[BroJoeK]

Right.
In, summary, by circa 1820 US ships and shippers dominated international trade, because we built better ships cheaper than anybody else.
But then began a very long, gradual slide which actually continues to this day.
The reasons were primarily technologies and economics, beginning with steam power and iron-built ships.
These rewarded ship-builders with easy access to low cost iron & steam engines.
Those were primarily Northern U.S. and even more, the Brits.
Losers were Southern ship-builders -- done in by technology and economics.
Yes, some Confederates at the time complained about it, but it takes modern Lost Causers like DiogenesLamp to make the case that the real villains in this history are his ethereal "Northeastern Power Brokers" who somehow wrote laws favoring Northern versus Southern ship-builders.

All Confederates had to do was eliminate the North's special privileges and Southern shipping would bloom again.
But in reality, when the time came, Confederates went to the Brits to get their best navy ships built.

[jmacusa]

Diogenes's day dream: Richmond Gazette, April 9,1865.

“WAR OVER! Brutal, Industrial North Defeated by Gentlemanly , Agricultural South!''

[DiogenesLamp]

These rewarded ship-builders with easy access to low cost iron & steam engines. Those were primarily Northern U.S. and even more, the Brits. Losers were Southern ship-builders -- done in by technology and economics.

So what was powering all those sidewheel paddleboats built in New Orleans that SoCal Pubbie has been telling us about?