"[GY] The Crimean War, 1853-56, opened a new and prosperous market
for American fast sailing-ships, as transports. To meet the demand
American ship-yards produced in 1855 more tonnage than they had ever
built before.[GZ] The sailing-ship interests strenuously opposed the
subsidy system. They denounced it as class legislation unjustly favoring
the few, and urged its abolishment.[HA] How strong this influence was in
bringing about the change in policy is a mooted question.
* * * * *
No further move for fostering the American merchant marine with State
aid directly or indirectly, was made till 1864. Then the
steamship-subsidizing policy was revived, first with a proposition for
the establishment of an American mail-line to Brazil. A subsidy of two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year was proposed, one hundred
and fifty thousand to be paid by the United States and one hundred
thousand by the Brazilian Government. Congress endorsed the scheme. The
act embodying it (May 28)[HB] authorized the postmaster-general to
contract for a monthly service between the two countries, touching at
St. Thomas, W.I., by first-class American sea-going steamships of not
less than 2000 tons.
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