[DiogenesLamp]

That's because there was nothing -- zero, zip, nada -- nothing preventing Southerners from building, owning and operating their own shipping, if they wanted to.

Except those many millions of dollars of Federal subsidies holding up Northern Shipping's bottom line.

You do have a problem grasping the economics of this situation, don't you?

[BroJoeK]

DiogenesLamp: "Except those many millions of dollars of Federal subsidies holding up Northern Shipping's bottom line."

Between 1788 and 1860, all such "subsidies" were demanded or approved by Southern controlled congresses and administrations.
So nothing happened in Washington DC which Southerners didn't want.

DiogenesLamp: "You do have a problem grasping the economics this situation, don't you?"

You do have a problem grasping the politics of this situation, don't you?