The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-12-29
OUR OCEAN OPERATIONS.
Commissioner Patton's Report ON the
American Merchant Marine.
IN OUR SHIPS AND JOUR SAIL oBs
We Rank Second Only 10 Great Britain
and We Also Possess
THE BEST VESSELS ON THE SEAS
Value of Our ronnage-Th Tariff Ara,ns,
and no Protection to Our AmecrIa.
ships-Some Exhaustive Rec
concentrations Madet to
THE BEST VESSELS ON THE SEAS
SECURE EQUALITY FOR OUR FLAG


Ten, commissioner of navigation, in his
'irst annual report, says the American
merchant marine of the present time
although it has not in later wears kant
pace with that of Great Britain. ia 500
ond onlyto hers. Notwithstanding the
which the American
ship-builders have had TO contend
against the high character OF their YES.
sels mas been maintained
Our wooden ships are proba.
Dly the best and safest vessels afioat.
ana the comparatively new iron shin
puiiulng works of the country are he
slnhIng 10 turn out steamships and
oener IRON craft OF very high class. In
ttep!y 10 tDe assertions in some quarters
tnat we nave no ships, the commissioner
states that we have
THE FINEST CoAsTwIsE TRApp ~ INN
WORLD,
and the best fleet of sailing ships known
u now engaged in the California wheat
transportation under the United States
nag. IL is mistake, says the report.
70 accept the opinion that the day OK
wooden ships is entirely past. Two.
'hirus OF the tonnage of the world is
PROBABLY still composed of wooden yes-
sels,, while their numerical nre-
ponuerance Is much preatet
Notwithstanding the known fact
tnat Tor screw steamers and many other
kinds OF craft, iron possesses certain an-
Vantages, In round numbers. the total
Oh our sea-goiug marine On June 10
iooi, was IN vessels 6,636; in tons, 8 70O. Z.
44' or this number 422, of COL 1855 tons.
were steamers, and the rest sailing yes'
sels. But the entire number of vessels
Oh an kinds under our flag, ON June 10.
looi, was 2i,OS2, measuring 4,2Tl, ,22S tons,
lHh VALUE OF THR TOTAL TONNAGE
vi 1I, tno ne Unlted states is Mt present $780,
Vvv,VVV; .,nV Ile value OF the sea-gong fleet
eeulhg year, tho total tonnage of Tho
country exhibits an increase OF n ~
TONS the enrolled and licensed TONNAGE
having Increased 33B,6l6 tons, while lie
registered tonnage increased 80 toms.
me relltI afforded the Shipping intor.
e.t by tho bill passed at tho last session
Oh congress Is, the commissioner thinks.
suihclent to place American sailina
shlps on an equality with the pOweys
ol those of other flags. In so far as The
expenses OF navigation axe concorned.
the counterpart of that wise enactment
would seem to measure the euualizing
ol tHo cost of the construction of iron
shlps, business comparatively new in
TINS country.
THE TARtFr,
Which operates 10 raise the price of Ia
Dor, makes the cost of American shins
higher, while 1t gives no support and
cah afford no protection TO those en-
gagged IN the foreign frclghtlng trade.
since lheir business is one OF competi.
non WIN ship-0Wners Of all nations i'm
Ihe held beyond tho reach Of our laws.
~ IL important that this country should
ne prepared 70 ocompete for the supply of
.lc Worlu with ships, and equally i'm
portan, that our ships should start with
some OF lhe advantages their competi-
'ors ENJOY. The commission recon-
mends the Offering of bounties sullicient.
~ large to encourage the construction
by private enterprise, of a fleet of first.
class powerful mail steamers, which
could be used with good effect In time
OF war as II ght armed cruisers and
transports, u strong argument in fa-
yor OF having American soapen for
American shipsi the crews of which are
now composed mainly of Foreigners. On
lhls point the commissioner saws that
IN order to induce American lads 10 fol-
low tle sea for profess ion, some I'm.
uUcehents might be offered with great.
aaNahtago to our merchants. For
the merchant service, as well MS for n
national provision for trained soamen. "A
system OF apprenticeship is recom-
lnehded to be established, IN pursuance
OF whlch American merchant vessels
engaged in foreign trade might receive
a certain fixed sum from the goyern-
ment for the
SUPPORT AND INSTRUCTION. on APpnEN-
TICEs
carried on board ior stated term of
years, Such a system would. h IL
thought L. do much TO improve the aver
age standard OF American seamen and
repay the national expense i'm
anofdlng an available corps of
loyal sea faring men, who could be re-
ileu upon, IN case o. an emergency, 10
man the navy.
PROTECTION AND PUNISHMENT OF SAIL
oRs.
further legislation In suggested i'm tho
direction of making more efficient laws
for the protection and punishment of
sailors, and the institution of courts of
inquiry in this country, with power TO
punish officers and seamen who, by
carelessnoss or incoInpe,ency, cause
collisions ut sea.
- -=--=---.