The morning call., 1890-05-03
AMERICAN SHIPS.
Two Important Bills Reported to
the Senate.
Subsidies to Domestic Vessels for Mail
Services With Foreign Points. -
Measures That Are Calculated to Restore thI
United States TO Its Former Place
Among Maritime Nations.
Special by the California Associated Press.

WASHINGTON, May 2.-Senator Frye,
from the Committee on Com merce, to-day
reported favoraby the Farquhar Bill au-
tnorlZlng the Postmaster General to enter
into contracts for term of not less than
hve, nor more than ten years. with Ameri-
can citizens for carrying mails on American
steamships between the United States and
foreign points, Canada excepted; contract
! to be made with the lowest responsible
bidder. The Postmaster-General is to give
public notice, and when the proposed
service is to be on the Pacific Ocean, notice
shall be given in the San Francisco. Ia
/ coma and Portland new spapers. The YES
sells are to be American built and certain
proportion of the crew shall be United
States citizens.
FOUR CLASSES.
The steamers shall be divided into four
classes. The first class shall be iron or
steel screw, with speed of twenty knots
an hour and gross registered tonnage of not
less than 5000 tons. The second class shall
be iron or steel steamships, capable of
maintaining sixteen knots an hour and of
tonnage of not less than 5000. The third
class shall be iron or steel steamships, with
speed OF fourteen knots an hour and of not
less than tonnage Of $500. The fourth
class shall be iron, steel or wooden steam
ships, with twelve knots speed and Of not
less than q tonnage of 1900.
MAY BE USED AS CRUISERS.
stipulation shall be made that ships may
no n,,6 har ri, &l,.&
first, second and third class employed rs
above shall be constructed according to
plans and specifications agreed upon be-
tween the owners and the Secretary of the
Navy. and of sufficient strength to sustain
the working and OPERATION of at least four
effective riaed cannon of caliber of not
less than six inches, and these vessels shall
be subject to inspection by competent
naval officer detailed for that service by the
Secretary of the Navy.
The rate of compensation for the service
is TO be, for the first-class ships, not ex-
ceeding Sc a mile; for second class, S3 a
mile; for third class, 81 so; and for fourth
class, 81 mile.
FINES AND PENALTIES.
Fines and penalties may 5e imposed for
delays and irregularities. No steamships
or subsidy from the United States. Upon
each vessel the United States is to have
transported, free of charge, mail messen-
ger with suitable accommodations, etc.
United States Navy officers may volunteer
tor service on said mail vessels, and when
accepted by the contractor may be as
signed to such duty by the Secretary of the
Navy. While in such service they shall re-
ceive furlough pay from the Government
and such other pay from the mail con-
tractor as may be agreed upon. Such mail
steamers may be taken by the United States
as transports or cruisers upon payment to
the owners of a fair actual value. In case
Of disagreement the amount is to be sett led
by appraisers.
ANOTHER MEASURE.
Frye also reported favorably on the fol-
lowing bill: The United States Treasury
shall pay any vessel of more than 500 tons
gross register, whether sail or steam, con-
strUcted and owned by United States cit-
zens, and plying between United States
and foreign ports, the sum of Is cents per
gross registered ton, for the first 500 miles,
or fraction thereof, sailing outward or in
ward; the same amount for the second 500
miles outward or inward, and 80 cents ton
for each 1000 miles thereafter, and pro rata
for distance of less than 1000 miles sailed
thereafter. provided that such foreign port
shall he more than 70 miles seaward from
the United States.
MUST CARRY FREIGHT.
The distances between the ports are to be
furnished by the United States Hydro
graphic Survey to the Bureau of Naviga-
ton. Payment at the rate of 80 cents a
mile Tor each 1000 miles sailed shall continue
Tor ten years. and thereafter for nine years,
at a reduction of cents a mile on each ton.
NO vessel shall be entitled to the benefits
OF this act unless it have freight aboard in
tons or measurement Of at least % per
cent OF The net registered tonnage, 2240
pounds or forty cubic feet to make ton of
cargo.
OFFICERS AND CREWS.
All officers Of such vessels are to be
United States citizens and also q proportion
OF the crew. TC the owners OF vessels
already built payments under this act shall
be made Tor such time only as each shall
stand inspection and hold a character Gf
wood builD not lower than second grade
"a ~ In scale of six grades In the Record
OF American and Foreign Shipping, or apy
other Incorporated American register Of
shipping that has received the Endorsement
of the Board of Marine Underwriters at GER
tain ports, including San Francisco.
IRON AND STEEL SHIPS.
Ii iron or steel built payment shall be
made Tor each vessel holding a character
not lower than second class Al thirteen
years In the same records as above set forth.
keel-laid vessels built hereafter after
losing or lapsing from the first-class grade,
If wood built, or from the first class if iron
or steel built must have been SO well con
structed as to have been classed originally
In the highest grade. to wit: if wood built
Al ior twelve years, and if iron or steel
built AL for sixteen years.
Section provides that the Government
shall have the right to purchase or charter
any such vessels at a price fixed by agree
ment or appraisement.
CANADIAN DISCRIMINATION.