Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-11-16
AMERICAN SHIPPING
Fast Being suppIantsd In Pacific BY vssss 8
Filing Japanese Flag.

Washington. Nov. 15.-Despite the
either this Congress or the next pass
ing a free ship bill, the commissioner
Of navigation. in his annual report, re-
fers prominently to the subject and
urges the necessity for passage OF
such measure. He invites attention u
the fact that our maritime rank on
the Pacific Is now threatened by a new
rival, Japan, which has established a
transPacific steamship line to the
United States, and with the co-opera-
ton Of American capital, is preparing
to extend rapidly the service.
In 1880 the tonnage of American YES
sells entering the United States from
the ports of Asia and Oceanica was
1895 tons; foreign vessels. 442,25l
tons In 1895, American tonnage had
increased to 30S.4s1 tons, and foreign
tonnage leaped to G51, 206 tons. The
commissioner says:
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 almost wholly disap-
pear from the mid Atlantic, save as
borne by the mail steamers of the
American Line, and the figures show
that the carrying trade of the Pacific
is slipping from u.s.
Before it is altogether lost, Com
missioner Chamberlain suggests that
Congress inquire into the conditions
of transPacific transportation. With
in the last five years Japan's sea-go-
ing steel steamers mas increased from
l3 Of 27,70l tons to SO of LOG, 1888 tons.
The number Of American steel and
iron steamers on the Pacific coast is
az, of 6s,G25 tons.
Opposition is expressed at some
length to the proposition found in Sen
ator Fryes bin now before Congress
TO impose 10 per cent. additional dis
eliminating duties on all cargGes
brought into the United States by
foreign vessels. 1t points out that for
over so years the United States has
followed the policy of reciprocity in
shipping. and declares that every
other maritime nation of considerable
rank has adopted and now pursues the
same policy.
The commissioner says: our total i'm
ports for 1895 was valued at sI3l 500 yii. OF
which $50 $50 62 was brought in foreign
vessels. A discriminating duty bill
would put an additional charge of $iy
10000 on our international exchanges.
based on the figures for 1895. an amount
approximately equal to the entire ocean
freight bills on imports and exports
In arguing against this tax. the COM
missioner cites the enormous imoorta-
tions of tea and coffee. aggregating in
1895. si25.000. 900. and points that the pro-
posed tax would be tax on the consum-
ers of those articles. gOf coffee from
Brazil $54 100000 came in foreign vessels,
and the proposed tax would equal $500.
600 or sufficient. Mr. Chamberlain says.
on coffee alone. 10 subsidize steamship
lines including y steamers equal to the
ST. Louis or St. Paul. 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
q policy of discrimination always has
been and always be thwartej by retalia-
ton.