170 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, 



It was long a just complaint couceruiiig New York, that terminal facilities 

 were insufficient, and terminal charges were a heavy burden ; but great efforts 

 have been made to correct these evils, and it would seem with success. 



The enormous dimensions of freight traffic at that point is seen in recent 

 proposals to construct a vast system of tunnels through the city and under the 

 waters that form' its harbor. This may prove to be nothing more than a vis- 

 ionary scheme, yet it would hardly be surprising if by 1894 ten or fifteen miles 

 of such works were in operation. 



Another important question arises in this connection, i.e., as to the share of 

 our own merchant marine in the vast carrying trade which these exports 

 involve. The answer is short and humiliating. A recent report of the New 

 York Chamber of Commerce shows that of our total foreign tonnage only 

 about one-sixth is carried in American vessels. This industry has suffered a 

 constant disastrous decline for twenty years. In 1855, 7'^^ per cent, of our 

 foreign trade was carried on under the American flag; in 1861, 41.4 per cent.; 

 in 1807, 33.9 per cent.; in 1878, 22.6 per cent. ; in 1880, 17.4 per cent. ; in 

 1883, 16 per cent. And yet our ship building is so thoroughly protected that 

 it is forbidden to sail a foreign-built ship under our flag. The greatest share 

 of this trade is done in English ships, and yet English ship-wrights are abso- 

 lutely exposed to foreign competition. I will say nothing about the loss of 

 the profits of the carrying trade, for it is quite possible that it is no real loss 

 in that sense; for those who would carry on that business are now busy at 

 something else, and it may be are making as much for themselves and contri- 

 buting just as largely to the national wealth as if they were sailing ships. But 

 there is a real and serious loss of national reputation and prestige in the disap- 

 pearance of our flag from the ocean. Moreover, two dangers threaten, 

 should a great war arise in which England was engaged, (1) her merchant 

 marine might be drawn into her navv to such an extent as to make it difficult 

 to send our products abroad, (2) English merchant ships would be sub- 

 ject to great dangers from hostile cruisers. So of any other large carrying- 

 nation, and we should be powerless to defend our greatest interests. Again, a 

 strong merchant marine is needed as a safeguard in case the United States 

 should become involved in war, both as furnishing an immediate supply of 

 ships, and as forming a training school from Avhich to draw naval recruits. 

 To cure the disease that has attacked our shipping we have tried almost every- 

 thing but letting the industry care for itself ; it might be worth while to try 

 that. 



PO REIGN KIVALS. 



Let us now consider briefly the competition we have to meet in foreign 

 markets. As to cotton, it has already been said that our position is not 

 easily assailed; we have so great a lead that we shall hold our own. While 

 the yield of our plantations has vastly increased in recent years, tliere has 

 been no great gain, or there has even been a decline of production in other 

 cotton producing countries. In wheat we shall continue to show that intel- 

 ligence, skill, improved implements, scientific methods, and the best 

 transportation facilities are infallible against rivals who lack these advantages, 

 though they be nearer to the market, have equally fertile soil, and pay much 

 smaller wages. We are annually sending out over 13,000,000 worth of 

 approved agricultural implements. We can afford to do tliat much for 

 benighted foreigners. Our chief rivals in cereals are Kussia, India, and the 

 English colonies, but there is no present cause for alarm. In the great and 



