The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-01
THE SHIPPING BILL PASSED.

The RanuhIicau majority in Congress did
good work on Friday evening when they
possed the steamship bill. They were
! fourht at every step by Democratic dOctrin-
| aires. but they stuck to their job, ana
! carried it through by majority of two votes.
! The bill, rs passed, differs in. non-essentlals
from the subsidy bill passed by the Senate.
/ Inthe first place, the money to be paid by
I Government is not called.a subsidy, but is
an allowance for carrying the mails; next
the sums to be paid are less by one-tonrlh'
or Whereabouts, than those which would nave
been paid under the Senate bill. But the
object OF both bills is the;same, and the re-
/: stlt.of the passage of either will be progress
toward the end desired by the public
I$namely, the development of: cur merchant
: marine 80:
Under tie House bill sea-going steamers
are classified by tonnage and peed. There
are four classeS-:the first comprising vessels
idf 5000 tons, :capable Of .steaming twenty
knots an. hour; the second. vessels of 5000
tons, Steanling sixteen knots an hour; the
|: third, vessels of 5000 tons. steaming fourteen
:kRots an hour and the fourth, vessels of
1900 tons; steaming twelve Knots an hour.
For carrying the United States mails from
any American bort to- a foreign port the
f. Postmaster General is. authorized to pay
vessels o the first class So mile, vessels'oI
+ the. second class So mile, vessels OF the
k:thiId.ClaSS 81 90 mile, and vessels of the
fourth class 81 a mile; but nothing is TO be
paid by the United States for the return
voyages.
Looking into this provision from a San
Francisco standpoint. we note that it is not
Likely. for the present, that we shall have
any vessels OF the first class sailing out of
this port. The Liverpool trade is the only
one which can use vessels OF such size,
speed and cost. Steamers of 5000 tons,
steaming fourteen knots an. hour, are the
kind of ships that would be put on the berth
between this port and South American
ports-these vessels, under the House bill,
would receive from Government for carry
ing the mails to Valparaiso. say 5000 miles,
$500 per outward voyage \ line of three
steamers, making each six round trips per
year, would receive an annual allowance OF
S135, 600 for carrying the mails. That would
be better than nothing, but it is hardly
enough to adequately guarantee capitalists
who may put money into ship building.
| The practical effect of the measure would
! be to encourage the Pacific Mail Company
! TO 90 into the trade.
This illustrates one phase of the situation
as regards the commerce of the Pacific.
The terms offered would also promote the
| building of ships of the second class to run
from San Francisco to China, Japan and
Australasia in competition with the Can a
| dian Pacific lines new in operation and con-
templa;ed.
The House bill now goes into conference,
| and it is well understood that an agreement
| will be reached between the two Houses. 1t
would be good news to hear that the
House had receded from the reductions it
made in the subsidy voted by the Senate.
! We shall see on Monday or Tuesday. Mean
! while. ii will lie noted that the bill, in what
ever shape it may pass, viii place it out of
tile power Of the Democrats when they come
into control to- alter the postal contracts for
the next ten years.
An excellent feature Of the House bill,
which Is likewise found in the Senate bill, is
the provision for offering and manning the
steamers which will take advantage of the
/ measure with American citizens. They will
constitute a nursery for American seamen,
/ which viii be of value in case Of war. The
ships themselves are to be built so as to be
available as transports and auxiliary
! cruisers. If few such ships had been at
the disposal Of the Government at the out
break of the Rebellion. history might have
taken a different shape.
Mr.. Clune's obstinate opposition to a
measure which is calculated to confer much
benefit on the seaport he partly represents
is reconcilng even the members of his own
party to his RELOCATION to private life.