The herald., 1896-11-16
THE PACIFIC TRADE
SLIPPING FROM Us
In to the Hands of the New
Oriental Rivals
Liberal and PROGRESSIVE LAWS
Greatly Encourage the Japanese
Shipbuilders
FREE SHIP BILL DEMANDED
In the Interest of United States MARIE
time Commerce
The Imposition Of Discriminating Duties b
Strongly Opposed
FREE SHIP BILL DEMANDED
In the Interest of United States MariS
time Commerce
The imposition Of Discriminating Duties b
Strongly Opposed
The Commissioner Of Navigation
Would Like to See Old GlorL 4
Floating in All the Harbors E3
Of the World. Fia
Associated Press Special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15.-The report
of the commissioner of navigation for
1896, after referring to the necessity for
the passing of free ship bill, states
that our maritime rank on the Pacific 10
now threatened by a new rival, Japan,
which,, under liberal and progressive
laws, has just esta blished a transpacific
steamship line to the United States, and
with the cooperation of American cap
ital, is preparing to extend this service.
In 1880 the tonnage Of American ves-
sells entering the United States from
ports of Asia and Oceanica was 2S3, $50
tons, and of foreign vessels 442,251 tons.
In 1895 the American tonnage entering
was S0S.461 tons, the foreign tonnage
657, ,206 tons. The large and profitable
carrying trade once conducted between
Asiatic and European ports by Ameri-
can 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 At
lantic, save as borne by the mail steam
ers Of the American line, and the figures
presented tend to show that the carrying
trade of the Pacific coast Is slipping
away from us. Before it is altogether
lost, Commissioner Chamberlain sug-
gests that congress inquire into the COM
ditions of transpacific transportation.
For the control of this trade the United
States enjoys obvious natural advan-
tages. Within the last five years Ja-
pans sea-going steel steamers have in
creased from 13 of 27,701 tons to SO Of
106,SS3 tons. The number Of American
steel and iron steamers on the Pacific
coast is 43 of 6S, ,625 tons.
The report recommends an immediate
expansion 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
existing law. it is impossible to estab-
lish on the Pacific mail service even
approXimating our Atlantic mail ser
vice on the equal conditions those found
necessary to the recent creation of the
latter.
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
eighty years the United States has fol-
ping. Every other maritime nation OF
considerable rank has adopted and now
pursues the same policy.
Our total imports for 1895 were valued
at s7S1 $780, ,965, of which $3.50. 1862 was
brought in by foreign vessels. The dis
tional charge of $50, 900 900 on our inter-
national exchanges. based on the figures
for 1896, an amount approximately equal
to our entire ocean freight bills on i'm
ports and exports. In 1895 was imported
S35. coo 900 of coffee, of which $4,000, 900
came from Brazil. At least nine-tenths
of the 60,000.000 coffee imported into the
country, or S54,000.000, came in foreign
vessels For the extra sum, Mr.. Cham
berlain says. which, under the discrim-
mating duty project, the American peo-
pie would be required to pay for Brazil
ian coffee alone, there could be estab.
lished steamship lines, including twenty
five steamers equal to the ST. Louis or
st. Paul, or much larger number Of
the class required for South American.
Asiatic and African trade.
The report quotes articles from our
treaties with the thirty-five principal ma
tions in the world, all of which, it is con-
tended. must be abrogated, at the ex-
pense of a disturbance of our trade re-
lations with the world. if the policy of
discriminating duties is to be adopted
by the United States.
The report also favors the enactment
of the omnibus bills relating to naviga-
ton and to American seamen in the
form favorably reported by the senate
committee on commerce at the last ses-
sion, ratner than IN the form IN which
these bills passed the house of repre-
sentatives 1t renews the argument for
the repeal of compulsory pilotage on
'coastwise sailing vessels. and points
out that congress has spent over $27. .000.-
900 in the improvement of seventeen har-
bors at which compulsory pilotage 10
still exacted from domestic sailing ves-
sells.
BY the abolition of useless registry
bonds, American shipowners have been
saved 100000 annually, and American
lake shipowners about $4,000 annually
in Canadian charges, imposed for years
in contravention of the policy Of recip-
rocity
The adoption of the measurement law,
the report states, has effected a saving
of thousands of dollars to American
shipping in foreign ports and in domestic
licenses and charges based on net ton
mage. besides bringing our law on this
subject abreast of the laws of the pro-
gressive maritime nations.