The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-19
Decay Of the French Merchant Navy.

| more exclusively into foreign hands7 This
| Is obviously curious phenomenon, and
may well arrest attention In view OF the
untoward exhibits put forward by the
last Maritime Congress held in Paris and
OF the doIeful appeals for aid addressed TO
the legislative body by the shipping inter-
est Of the whole country.
With the extent aud conHguration OF
her sea coast, aud with the protection
which her ship builders and ship owners
enjoyed from immcmorial times up to
1860 France must have become the first, or
at all events, the second of European mar
thine powers, il the tastes aud habits II her
people had not eng, ndered an inveterate
aversion to the sea. To tins nation long
voyages which entail the sacrifice Of home
and country seem to he no less uncongenial
than emigration. 1t was even affirmed at
the late Paris Congrts 50 that the geograph-
ical situation of France on the direct
route of navigation from the north
! of Europe, was positive detr1-
ment to native vessels, British, Ger
man, aud Norwegian ships being thus en-
abled, without divergence from their course
or extra expense, TO call for freight ut her
| Channel or Atlantic ports. But general
theories, however plausible, do not touch
the remarkable fact that since 1896, not
outstanding a truly marvellous gain in
other fields of industry, France, which
then held the third rank in the general
statistics of sailing vessels, has dropped TO
the sixth; in other words, below Norway,
Germany. and Italy, and almost 10 the
level OF Spain.
This decline has been notably accel-
Grated since the Franco-Prussian war.
Merely in four years, from 1872 to 1875. the
French sailing fleet fell of nearly one
fifth, or more than one hundred and fifty
thousand tons, while that of Norway was
augmented by twenty-seven per cent.
Neither can it be said that this decadence
was compensated by the development of
steam navigation. OF the two hundred
thousand tons which to-day represent the
steam mercantile marine. about one hun
drcd and thirty thousand are subsidized.
In order that four-sevenths of this fleet
may exist at all, France is obliged to be-
stow on divers companies annual subven-
tons aggregating Ave million dollars. A
still further deduction of more than eigh-
teen thousand tons must be made for tug
boats and steam cutters employed in har-
Dor service, which reduces TO the meagre
and almost incredible CIPHER of some fifty
thousand tons. the legitimate, self-sustain-
ing force OF the steam merchant navy.
BY way OF terrifying its demand for leg
islative Intervention, the shipping interest
| of France points out the insignifcance of
| its share In the transportation OF the ma
tional imports and exports, and the enor
nous sums which are paid to foreign car
rers. The volume OF merchandise flowing
into and out of French ports at the present
time is without precedent; yet II appears
from official documents that the quota
conveyed under the French flag, which In
1862 was still thirty-nine per cent, had
shruDk in 1869 to thirty Ave, and is now con-
tracted TO twenty-nine per cent. In order
TO estimate the proportion OF this business
which the native marine is competent to
undertake, ten per cent more ought prob
ably TO be subtracted from these figures,
representing the part absorbed by sub
sidized lines. At all events. nearly three
fourths of the carrying trade is transacted
in foreign bottoms, which levy upon bur-
dened France yearly tribute computed
at sixty millions OF dollars.
Since the abolition OF the protective sys-
|
able the French merchant navy from COM
peting with the shipping of other coun-
tries. In the first place, the cost OF con-
struction is considerably higher. Iron hulls
can be made more cheaply in England, aud
wooden ships in Norway. 1t is true that
timber may be imported free Of duty, but
the privilege is confined to certain ports,
and is trammelled with onerous condi-
lions. The processes and methods of con-
struction are antiquated and clumsy As
one Of the reports on the subject puts IL.
the French shipwrights continue to build.
whereas American and English yards fab
ricate vessels. The running expenses like
wise, are exorbitant. An average compile
ment OF men, amounting to four and
seven tenths, is allotted to each hundred
tons, against two and half men in the
United States. Bat the shipowner or char
terer of Havre or Bordeaux is especially
discouraged by fiscal exactments, and by
the anomalous regulations which control
the recruitment and treatment OF seamen.
Besides the ordinary tax payable by mer-
chants, n capitalist who builds or buys u
vessel must submit to an extra i'm
post OF twenty-one cents per ton,
provision which is hardly cal
culated to promote large investments
in that direction. Moreover, instead Of
fostering that spirit of association which
has secured to the mercantile marine of
Italy remarkable development. the
above-named burdens are progressively
augmented where ship is owned by two
or more copartne p The conditions pre-
scnbed by law for the enlistment of crews
appear peculiarly oppressive because no
other branch of industry III France is sub
ject TO similar restrictions. The factories
of Marseilles, for instance rely mainly on
foreign workmen, but ships clearing from
that port under the French flag must
be almost wholly manned by sailors of
native birth Neither is a master allowed
to engage hands merely for the outward
voyage; he must contract with them for
the round trip. II he finds himself sad
died with men VIGOROUSLY incompetent,
lac cannot discharge them without paying
the expenses Of their return to France, TO-