The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-12-07


and passage money. Our grain and meats
have been taken at our own docks, and our
large imports there laid down by foreign
shipmasters. An increasing torrent of
American travel to Europe has contributed
vast sum annually to the dividends of
foreign ship owners. The balance of trade
shown by the book of our custom houses
has been very largely reduced, and in many
years altogether extinguished by this con-
slant drain. In the year 1892 only 1913 per
cent of our imports were brought in Ameri-
can vessels. These great foreign steam
ships, maintained by our traffic, are
many of them under contracts with
their respective governments by which,
in time of war, they will become
part of their armed naval establishments
profting by our commerce in peace they
will become the most formidable destroyers
of our commerce in time of war. / have
felt and have before expressed the feeling
that this condition of things was becoming
intolerable and disgraceful. A wholesome
change Of policy and one having in it much
promise, as 1t seems to me, was begun by
the law of March 8, 1891. Under this law
contracts have been made by the postmaster
general for ii mail routes. The expendi-
next fiscal year approximates 1854, 1888.
AS one of the results already reached 16
American steamships of an aggregate tom
mage of $1,000 tons costing $7,400,oO0 have
been built or contracted to be built in Amer
lean shipyards. The estimated tonnage OF
all steamships required under existing con-
tracts is l65,S03 and when the full service
required by these contracts is established
L.
American flag with the probability OF
farther necessary additions IN the Brazilian
and Argentine service. The contracts re-
Gently let for trans Atlantic service will re-
suit in the construction of five ships of
$1,000. tons each costing nine or ten
million dollars, and will add, with the City
of New York and the City of Paris, to
which the treasury department was author
lied by legislation at the last session to give
American registry. seven of the swiftest YES
sells upon the sea to our naval reserve.
The contracts made with the lines sailing to
Central and South American ports here in
creased the frequency and shortened the
time of the trips, added new ports OF call
and sustained some lines that otherwise
would almost certainly have been with
drawn. The service to Buenos Ayres is the
first to the Argentine Republic under the
American flag. The service to Southamp-
ton, Boulogne and Antwerp is also new, and
is to be begun with the steamships City OF
New York and City of Paris in February
next. l earnestly urge continuance of the
policy inaugurated by this legislation and
that the appropriation required to meet the
obligation of the government under the con-
tracts may be made promptly so that the
L s,,ko %haoa
ments may not be embarrassed.
We have had by reason of connections
with the transcontinental railway lines
constructed through our own territory some
advantages in the ocean trade of the Pacific
The construction of the Canadian Pacific
railway and the establishment under large
subventions from Canada and England OF
fast steamship service from Vancouver with
Japan and China seriously threaten our
shipping interests in the Pacific. This )ine
of English steamers receives direct sub
sidy. OF 100000 annually. or $30,767
per trip for Ii voyages, in addition to some
further aid from the admiralty in connection
with contracts under which the vessels
NAV be used for naval purposes.
The competing American Pacific mail line
under the act of March 8, 1891, receives only
$3.50 per round trip. Efforts have been
making within the last year, as l am in
formed, to establish under similar conditions
line between Vancouver and some Aus
tralian port, with view OF seizing the trade
in which we have had large interest. The
commissioner of navigation states that very
large per cent of our imports from Asia are
now brought to us by English
steamships and their connecting railways
j., ~ So aaf.v fhotr
trade especially in tea. Canada has imposed
discriminating duty of 10 per cent upon
tea and coffee brought into the Dominion
from the United States. If this unequal
contest between American lines without
subsidy or with diminished subsidies and
the English Canadian line to which l have
referred is to continue, I think we should at
least see that the facilities for customs entry
and transportation across our territory are
such as to make the Canadian route fav-
| ored one, and that the discrimination as to
duties to which / have referred is met
| by like discrimination as to the
| Importance of these articles from Canada.
No subject, think. more nearly touches
! the pride, the power, and the prosperity Of
| our country than this of the development of
our merchant marine upon the sea. If we
| cOulu eutcI IltO CoHiPCtltAoAl WIN OoAACA
competitors and all would agree to with
hold government aid we could perhaps take
our chances with the rest, but our great
| competitors have established and maintnaied
their lines by government subsidies until
they now have practically excluded us from
participation. In my opinion no choice is
left to us but to pursue moderately at least
| the same lines.
| The Navy.
The report af the secretary of the navy
exhibits great progress in the construction
of our new navy. When the present secre-
tary entered upon his duties only three mod
ern steel vessels were in commission. The
vessels since put in commission, and to be
out in commission during the winter, will
make total of 10 during his administra-
ton of the department. During the cur
rent year ten war vessels and three navy
tugs have been launched, and during the
| four years twenty-five vessels will have
been launched. Two other large ships and
a torpedo boat are under contract, and the
work upon them well advanced, and the
four monitors are awaiting only the arrival
of their armament, which has been unex-
pectedly DELAYED, or they would have been