Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-08
FAVOR TONNAGE.
The Bill ENDORSED BY THE CHAM
Der OF COMMERCE BOARD.
4 Delegation Present from Ncrsoik--Es'
prsssiens Unanimous In Its Favor
Committee Going 30 washington


recsors Of the Chamber of Commerce was
held last evening at 6 o'clock.
Those present we're Messrs. Jcnn -
Purcell Cpresident). S. II. Hawos, W. =.
Cutshaw. +. ID. Taylor. W. ID. Chcsterman,
n. wallerstein, T. N. Carter. George l..
Christian, II. A. Tabb. A. ID. Janderkan. A.
n. Clarke. Jr., d. 0'sulliyan. John A. Cur
Tia. 8. r. Street, w. T. Hancock, and L. A.
Cary.
had been called az the request OF the Nor
folk Chamber OF Commerce and was for
the purpose OF acting upon Senate bill No.
e7as' commonly known as the tonnage bill.
He had written Mr.. McCarrick, member
Of the committee appointed in Norfolk 70
uree the passage Of the bill, telling him
that while he tPurcelD favored the bill
personally. he bad not Thought u expe-
dent TO cali meeting OF the board.
Yesterday he received telegram from
Mr.. McCarrick stating that committee
from Norfolk would DO here at z O'CLOCK
and would like to appear before the board.
He had replied 10 them that the meeting
of the directors had been called Tor b
O'Clock. The answer came that the com,
mittee had made its arrangements ana
would be here.
SUBSIDY TO VESSELS.
Secretary Dunlop read the Dill wnlcn
gives a subsidy 10 overy American yesssi.
steam or sail, plying from the onlteo
States to foreign ports. Donus vi 80
much per ton per thousand miles accpIu.
ing to the speed OF the shIps-the hisneSiii
Amount being 80 cents per ton upon al
vesaels who r1Ir, pnorethan twenty-one knots
An hour--is provided for. Full rates are 10
be maid for ten years, after which time one
tenth shall be deducted each year for nlne
years No vessel is to receive the bonus IN
less ON its return trip il brings back
cargo of at least Is per, cent. OF her
capacity. The act also PROVIDES
that all the officers shai oe
Americans. During the nrst year
one sixth OF the crew must be or have de-
clared their intention of becoming eiti-
yens of the United States; during the next
three wears one third, and for the balance
OF the time one half.
n certain class are 10 be listed as auxinary
10 the navy, and in case of their being
needed are to be sold to the Government
upon the payment Of their value.
All vessels receiving this SUBSIDY are 10
carry mails without extra payment
BUILDING COMMITTEE.
Colonel Purcell informed the board that
there was vacancy on the Building Com
mittee. caused by the resignation OF Mr..
Crump. and that their choice for his sue
cessor was Colonel w. L. Cutshaw, who
was unanimously elected.
THE BILL DISCUSSED.
BEING called upon for an expression OF
aniniou regarding the tonnage bill, Cap
tain John A. Curtis said that unless Ameri-
can bottoms" are subsidized u IS lmpos-
sible for them to compete with foreign YES
sells which are subsidized by their respect
I've Countries, As a precautionary mea-
sure IL was admirable. for the United States
at present had no way of transporting men
In case of war. The feature of the blu not
allowing vessels that come back light
10 be benefited is guard for IL and would
have the tendency Of making the ships
bring back freight very cheap.
IL the bill is passed by Congress 1t wonld
make ship-buildIng and mining profitable
investments. and consequently be great
benefit to Virginia. go,
saving that something was needed to pre-
vent the American vessels from being en-
tirely driven from the seas. A movement
Is now on foot. he said, to have all the
men in the navy either native-born or
baturalized citizens, and a step in the
same direction in the merchant-marine
,eryice would be good thing.
Judge Christian said. while he had no
attended knowledge of the bill, 1t seemed
10 him TO be a good thing.
Colonel Purcell stated that southern
/eople as awhole are opposed to subsidies.
but. as this measure appeared to be one
chat is to apply TO all alike, there could be
20 objection to 1t.
THE WHOLE STATE INTERESTED.
Mr.. II. A. Tabb said that not only East
erp Virginia, but the whole State, was in
terested in the bill, as the iron. which 10
animportant factor in ship-building, comes
from the interior.
Mr.. A. b. Clarke being called on by the
Chair, stated that as general thing south
ern people did not favor subsidies or
tariffs, but the manufacturing interests of
this country had become so immense that
some outlet was necessary. A floating ex-
position is to start out from Boston this
summer to South Americato show the pro-
ducts of the United States. 1t is no use
TO advertise the country unless there Is
some way of shipping goods to foreign
ports. In view of the reciprocity treaty,
lately made with Brazil, the bill was OF
great importance. At present there is only
one line of steamers from the United States
TO that country. II there should be some
fast-sailing steamers between the two
COuntrleS our luefCuhlto ihiSht Oo abtC w
compete with those of England and other
foreign countries.
Mr.. Streat was Of opinion that no better
demonstration of the need for the bill could
be made than the statement of the fact
that while the United States imports $60,-
O0O, 900 worth of goods per year from Bra
zil 1t only exports 100000.
NEW MEMBERS ELECTED.
Pending the arrival of the Norfolk CON-
mittee other business was proceeded with.
The following were elected members of
the Chamber: Messrs. Il. A. Lamb, David
Reinhardt, Isaac A. Gentry, j. s. Hall, +.
@. Brauer, Horace s. HAYES, and the
Southern Manufacturing Company.
Judge Christian reported that some
legal formalities were necessary to clear
the title of the Lumsden lot, which is to
be q part of the site for the Chamber of
Commerce building and was requested to
prosecute the matter to speedy termina-
tion.
The communication from businessmen
in regard to preferred creditors, published
In Yesterdays Dispatch, was referred TO the
Committee on Legislation.
The bill incorporating the Maritime
Land Company of NIcarauga was referred
20 the Committee on Outward Trade.
A letter was read from the Southern I'M
migration society etatlng tnat lt Wlsneu
10 put its bureau in the capital city that
would offer the largest cash consideration
for 1t. No action was taken on this.
THE BILL. AGAIN.
On motion of Mr.. ii. A. Tabb, IL was de-
cided that IL the bill before the board was
passed upon favorably committee of two
should be appointed to 60 TO Washington
next Tuesday, the day Of its consideration.
and urge its passage.
Messrs Purcell and Halves at this juno
ture went out and brought in the Norfolk
committee.
Colonel Purcell presented the commit
tee, which was composed of Messrs. j..
w. McCarrick. Waiter Sharp, and III. T..
williams, of Norfolk.
CAPTAIN M'oARRIcK EXPLAINS.
Captain McCarrick explained that the
matter was comparatively new one. or
the Richmond Chamber of Commerce
would have been conferred with long ago.
He told OF the trip OF his committee TO
Washington. and said be had been much
surprised TO find that several Of the Vir-
ginis representatives had not even read the
bill. They had COMPOUNDED it with the bill
which subsidized only few large steam
ship companies. Mr.. O'Ferrall had written
him saying that he could not support the