New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-18
BURDENS ON SHIPPING.
DRAWBACKS THAT SHOULD BE REMEDIED


interests resumed its sessions in Partor O.. OF the f
Avenue Hotel Yesterday morning. Senator Mler anu
Representative Page were hand for the1rst uhe lo
former did not remain throughout the session. MI
McTane of MARYLAND is still detained in Washington Dy
sickness. As the case op the previous any 'io
most important statements made before the committee
were presented in the shape of papers ana PAM he'S
the writer's OF which personally appeared ana under inc
stimulus OF questions put principally from Messrs ko
beson Cox and Gambler, entered into an eaDornoh Oh
their opinions and recommendations rs thus set forth
John H. Hammond, william Rogers and Captain
Parker NJ whitmore all OF Bath Me, who were before
the committee Thursday spoke ut greater length and
specifically OF the evils of advance wages
TO sailors If this system could be abolished In some
way they said, It would deprive the landlords OF the
sailors boarding hOuses Of their hold upon the men
and leave them FREQ to make bargains with their EN-
poyers as other workmen do As the matter stood at
present, constantly shipped In drunken ana
insensibe condition. 1t the exception rather than
the rule for vessel to leave port with every nan In IL
sober. Mr.. Rogers illustrated the results OF the law
whereby shipowners were compelled to pay three
months extra wages sailor discharged in foreign
port Captain ID. S. Osborn spoke of the practice OF
levyng blood money sailors for an opportunity to
ship vessel. The money which was usually about
s. for each man, he said, divided between the
boarding house keeper and the shipmaster law was
needed which would abolish tho sailors boarding
houses. the only way to stamp out their ubiquitous
practice.
Captain John Goldman laid before the committee
pamphlet which has already appeared In print wherein
the questions of the committee circular were an
swered at considerable length In his statements
he agreed entirely with the gentlemen Who had imme-
datcy preceded him the questions Of advance wages
and extra pay He spoke with much warmth OF the
usually arbitrary actions of American COnsuls abroad,
whose interpretations OF the law which they called
upon to administer varied widely and were scarcely the
In two Az to extra pay, he thought that
their opportunities for maadministraton in this
direction should be abridged by the abolition OF the
law He added that If Americans sailed their vessels
under the British flag they sure TO meet COnsus
whose positions were to some extent permanent ana who
al not therefore regard them vantage points from
which to. snatch all the gain they could In the four
years time allowed them. Captain Goldman advocated
the necessity Of allowing American citizens TO buy their
ships wherever they could get them cheapest The OBJ
lection had been made that this policy would destroy
American shipbuilding interests such was not the
result In other countries under similar circumstances.
In Germany. where the Government allowed its cti-
zens to 20 into the markets or the world ard purchase
their vessels, the shiphuidng Interest at nome had
made steady progress. Captain Goldman wanted ships
relieved rom All local ana nalCha ttNduon. ,..
