New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
FOR AMERICAN ENGINEERS ONLY.
SENATOR SQUIRE INTRODUCES A BILL. AIMED At
SUBSIDIZED STEAMSHIP LINES


SUBSIDIZED STEAMSHIP LINES
Washington Dec. Ex-senator Squire of Washing
ton. to-day introduced bill in the Senate IN which
there is than appears the face OF IT, In the
first place. II provides that engineers ocean
steamers and. in fact, all engineers on steamers
coming under Government inspection shall he
classed among the officers of the steamer: and in
the second place. these officers shall be American
citizens The bill probably had It's origin in the
refusal of the American Line Of steamers few
years ago. to employ American engineers the
Paris and the New-York. when those ships were
admitted to American registry and to the benefits OF
the postal subsidy act. At the time the American
Line received numerous applications from American
r.arine engineers who were anxious 10 the
Paris and the New-York, but that company was un-
willing 10 put new men in charge of the machinery.
and contended that the law stated that the ships
to be Differed" by American citizens 1t was
obligatory to have American engineers; and
the old engineers who were in them at the time of
the transfer remained. The marine engineers pro-
tested to Mr. Foster then Secretary of the Treasury
but he decided that the company right.
The bill which Senator Squire introduced provides
that the engineers in all ships which receive sub
sidy from the Government shall be American citi-
zens, and in presenting it he called attention to the
fact that the purpose Of the subsidy to build up
the merchant marine. both in ships and in
that in case 1t became necessary 10 call these
magnificent ships into service auxiliary cruisers
the men responsible for navigating them ano the
running OF the engines will be Americans. and that
there may be delay due TO the refusal OF foreign
engineers to in them. Incidentally. the Sen
called attention TO the fac; that, although a
subsidy is paid on the basis OF certain speed re-
quirement the vessels OF of the great trans
atlantic lines which receives large subsidy for
carrying the mails do at all approach the speed
for which the subsidy is paid. He did not argue
against the subsidy. but rather against the un-
American spirit Of the company. which is a bene-
fciary OF the Government and which Is apparently
employing foreigners in some OF the most important
places m the ships.
An inspection Of the Subsidy act dscoses rath-
peculiar wording in regard TO speed. 1t was
undoubtedly the intention of the trainers OF the
that the vessels which get the subsidy should
make the speed for which the bounty is paid, but
the law does not say at all. II merely says
that the ships OF the different classes must be
capable of maintaining speed Of so many knots
hour at ''in ordinary weather 1t is point
ed that the ships Of the first class. which
expected to make twenty knots do not make I at
sea. and that while the trial speed OF these ships
Is something twenty knots their time OF pas
sage. ''n ordinary weather is more frequently
below than above nineteen knots.
Since the Subsidy act has been in force, the
custom OF the Postoffice Department has been 10
try the ships much in the same manner as the
Navy Department tries its ships for acceptance,
that is for period of four hours. instead of
taking the average time of passage and the dis
tance as the basis of speed computation.
Many other complaints about the alleged un-
American character of the American Line are being
received by Congress.