Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-14
TO HELP AMERICAN SHIPPING
The Tonnage and Postal Subsidy Bills
Passed by the Senate.

The Tonnage and Postal Subsidy Bills
Passed by the Senate.
The Senate passed the shipping bills on Sat
drday afternoon and they have now been taken
| over to the House.
The tonnage bill provides for the payment to
any vessel of more than 500 tons gross register,
whether sail or steam, constructed and wholly
owned by citizens of the United States, or reg
istered pursuant to any laws thereof. and which
shall be engaged in the foreign trades, plying
between the ports OF the United States and
foreign ports the sum of fifteen cents per gross
registered ton for the first 500 miles or fraction
thereof sailed outward. and the same sum for
the first 500 miles or fraction thereof sailed in
ward on any voyage or voyages; fifteen cents
per gross registered ton for the second 500
miles or fraction thereof sailed outward and
she same sum for the second 500 or fraction
thereof sailed inward. and thirty cents per
gross registered ton for each 200 miles there
after, ana pro rata for any distance sailed less
than 900 miles after the first 600 miles sailed
provided that the foreign port to which
the voyage is made shall be distant more than
20 miles seward from the gulf boundary of
the United State. The payments at the rate
OF 80 cents per ton for each 200 miles sailed
are to continue for the term of ten years at
that rate, and thereafter for another term of
" D
each year upon each 1000 miles sailed, and pro
rata for any less distance. No vessel is to be
entitled to the benefits Of this act unless its
entire cargo shall be loaded at port ports
OF the United States. and discharged at one or
more foreign ports, or shall be loaded at one or
more foreign ports and discharged at q port or
ports in the United States; nor shall vessel be
entitled to receive payment under this act un-
less it shall have freight on board at time Of
sailing to the amount in tons weight or
| -
net register tonnage, 2,240 pounds or 40 cubic
feet to make a ton of cargo There is to be no
discrimination between competing lines.
No vessels are to be entitled to the benefits
OF this act unless the officers thereof shall be
citizens of the United States. nor unless upon
each departure from the United States certain
proportions of the crew shall be citizens of the
United States. The government of the United
States has the right. during the time this act
shall be in force. to purchase or charter any
price to be fixed by agreement with their own
ers or agents, or by the judgment of appraisers,
mutually selected in case of disagreement
THE POSTAL SUBSIDY BILL
authorizes the Postmaster General to enter into
contracts for a term of not less than five nor
more than ten years in duration with American
citizens for the carrying of mails on American
steamships between ports of the United States
and such ports in foreign countries (the
dominion of Canada excepted) as in his judg-
ment will best subserve and pr omote the postal
and commercial interests of the United States.
The vessels are to be American built steam
ships, owned and ofhcered by American citi-
gems, in conformity with the existing laws, and
upon each departure from the United States
certain proportion of the crew shall be citizens
of the United States They are to be con-
structed after the last and most approved types,
with all the modern improvements and appli-
ances for ocean steamers. They are to be
divided into four classes. The first class is to
be iron or steel screw Steamship capable of
maintaining speed of twenty knots an hour at
sea in ordinary weather and Of q gross
registered tonnage OF not less than 5000 tons.
No vessel except of the first class is
to be accepted for the mail service be-
tween the United States and Great Britain.
The second class is to be iron or steel steam
ships capable of maintaining speed of sixteen
knots an hour at sea in ordinary weather and
of a gross registered tonnage Of not less than
5000 tons. The third class is to be iron or
steel steamships capable of maintaining a
speed of fourteen knots an hour at sea in ordi-
nary weather and of gross registered tonnage
of not less than 500 tons The fourth class
is to be iron steel wooden steamships
capable OF maintaining speed of twelve knots
an hour at sea in ordinary weather and of q
gross registered tonnage Of not less than $500
tons.
The steamships of the first. second and third
classes are to be constructed with particular
reference to prompt and economical conversion
into auxiliary naval cruisers.
The rate of compensation to be paid for such
ocean mail service of the first-class ships Is not
to exceed the sum of &c mile, and for the sec
Ond-class ships 50 mile, by the shortest prac-
ticable route for each outward voyage. For
the third-elass ships not to exceed 81. 50 mile.
and for the fourth class ships 81 mile for
actual number of miles required by the Post
Office Department to be travelled on each out
ward-bound voyage.
Naval officers may volunteer for service on
the vessels and VIZ N accepted by the contractor
or contractors may be assigned to duty by the
Secretary OF the Navy whenever in his opinion
such assignment can be made without detri-
ment to the service, and while in said employ
ment they shall receive a furlough pay from
the government and such other compensation
from the contractor contractors as may be
agreed upon by the parties, provided that they
shall only be required to perform such duties as
appertain to the merchant service. The vessels
are to take, as cadets or apprentices. one Amer
ican-born boy under twenty-one years Of age
for each 1000 tons gross registered and one for
each majority fraction thereof who shall be
educated to the duties of seamanship, rank as
petty officers and receive such pay for their
services may be reasonable. The steamers
may be taken and used by the United States as
transports or cruisers upon payment to the