The Struggle for American Seafaring

"I see by the morning papers," said Capt. Gray, "that the British ship Devonshire will go to Nanaimo and load with coal for this port. To a great majority of people this item of shipping news would be passed by without notice, or, if noted at all, would be thought too trifling for a moment's consideration, but to those who go down to the sea in American ships the item does not come without special importance. Does it not seem strange that an English ship can come into our harbor from a deep-sea voyage, and then, after a delay of a day or two only for discharging, can join in the coaling trade, and furnish us with coal for our engines, our furnaces and our firesides? It ought to be apparent to every thinking American citizen that there must be something wrong in our shipping laws and maritime regulations when English vessels can almost monopolize the coal trade on this coast. I can tell you it is humiliating and discouraging to those who are interested in American shipping to see our harbor filled up with foreign vessels, their flags flying in proud supremacy of our own ensign, loading and unloading material either consumed or produced by our own people. There is but one law on the statute book of maritime legislation governing our shipping interests that stands between us and a complete surrender to foreign countries, and that is the law prohibiting foreign vessels from plying between American ports."