Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-29
PRAISEFOR YANKEESHIPS
MIR. POTTER'S FIRST ANNUAL
REPORT JUST MADE OUT.

Overproduction In Great Britain's
Yards the Cause of the Present Del
preston in the Ship Building Industry
| Figures Which Prove That Amerf
can Built Vessels Can Hold Their Own
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 2s.-Jarvis Patten.
Commissioner Of Navigation, has Just COM
pleted his first annual report. He begins by
saying that the recent shipping act. which
| went into operation at nearly the same dated
with the organization of this bureau in JulyS
last, has not been in force sufficient to show
the effect upon shipping that may be expected
to result from its various measures of relief N
An unfortunate period Of depression IN the
shipping business OF the world, brought on to (
great extent by over production in the
yards of Great Britain, will probably tend to
delay still further the expected benefit. The n
Commissioner then gives sketch Of the his e
tory OF American and English shipping, and <
at the conclusion of it says: ''The American n
merchant marine Of the present time, al y
though IL has not in later years kept pace
with that of Great Britain, is second only to 4
hers. Notwithstanding the disadvantages n
that American shlpbullders have had TO con- g
tenu against, the nigh character Of their yes-
sells has been maintained. Our wooden ships q
are probably the best and safest vessels afoat 4
and the comparatively new iron ship building f
works OF the country are beginning to turn n
cut steamship and other iron craft OF d very Y
high class"
STAUNCHNESS OF AMERICAN VESSELS. h
Letters, with tables compiled unOflcially,
are annexed to the report showing the rela-
i've performance and risk by vessels of diff
ferent natiOnalities. The figures given ap-
pear, the Commissioner says, to prove that
American wooden ships do their work the 4
most successfully of all vessels engaged III the t
cOastwise ana California trade. In rouna i
numbers the total of our sea going marine *
on June 80, 1884, was 6636 vessels, with total
OF S,IOO,4Qt tons capacity. OF thus NUM-
n0F aif4r
were e Ste2mers, and the rest sailing vessels.
But the entire number Of vessels of all kinds
under the flag on June 30, 1884, was "a OS9 meas
uring 4,27l, ,22S tons. ut is dinicult,p the Comr
missioner says, ito estimate the value Of ana
toms floating property with any great degree
OF precision, but if we adopt the rule hereto
fore made use of in estimating the value Of g
the tonnage of Great Britain, allowing 10 per <
cent. for the difference between wooden and
iron vessels, the value of the total tonnage Of &
the United states n, at present $780, 000, 900. y
The value of the sea-going feet is $l22 100000.
INCREASE OF TONNAGE.
Compared with the preceding year the total Z
tonnage of the country exhibits an increase
of 95,742 tons, the enrolled and licensed tom
mage having increased 1856 tons, while the s
registered tonnage has increased 2,126 tons.
The proportion of the sailing tonnage regis
tered is 40 per cent, and OF steam tonnage
registered II per cent. The sail tonnage has
increased p, ,45l tons, and the steam tonnage
53,7l5 tons, while the canal boat tonnage has
decreased 22055 tons. and the barge tonnage
%, 1863 tons. The Commissioner then discusses
at considerable length the present condition 4
of the ocean carrying trade OF the world, and
the share of it which the United States en-
joy, and says:i'No branch Of the worlds busi-
ness, excepting, perhaps, the railway in
terests, has been increasing of late years
more regularly or more rapidly than that Of
shipping.
CAUSE OF THE DECLINE.
The fact that the former has had such
great success in this country, while our
ocean carrying trade has been passing to
foreign shores, is doubtless owing, to a certain
extent, to circumstances beyond our control,
but it cannot be denied that the prosperity OF
our railroads may be traced TO the fostering
care and assistance of the government white
the interests that extend beyond the shore
have been left to struggle unaided against the
wealth and natural advantages of competitors
whose prosperity represents in a great part
the actual losses sustained by the American
merchant marine"
The Commissioner recommends the offer
ing of bounUies sufficiently large to encour-
age 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 light armed cruisers and transports.
strong argument is also made in favor of
having American seamen for American ships,
the crews of which are now composed mainly
Of foreigners.