The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-06
To BRING BACK THE OLD TIME DAYS
When the Stars and Stripes FIoated
from Many Proud Ship.
Senator Frye's Bills to Enc courage
tho Merchant Marine.
Liberal Payment for Postal Services
Aid to the Foreign Trade.

WASHINGTON, Januar 5-Senator Frye
will introduce Monday a bill ''to promote
the postal and commercial interests of the
United StatesP 1t authorizes the Postmas-
ter General to enter into a contract for a
term of years. not less than five, nor more
than ten, for carrying the mails between
ports in the United States and foreign ports,
in iron and STEEL American owned and built
steamships. The bill provides for issuing
proposals for the service, letting it to the
lowest bidder, publishing the proposals in
nearly all the great cities of the United
States. The proposals are that these steam
ships shall be officered by American citizens
manned by crews of which half at least
shall be American citizens, and constructed
after the latest and most improved models.
The bill provides for steamships of the first
class, with a speed of at least IS nautical
miles an hour, and gross registered tonnage
OF not less than 1000 tons. No vessel, except
OF the first class, shall be accepted for said
mail service between the United States and
Great Britain. The second class shall con.
sist of iron or steel steamships, of not less
than 1000 tons gross, capable of speed of
IA nautical miles an hour. The bill provides
that all steamships hereafter built for this
purpose shall be constructed on models and
oNNoAulbS w pidho anu cpCCluCttliUuS dPpION-
ed by the Secretary of the Navy, of suffi-
cient strength and stability to carry and sus-
tain the operation at least four effective
rl1ed cannon of calibre of not less than
six inches, and shall be especially adapted to
conversion for use as transports or cruisers
in the event of war. 1t provides for the in
Specti0n of all vessels so employed and here
after built. the inspector to be appointed
by the Secretary of the Navy, who shall GER
tify to the Postmaster General that a vessel
&c onlf for fhn nrxinn
quired The bill provides that compensa-
ti0n for mail service by first class ships shall
not exceed Sc mile for the outward voyage,
and for second class ships not more than 81
a mile. An United States mail messenger
shall be transported on each ship free of
charge. Officers of the navy may, with the
consent of the Secretary, be granted fur
Tough to accept employment on these ships,
receiving as pay furlough pay and such addi-
tional amount as the contractors and officers
may agree to. Each of these ships shall
take an American born boyIas cadet or ap-
prentice, for each 1000 gross register tons,
and one for each majority fraction, who shall
be ranked as petty officers, drained as sailors
and receive reasonable pay for their services
In the event of war. such steamers may be
taken by the United States for use as traIi-
sports or cruisers, upon paymentto the own
ers OF the value of the same. ascertained by
appraisal
Senator Frye will also introduce bill ''for
tion of navigation and the improvement of
the merchant marine in the foreign trade"
This bill provides that all vessels, sail or
steam, engaged in the foreign carrying trade
shall receive bounty of one-third of one
mill per ton, gross register measurement, for
each mile navigated 1t provides that own
ers Of vessels already built shall receive the
same only so long as they stand inspection
and hold their character, if wood
built, not lower than the fifth grade.
q n nf
American and Foreign and Shipping; or
lower than the fourth grade, in a scale of six
grades, in the Bureau Veritas; or lower than
the third grade, in scale of four grades, in
Lloyds' Register of British and Foreign
Shipping. II iron or steel built, the bounty
shall be paid only for such time as such YES
sci shall stand inspection and be graded not
lower than the third class in the Record of
American and Foreign Shipping; than the
third division in the Bureau Veritas; and
third class in Lloyds' Register. There are
similar provisions touching vessels hereafter
built.
The bill provides premiums for swift and
safe sailing, both for sail and steam ships.
Vessels receiving said moneys, shall, with
out charge, carry all mail matter not exceed
ing 100 pounds, required by the Postmaster
General, provided such requirement shall not
extend TO any regular established route.
them. etc, AS an additional inducement, ves-
sells shall be relieved from all tonnage du-
ties The bill also contains provision di-
recting the Postmaster General to make con-
tracts for carrying the mails on established
routes in American ships, prescribing the
manner of their construction, ETC., and CIV
ing them remuneration additional to that
provided for vessels in the bill. 1t provides
that the President shall be given authority
to require any Of these steamers to be built
according to plans and specifications re-
quired to make them suitable for naval SER
vice, these vessels to be enrolled as naval
auxiliares. Itprovides that the government
shall give preference to American vessels in
the carriage of mails, treasure, troops, naval
and military stores, coal, etc. The goods,
wares and merchandise imported in such
vessels shall have two years extension of
time in bonded warehouses at the owners
option.
Senator Frye will introduce bill tomor-
row repeating section 4441 of the Revised
Statutes, which provides for inspectors of
hulls and boilers, and providing that in
stead of the present salaries, there shall be
paid, under direction of the Secretary OF the
Treasury, salaries as follows: In districts
inspecting less than 100 steamers annually,
$1,000 year; districts inspecting more than
100 and less than $50, $780, districts in
sprcting more than $50 and less than 200,
$500; districts inspecting more than 200 and
less than 800, $1,000; districts inspecting more
than 800 and less than 500 $2250; districts in
spectiDg 800 and upwards S2500