The morning times., 1896-11-16
FAYORS A FREE SHIP BILL
Commissioner of Navigation Urges
Congress to Act.
Japan n Strong Rival Oh the Pacific.
Our Carrying Trade Slip
ping Away.

Despite the fact that there is no proba-
biiisy ol either this Congress or the next
passing a Tree ship bill, THE Commissioner
OF Navigation, in his annual report, given
TO the press last night, refers prominently
to the subject, and urges the necessity
Tor the passage OF such a measure. he
invites attention to the TACT that our
maritime rank on the Pacific is now
threatened by Il new rival, Japan, which
has Just established a trans-PacIiic steam
snip line to the United States, and, with
the cooperation OF American capital is
preparing Ia extend rapidly tnc service
In 1850 the tonnage OF American YES
sels entering the United States from the
ports OF Asa and OceaniCa was 2S3 3S5
tons, and OF foreign vessels 4i2,251 tons.
Fifteen years later, in 1895, American
tonnage had increased but i trIfle To-
3Oe,4Sl tons, while the foreign tonna &c
had leaped to 657.206 tons.
In ms argument tue commissioner SAYS:
The large and profitable carrying trade
once conducted between Asiatic and
European ports by American vessels,
Winch seluoni. entered american purts,
has almost entirely passed away. We
have already Seen the American flag
almust wholly disappear from the mid
Atlantic, save Us b,-rne by the mail steam
ers Of the American line, and the figures
show that the carrying trade of the
Pacific is slipping from u.s.
before II Is altogether lost, Commissioner
Chamberlain suggests tnat Congress in-
quire into the condition of trans Pacific
transportation. Within the last five
years Japan's sca-going steel steamers
nave Increased from ,thrteen oI -a,.uI
tons TO fi:ty-threc OF l06,3s3 tons. The
number Of American Steel and iron steam
ers ON the Pacific coast Is 1Urty-tnree OF
6S,62o tons.
Opposition is expressed at some length
to the proposition found in Senator Frye'S
bill now before Congress, to impose ten
per cent additional discriminating duties
on all cargUes Drought INTO the UnIteu
States by foreign vessels. 1t points out
that for over eighty years tine United
States have followed the policy of rec-
procity ill shipping, and declares that every
other maritime nation OF considerable
rank has adopted and now pursues the
same policy.
Our total imports for 1895 were valued at
SI3 ,965,36b OF which $3.50, 53o, ,S62
We're brought in foreign ships. The dis
eliminating duty bill would" the COM
missioner says, put an additional charge
of S59, 100000 on our International ex-
changes based on the figures of 1895.
an amount approximately equal to our en-
tire ocean freight bills on imports and ex-
ports.''
In arguing against this tax the c1mmis-
sioner cites the enormous importations of
tea and coffee, aggrcga ting, in S95, Sl25,-
OO,o0o, and points out that the proposed
tax would lie tax on the consumers of
those articles. OF coffee from Brazil,
SOD, 100000 came in foreign vessels and
the proposed tax would equal So, 400 900,
or sufficient, Mr.. Chamberlain says, on
coffee alone TO subsidize steamship lines
including twenty-five steamers equal to
the st. Louis or st. Paul-their postal
subsidy being $500. .00OG-or a much larger
number OF the class required for South
American, Asiatic and African trade
Much of the report is given to the con-
sideration of this one question and the
Commissioner reaches the conclusion that
the policy of discrimination always has
been and always will be thwarted by re-
taliation."