Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-11-20
HAVE FEW SAILS AT SEA
UNITED STATES LOSING GROUND IN
MARITIME COMMERCE..
Japan Is sapping the Trade which
Belongs to Our Merchant
Marine.

Washington. Nov. 1.-THE report of the
commissioner of navigation for 1896 after
referring to the necessity for the passage
of free ship bill, states that our mari
time rank on the Pacific Is now contested
by new rtval-Japan-which, by liberal
and progressive laws, has established a
trans-Pacifc steamship line to the United
States, and with the cooperation CT
American capital is preparing to extend
rapidly the service. In 1880 the tonnage
oe American vessels entering the United
States from the ports Of Asia and Ocean
lea was 2S3,395 TONS and of foreign ves-
sells, Al, 251 tons.
|. In 1895 the American tonnage enter
Ing was 30S.4S1 tons; foreign tonnage, 657,-
POS tons. The large and profitable carry
Ing trade once conducted between Ash
attic and European ports by American
vessels, which seldom entered American
ports. has almost entirely passed away.
We have already seen the American flag,
the commissioner says, almost wholly
disappear from the mid-Atlantic save as
borne by the mail steamers of the Ameri-
can line, and the figures presented tended
to show that the carrying trade of the
Pacific Is slipping from us. Before 1t is
altogether lost the commissioner sug-
sests that congress inquire into the con-
dit1ons OF the trans-Pacific transporta-
ton. For the control of this trade the
United States enjoy obvious natural ad-
vantages. Within the last five years jap
ans sea-going steel. steamers have in
creased from Is of 27,s1O tons to SO of &c.
1888 tons. The number of American steel
and iron steamers on the Pacific Is 49,
of 6S, $50 tons.
L The reports recommend the immediate
extension Of the act of 1892, under which
the steamships New York and Paris were
admitted to American register, and the
steamships st. Louis and st. Paul were
built in the United States. Under the sx-
| listing law 1t is impossible to establish
| Pacific mail service.
Oppose More Duties.
The report opposes at length the prop
osition to impose 10 per cent additional
discriminating duties on all cargoes
| brought into the United States by for
| eign vessels. 1t points out that for over
80 years the United States have followed
the policy of reciprocity in shipping. Ev-
cry other maritime nation of considerable
| rank has adopted and now pursues the
same policy.
Our total imports for 1895 were valued
at 1871, 1868, 965, Of which $500, $3.50 were
brought In foreign vessels. The discrm-
nation duty bill would put an additional
charge of $59.000,000 on our international
exchanges, based on the figures for 1895,
an amount approximately equal to cur
entire ocean freight bills on imports and
exports.
In 1895 we imported $95, 900, 900. of which
$60,000,000 came from Brazil. At least
nine-tenths of the $60,000,OO0 was in coffee
imported into the country from Brazil
and $54000,000 came In foreign vessels.
For the extra concession, Mr.. Chamber
lain says, which under the discriminating
duty project the American people would
be required to pay for Brazilian coffee
alone, there could be established steam
ship lines, including rs steamers, equal to
the st. Paul or St. Louis, or a much larg-
er class required for South American,
Asiatic and African trade.
The report quotes articles from our
treaties with IS principal nations in the
world, all of which, 1t Is contended, must
be abrogated at the expense of disturb
ance sof our trade relations with the world
II the policy of discriminating trades Is
to be adopted by the United States.
As to Seasmen.
The report also favors the enactment
Of the omnibus bills, relating to naviga-
ton and to American seamen in the fol n
favorably reported by the senate commit
tee on commerce at the last session, rath-
er than in the form which these bills
passed the house of representatives. It
renews the argument of repeal OF COM
pu'sory pilotage on the coastwise sail
ing vessels. and points out that congress
has spent over $27 100000 in improve
ments of II harbors at which compulsory
pilotage Is still exacted from domestic
sailing vessels. By the abolition of use
less registry bonds the American ship
owners have been saved $4,000 annually
and American lake ship-owners about
$4,000 annually in Canadian charges i'm
posed for years In contravention of the
policy of reciprocity.
The adoption Of the measurement law
the report states, has effected a saving of
thousands of dollars to American ship
ping in foreign ports and domestic Ii
ccnses and charges based on net ton
nages, besides bringing our law on this
subject abreast of the laws of progress
sive maritime nations.