transito duty, direct through Germany. If this transito trade is not impeded by duties, it must necessarily enrich Germany in a similar manner as the inland trade on the rivers, canals, and railroads of New York, the most central American State, increases its industry and wealth. If all the German States will abstain from the levying of any transito duty on merchandise, the transito trade of Germany, not only, but industry and commerce in general, will gain increased and accelerated life, by the direct steam communication with the United States. All improvements made in these respective countries, tend to benefit them mutually. A sound commercial policy will always have to acknowledge that the commercial interests of the United States, and of the German States, should forever go hand in hand. The benefits of such an increased intercourse are incalculable for the interests of industry. The great activity in correspondence, business and speculation, existing in the seaport cities, before and after the arrival of the Atlantic steamers, is sufficiently known, and renders it needless to dwell on the commercial importance of those steamers. But it may be especially remembered that peculiar advantages will result to those nations, whose ports they connect. Thus, for instance, the English are, by means of their Atlantic steamers, enabled to execute orders in the shortest time, and to monopolize, in advance of all other nations, the market of the United States, with fancy articles, and generally, with those goods which contain much value in a small compass, which depend on fashion, and a speedy transmission of which is therefore

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