Mr.. RobcsOn asked whether this not In the nature
Of subsidy. Captain Goldman denied that it was. He
was hSscu II inc Exemption from suc tiA"lOu Nas IOt
equivalent 10 taxing that money out OF the United states
Treasury. and therefore practically subsidy lie SAID IL
not 80, because the money was not IN the treasury
and under the present condition Of things would not 30
estimate OF the amount OF f0rclm carrying trade which
was now done by foreign vessels and which Americans
competition. he answered that John Roach had est-
mated it at Sli0OOOOOO year but that be thought
SllOOOO.OOO would cover it, Mr.. Cox asked how long
II would take for this country To regain its position IN
the carrying trade II all the conditions were made tsht
Captain Goldman replied that remedies should have been
used years ago This country hh lost s prestige and
nerc1ce EVEN II the shppng interests got all that they
asked IL would be "a long time before the revival would
come. However, Japan. which was In much the Same
condition rs this country pursued the liberal pOhcy
dor
the maritime nations OF the world In few years But
United states free China is-uO more was asked-
and the effects would soon make themselves known
Captain Daniel Tracey, OF Nineland who has been I'm
mast wears superintendent Of sailors homes I'm this city
and Boston and who has had thousands OF sailors under
his supervision said that ne had spoken and written
against advance wages for twcntyseyen years. There
law establishing such Il custom, Dut theTe was
law which protected it, lie brought with him the draft
OF bill which would be submitted to Congress at the
approaching session. which provides III thc OPINION or
tie framer The only possible remedy IN the case rms cas
for the prohibition OF any money to the sailor until II
has been earned and declares that any advance funds
shall be regarded In the sht OF present INC seaher
said that sailors must become free men, 80 that they
could not 99 stolen as me- Mee con o a 'f f. from o
sailors boarlinghouscs. X captain hired married
man living home landlord would say 10 MN thAt ne
could not hire any man rom ms hosse Eull'I mus
trntiOn- were given OF the evils OF advance wages ny
citing how easily the due bills coud be forged 10y these
opdorls and their conedcratc who Therefore did not
hesitate drug ntOXcac sailors put them on board
So successful haI they been that these people hal not
stopped with sailors hut had shanghaied" or Eid
even Roman Catholic priest last September lie
TRBUSE had printed an account OF how United states
fonnd that they were being shanghaied" and carried
on by English vessels And all this was because advance
Captain Goldman, recalled at this point, replied 70
questions OF Mr. Robson that the cost of steamer OF
1000 tons for carrying freight was about @JloOOO.
i p II Joines parker of the American shpmastcrs
Association presented pamphlet To the committee In
which Le saws that vessels of all Kinds are rs well but
in ihis country "a IN any other; but that they cannot be
cost of everything in tine way of materials used ana labor
emnloycd The shpOwuers IN Maine make money by
riuni1g the ships made in their yards The burdens
should be removed from shipping Interests ln co h5uhI
ices houli be abolished and the Government should pay
thelr own consuls. The whole body OF the law as II
stands treats American ships in foreign ports hs
parcel OF pirates In conclusion, Captain Parker READ
and commented on act which lie had drawn up with
the assistance OF Mr. Wylkoop entitled An Act Tor the
relief OF the Merchant Marine OF tue United states anu
10 amend existing Customs Navigation ana Revenue
Laws" The most Important provision was rs follows;
from and after the first day OF january, I7oo' any
citizen or citizens OF the United states may purchase the
whole any steam OF sail vessel no hbtr Wheir slI
vessel may have been Dult whether WlIhn the nteu
States or foreign country or whether SAID vessel may
have been owned In whole or IN part 10y a amen or aes
and said vessel shIl DC ItFislei' lleG vi 5 a. 10 az,
hull spars appliances, outht and equipment ohcIudps
boirr engines gand machinery, II steam vessel as
vessel OF the United STATES ny inc Goc'lo ~ ny PS.r
of entry OF the United States, To whom application Tor
such registry may be made by said citizen or cHeus IN
the manner as though ,hd NtSrti Hu D,il pll ~
the United states. Provided Wreriheiess that such
foreign built vessel shall Ice PROMPTED from cnSS8 III
trade between ports and places in the United states,
and such prohibition shall be written Ia the register Oh
Another section provided for apprentices on board
American vessels for which The owners OF the vessels
shall receive 500 per unnum from the Collector OF
tine port at which the vessel Is registered the Hpprcn-
tico shall receive like amount from the same source
In his remarks before the committee Captain Parker
thought that this amount perhaps somewhat too
large. -
Robert W. Lord OF Boston said that the only condition
with which an American shipowncr had 10 comply,
WHO wished 10 sail under English flag, 20 secure
seven English shareholders in his vessel and they need
not hold more each. lie said that the burdens
laid upon the shipping interests had been heavy that
capitalists had been driven To invest Jnoy elsewhere
When asked where they were now investing, he replied
that they putting their money into Western rail
roads Mr.. Rogers aud Captain OsbOn reappcarcd
nefOre the committee the conclusion of their
sion j. s. Cox handed in the following statistical table OF
tonnage OF American ana iOre vessels entered from
foreign countries seaports Of the United States.