Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-01-09
Merchant Marine.
Report OF the Commission, + OF Navign.
ton,

WAsHINGToy. Jan. 1.-Jarvis Pat
ton, Commissioner of Navigation,
in his first annual report, says: The
American merchant marine, at the
present time, although it has not i'll
later years been kept pace with that
of Great Britain, is second only
TO the latter. Notwithstanding
tue dis, dvuntages when American
shipbuldors have had TO contend
against, the high character Of their
vessels have been maintained. Our
wooden ships are probably the best
and safest vessels ailoat, while the
comparatively new iron shipbuildinS
works of the country are beginning
to turn out steam ships and othar
non craft of very high class. In
reply to the assertions i'll some quar-
| tiers that we have no ships, the Com
missioner states: We have the finest
Coastwise trade in the world, and
the best fleet of sailing ships known
is now engaged in the transportation
Of California wheat under the Uni
ted States flag. 1t is mistake, says
this report, to accept the opinion
that the day of wooden ships is en-
tirely past. Two-thirds of the ton
mage of the world is probably com
posed Of wooden vessels. while their
numerical preponderanue Is much
greater, Notwithstanding the fact
that, for screw steamers and many
other kinds of craft, iron possesses
certain advantages. in round mum
bers, the total OF our sea-soing mar
inc was, June 20, 1854: Vessels,
6 ,G3G; tons, 81 GOO, 40l. vi this
number, 422, Of Col 1876 tons, were
steamers, and the rest sailing vessels,
but the total number Of vessels OF
all kinds under our flag, on june 30,
1884, was "A ,0S2, measuring 1,2Il,-
22S tons. The value of the total
TONNAGE OF THE UNITED STATES.
Is ut present $3.50 900 900, and the
value of the sea-soiug fleet Sl22,-
500 900. Compared with tho pre-
cedino year, the total tonnage of
the country exhibits an increase of
30, 742 the enrolled and license ton.
mage having increased 2.126 tons.
The relief afforded the shipping
interests by the bill passed at the
last session of Congress is, the Com
missioner thinks. sufficient to place
American sailing ships on equality
with vessels of other flags in SO far
as the expenses of navigation are
concerned. A counterpart to that
wise enactment would seem to be
measure equalizing the cost of tho
construction of iron ships as the
business is comparatively new in this
country. The tariff, which operates
to raise the price of labor, makes
the cost of an American ship higher,
while it gives no support and can
afford no protection to those en-
gagged in the foreign freightins trade.
Since their business is one of com
petition with the shipowners of all
nations, in field beyond the reach
of our laws, it is important that this
country should be prepared to com
pete for the supply of the world
with ships, and equally important
ships should start with the same adj
vantages that their competitors enjoy.
The Commissioner recommends
offering bounties sufficiently large to
encourage the construction by pri-
vate enterprise of fleet of first
class powerful mail steamers, which
could be used with good effect in a
time of war as light armed cruisers
and transports. An argument is
also made in favor of having Ameri-
can seamen for American ships, the
crews of which are now composed
mainly of foreigners. On this point
the Commissioner says, in order to
induce American youths to follow
the sea for n profession. some in.
ducement might be offered with
great advantage to the merchant SER
vice, as we'll as being national pro.
vision for trained seamen.