The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-11-26
new MARITIME RIVAL
Commissioner OF Navigation
Says Japan is Gaining.
RECOMMENDS A FREE-sHIP BILL

RECOMMENDS A FkEE-SHlP BILL
Strongly Opposes the Proposed Dis
eliminating Duties ON CarEOes
Brought by Foreign Vessels.
Washington, Nov. 1.-THE report
of the commission Of navigation for
1896. after referring to the necessity
for the passing Of free ship bill, states
that our maritime rank on the Pacific
is now threatened by new rival, ia
pan, which. under liberal and progress
sive laws, has just esta blished trans.
Pacific steamship line to the United
States. and with the cooperation OF
American capital, is preparing to ex-
tend this service. In 1880, the tonnage
of American vessels entering the United
States from the ports of Asia and
Oceanica was 1888, 396, and of foreign
vessels, 442,251 tons. In 1895, the
American tonnage entering was $685.
481, the foreign 657.206.
The large and profitable carrying
trade once conducted between Asiatic
and European ports by American YES
sells. 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.Atlan'
tic, save as borne by the mail steamers
of the American line, and the figures
tend to show that the carrying trade Of
the Pacific is slipping from US. Before
it is altogether lost, Commissioner
Chamberlain suggests that congress in
uuire into the conditions Of trans.Pa-
ciic transportation. For the control
of this trade, the United States has
obvious natural advantages.
Within the last five years, Japan's
seagoing steel steamers have increased
from thirteen. Of 27,701 tons, to fifty
three, of 100, 3S3 tons. The number Of
American steel and iron steamers on
the Pacific coast is forty three, Of 6S,-
625 tons
The report recommends an immedi.
ate extension of the act of 1899, under
who the steamships New York and
Paris were admitted to American regis
ter, and the steamships st. Louis and
st. Paul were built, in the United
States. Under existing law, it is i'm.
possible to establish on the Pacific
mail service even approximating our
Atlantic mail service. as equal condi'
tions, which were necessary to the re-
cent creation of the latter, do not exist
there. The report opposes at length the
proposition to impose 10 per cent adj
ditional discriminating duties on all
oargoes brought into the United States
by foreign vessels. 1t points our that
for over eighty years, the United States
has followed the policy IF reciprocity
in shipping. Every other maritime
nation of considerable rank has adopted
and now pursues the same policy.
Our total imports for 1895 were
valued at 1871. 500, go, Of which $780,.
5SS, 362 were brought in foreign vessels.
The discriminating duty bill would
put an additional charge OF $50, 900, 600
on our international exchanges, based
on the figures of 1879, an amount ap'
proximately equal to our entire ocean
freight bills on imports and exports.
In 1895 coffee imports were sos. 000,-
900, of which $50, 900, 900 worth OF
coffee imported into the country from
Brazil, Of $54, 200, 600. came in foreign
vessels. For the extra sum, Mr.. Cham.
berlain says, which under the discrimi.
mating duty project the American peo-
pie would be required to pay for Braz-
ilian coffee alone. there could be estab-
lished steamship lines, including twen-
ty.five steamers, equal to the st. Louis
or St. Paul, or much larger number
of the class required for South Ameri-
can, Asiatic and African trade.
The report quotes articles from our
treaties with the thirtyfive principal
nations in the world, all Of which, it is
contended, must be abrogated. at the
expense of q disturbance OF our trade
relations with the world, if the policy
of discriminating duties is to be adopt
! ed by the United States.
The report also favors the enactment
of the omnibus bills relating to navi.
cation and to American seamen, in the
form favorably reported by the senate
committee on commerce at the last ses'
sion, rather than in the form in which
these bills passed the house OF repre-.
sentatives. 1t renews the argument foz
the repeal of compulsory pilotage on
coastwise sailing vessels, and points out
that congress has spent over $27, 000,
600 in the improvement OF seventeen
harbors. at which compulsory pilotage
is still exacted from domestic sailing
vessels.
By the abolition of useless registry
bonds, American shipowners have been
saved $50, 900 annually, and American
lake shipowners about $l5, 900 annu'
ally in Canadian charges imposed fol
years. in contravention Of the policy
of reciprocity.
| The adoption OF the measurement
law, the report states, has effected 9
saving Of thousands OF dollars tt
American shipping in foreign ports
and in domestic licenses and charges
based on net tonnage, besides bringing
our law on this subject abreast OF ths
laws of the progressive maritime ma
tions.
No Foreigners Need Apply.
ST. Lonis, Nov. ia special Il
the Republic from South McAlester, l
T.. says the Greek council has JUS
passed q law which provides penalt.
of 800 fine and $50 lashes on the barr
back for any citizen of the nation VIII