New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-24
AMERICAN SHIPPING INTERESTS.

Some of orr Democratic antagonists persist
in regarding the transfer OF the New-lork and
the Paris f. the American flag as triumph for
the principle of free ships. If they were moro
candid they would describe it accurately, as
THE TRJBrSE has done, as broad minded
compromise in the interest Of American ship
ping and the auxiliary navy. The lninan LIMO
was receiving subvention for the privilege
of reserving those ships for naval use by tho
British Government. The Ocean Mall act
offered a substitute for this foreign subven-
ton. The chief obstacle to the transfer OF
the line TO the American flag was the 80, OOO,-
600 of capital invested in these ships. with
these vessels admitted t. registry an equivalent
tonnage could be constructed in American
wards and advantage be taken OF tho ocean
Mail act. The conditions of the problem made
a COMPROMISE timely and wise BY con-
di,ionaI relaxation of the Registry law work
was provided for American shipyardS, trans
atlantic line was brought under the flag and q
powerful auxiliary navy was created,
1t is a characteristic attitude which Demo
cratic partsans have taken respecting shipping
interests. When constructive legislation is re-
ouired in view of the systematic protection by
ties, liberal mail payments and naval subven-
tons, these objcctOrS are strenuous in opposing
it, "Al that is Necessary" they say, IN
order to restore American shipping is the re-
peal of the antiquatod Registry stltutcs." They
point TO the flag over the Newly ork as proof
of what will happen all along tho coast if the
law be repealed. They do not pause to con-
slider whether the Inman Line would have
given up the British subvention If the Ocean
Mail act had not been passed, nor whether it
is not an advantage to the country to have
fleet of splendid merchant ships built at the
Cramps yards They do not explain why the
Brazil Line did not succeed when it chartered
a fleet of foreign-built ships or why it was
compelled to fall back upon the Subsidy act
as a last resort Their only cry is Free
ships and the logic of that cry is this the
only way in which the commercial marine can
he restored is through the encouragement OF
foreign shpbulding and the destruction of the
American shipyardS or their conversion into
beggally repair shops
Nothing could be moro diSingcnuouS than the
Democratic plea that the decline Of the Amori-
can commercial marine on the high seas has
been caused by Protection. The Protection by
which it was built up in twenty years to
tonnage exceeding in 1910 what it was in 1890
was withdrawn during the period from 1919
TO 1850 The coaStwisc and inland fleets have
been protected from 1889 to 1898 and they
have prospcred. The marine in foreign trade
wa, brought under frcc-tradc conditions re-
Srcctng ocean frcightng and il has declined
from lack Of protection. England when the
flags were cquaizcd substituted for the prcyi-
Gus determinations of lis navigation laws
system OF indirect protection by bOunteS. mail
subsidies, naval subycntions and insurance
ratings. In that way il established the SUI
premacy of its merchant fleet with the aid Of
the Alabama raids and the substitution of iron
for timber. Under the same conditions OF free
trade in ocean frcghting the American fleet
in foreign trade has declined because it, wei
fare and prosperity have not been promoted
nor it's resources developed by the same Eng
lish policy of enlightened sclf-intcrcst. With
the Inman Line converted into an American
by the operation of the Ocean Mail
act, there is n bcatcd application Of the policy
which has been employed by every European
maritime Power.