Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-11-03
AMERICAN SHIPPING.


mitted advance copies Of his annual re- |
mort TO the secretary of the treasury. |
After tracing the history of the pro
tective policy adopted during the admin
tration of President Washington he dis
cribes the remarkable change which was
consummated by the act of May "a, 1923,
under the provisions of which statute
foreign vessels are admitted at United
States ports upon the same terms which
apply 20 American vessels. This attempt
Mt free trade in shipping was inspired he
says, by our early maritime successes, but,
under the new conditions as to the ma
teria of shipbulding, iron or wood, aud
the gradual appreciation Of wages in the
! United States, the greater relative cost of
| building and operating seagong vessels
has thrown the advantages largely on the
side Of the nations of Europe.
The commissioner says that all that has
remained to lis in shpbulding and in the
carrying trade is due to the fact that we
have rgidly adhered to the protective act
of Feb Is. 7a3 under the provisions Of
which statute the domestic trade Of the
United states is confined to American
vessels. Upon this subject he says:
The exclusion Of foreign vessels from par
ticipation alone in our domestic or CoastWse
commerce has alone saved our shipbuilding
and shipping interests from ruin. In this alb
| solutcly protected branch of our merchant
! marine we have attained 70 successes in nsuti-
cal affairs which far surpass those Of any
| other nation on the glolw. The American
built ocean steamers plying between New
York and savannah. between New York and
/ Galveston, between New York and New Or
! leans ON the Panama route, and on other
! cOastwise lines, are unsurpassed in cOnstruc-
ton and efficiency by steamers OF the same
class in any other rart of the globe, and are
the admiration of the shipbuildcrs and ship
! owners OF the world.
The high attauments Of American naval
architecture and shipbuilding is also splon-
didy cX,mplifcd in the American yacht
clubs, vhich;iu point of leauty and speed. and
in the general qualities of,nautical efficiency,
are unequalled by the pleasure vessels of any
| other nation.
The commissioner has this to say about
Our Shipping on tho Great Lakes.
This branch of our merchant marine. in so
far rs, relates to trade between American
ports. is absolutely protected against foreign
competition. For this cause and the fact that
our domestic trade between lake ports consti-
tut"s by far the larger part of the commerce
OF the great lakes, our shipping 50 employed
j. enjoying high degree of proslrritr Our
lake tonnage Increased from III 2G9 tons in
1s.2 to l.lS,i,.S tons in 1902. II now embraces
fleet Of large steam vessels, models Of
beauty and nautical efficiency, which offer to
shippers and passengers an unsurpassed trans
pOrtatiou service.
IN referring to the Pacific coast tie
commissioner calls attention to threat
cniuQ danger on the Pacific, to wit: The
fact that the Dominion government has,
at an outlay Ct about $40 900, 900, enabled
the Canadian Pacific Railroad company to
construct its line across the continent and
to place Oh the Pacific ocean, between